Web Designer Resume Example
Working as a web designer can provide a rewarding career, involving creating UI layouts and optimizing UX flow. For a successful web designer application, you'll want to submit a professional resume that showcases your relevant skills. In this article, we'll highlight tips and examples for creating a web designer resume that makes a winning impression on recruiters and hiring managers.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a web designer resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Read on to learn how to write a perfect web designer resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Core sections to include in a web designer resume
A successful web designer resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.
A functional or skills-based resume format might be best for applications where you have little or no relevant web designer experience. This layout prioritizes your skills and education sections above your work experience. Focus the content of your resume on your soft and transferable skills, and any hard or technical skills you've learned from your studies or career to date. You can also mention any relevant internships, training courses or voluntary roles you've taken on.
If you're already working as a web designer, concentrate on proving your credentials with your work achievements. Use a reverse-chronological resume format to place work experience prominently in your resume. In your resume work experience section, outline your relevant achievements and showcase the impact you've made in your career to date. Make sure everything you include is relevant to the job description.
If you're applying for senior web designer positions, you'll want to list career achievements and successes that emphasize your senior status. Use a reverse-chronological format and add extra sections to show key career highlights. Your senior resume will likely be more comprehensive than resumes for more junior roles. You can add extra details about your career, such as awards, publications presentations, professional memberships or certifications.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header
In your web designer resume header, list your name, email address, phone number and address or location. You can also add your LinkedIn, if you have one, to help employers better understand your work history and skills. While in some countries, you might include additional personal information or a photo, these aren't necessary. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.
Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.
Scott Wilson
scott.wilson@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
linkedin․com/in/scott–wilson123
Resume Objective
Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for web designer roles.
Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a web designer, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. Take a look at some strong examples of how to approach a web designer resume summary in the graphic below.
Innovative web designer with a Bachelor of Science in Web Design and Development and extensive experience as a User Experience (UX) Designer. Skilled in creating user-centered designs, optimizing website functionality, and enhancing user interaction. Proficient in modern design tools and methodologies, with a strong focus on delivering seamless and engaging digital experiences. Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality projects on time and within budget
Web designer with some experience in making websites look and work better. Worked on projects where I helped improve how people use websites. Familiar with tools and ways to make digital things more interesting. Have worked with different teams to finish projects on time and within budget
Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your web designer resume summary.
Work Experience
Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a web designer position. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
A good resume work experience section includes your most relevant previous jobs and highlights your key achievements in each role. To make the best possible impression on hiring managers, make sure each entry in your work experience section references skills and experience listed in the job description, and shows how you added value to each role with quantifiable evidence and outcomes. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
User Experience (UX) Designer, January 2022 - Present
PixelWave Studios, Baton Rouge
- Led redesign of e-commerce platform, boosting conversion rates by 30% and reducing cart abandonment by 25%
- Conducted user research and usability testing, resulting in a 40% increase in user satisfaction for mobile app interface
- Developed comprehensive UX strategy for SaaS product, leading to a 50% reduction in customer support inquiries
User Experience (UX) Designer, January 2022 - Present
PixelWave Studios, Baton Rouge
- Improved website design to enhance user experience and engagement
- Worked on various projects to optimize user interfaces
- Collaborated with team to implement design improvements
In the graphic above, you'll see some examples of less effective resume work experience sections. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Education
In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to web designer roles.
If you're applying for web designer positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your responsive web design or javascript coding skills.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. Include bullet points to show any specialist modules you studied, awards or exceptional grades and achievements that can set you apart from other candidates. These will all contribute to creating a positive impression on employers.
If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.
Bachelor of Science in Web Design and Development, 2017 - 2020
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI
Skills
The skills section of a web designer resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include responsive web design, UX/UI understanding or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for web designer positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
How to list hard skills on your web designer resume
For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a web designer. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in web designer roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a web designer resume, see below.
- Html/css proficiency
- Javascript coding skills
- Responsive web design
How to list soft skills on your web designer resume
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a web designer position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. Aim to include approximately five soft skills that reflect the skills listed in the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a web designer resume, see below.
- Attention to detail
- UX/UI understanding
- Problem-solving skills
Certifications
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional web designer certifications, licenses or qualifications. These could be official licenses required for the job or certifications that improve your employability. Therefore, add any necessary licenses and certifications in this section, along with valid dates so employers can see you're still qualified for the job.
Take a look at some example certifications for a web designer resume below:
- Adobe Certified Expert, 2022
- Google UX Design, 2022
- CIW Web Design, 2022
Optional Sections
To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a web designer resume. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Hobbies and Interests
Hobbies and interests can be a useful way of showing your skills and experience beyond your work and education. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.
Voluntary Work
Adding voluntary roles can be a useful way of showing relevant experience and skills for web designer roles beyond your main employment history. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.
References
Standard web designer resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References can be provided upon request.
Best strong verbs for your a web designer resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.
- Design
- Create
- Develop
- Optimize
- Implement
- Collaborate
- Enhance
- Test
- Integrate
- Troubleshoot
Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.
Sample resume for web designer positions
The web designer resume example below incorporates all the information from above into a full-designed resume template, so you can see how a final resume will look:
4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, IN
•
scott.wilson@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/scott–wilson123
Creative and detail-oriented web designer with a Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design and proven experience as a Front-End Developer. Skilled in crafting visually appealing and user-friendly websites, leveraging expertise in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and various design tools. Adept at translating client requirements into engaging digital experiences while maintaining brand consistency and functionality. Strong collaborator with a keen eye for aesthetics and a passion for innovative web solutions.
Front-End Developer
2020
-2022
PixelWave Studios (Baltimore)
- Led the development of a responsive e-commerce site, boosting mobile sales by 35% through optimized UX/UI design
- Implemented progressive web app features, reducing load time by 50% and increasing user engagement by 20%
- Spearheaded the migration to a modern JavaScript framework, decreasing codebase size by 40% and improving maintainability
Html/css proficiency
Javascript coding skills
Responsive web design
Attention to detail
UX/UI understanding
Problem-solving skills
Adobe Certified Expert
Google UX Design
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Quick tips for a web designer resume
- Quantify your career achievements by including evidence of your impact throughout your resume.
- Keep your web designer resume as brief as possible. Aim for one page for an entry-level role, and two pages for more senior jobs.
- Add key skills throughout your resume that match the job description, along with a dedicated 'skills' section.
- Use a clear, professional resume format to make your document as accessible as possible, including a readable font and appropriate headings, margins and line spacing. This will make your resume easier for recruiters and hiring managers to read.
- Reference your key qualifications and educational achievements, including grades if these help you stand out from other candidates.
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, create a simple email address based on your name.
- Don't use passive language because it's less engaging for the reader. Change phrases like 'the target was exceeded' to 'I helped the team exceed the target'.
- Don't forget to keep your header up-to-date with every application, to make sure you don't include old contact information.
- Don't include hobbies unless you're light on work experience and they help you prove a skill required for the job.
- Don't lie or exaggerate any information on your web designer resume, as this can cause you problems further down the line.
Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When writing your web designer resume, a few simple tips can help you pass the ATS stage with a higher-ranking resume, giving you a better chance of success with your applications.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Choose a resume structure that matches the traditional, reverse-chronological layout or alternatively, the functional resume structure. This should make your resume more readable for ATS applications.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
- Use design elements that help make your resume more readable. These might include white space, clear, professional fonts and subtle color accents to help certain elements stand out.
- Make sure your resume is as concise as possible, so ATS applications can easily scan and identify the required details.
For advice and guidance on creating the perfect resume, read our expert career blog and check out our detailed resume examples.
Frequently Asked Questions about a web designer resume
After writing your web designer resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
In some situations, a full, professional cover letter may not be necessary. Check the job advert and decide whether to write a formal cover letter, or if a brief email is more suitable.
If you choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to web designer roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
You can create a professional cover letter in just a few simple, easy-to-follow steps using Jobseeker's tried and tested cover letter templates.
If you have no experience, it's still possible to write a professional web designer resume that makes a positive impression on hiring managers. Use a functional resume format instead of the standard reverse-chronological structure. This emphasizes your skills and education over your work experience. Use the additional information sections at the end of your resume as a showcase for relevant skills and achievements. These can be a particularly useful way of proving you have the skills necessary for the job.
A strong resume headline can give the reader an immediate idea of your suitability for web designer jobs. Resume headlines can also help you pass the ATS stage of the selection process, by highlighting the job title and one or two key details. Take the time to draft a concise, eye-catching headline which includes the job title, one or two key skills and reference to either your experience level or track record.
See an example resume headline below:
- Aspiring Junior Web Design Specialist
- Creative Web Design Specialist Expert
- Senior Web Designer & Developer
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. For more senior roles where you have plenty of relevant experience, use a reverse chronological format. This resume structure places work experience at the heart of the document, using it as a showcase for your skills and achievements.
Key takeaways for your web designer resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Pick a resume format that matches your experience levels, and tailor the content of your resume to reflect the details of the job description.
Using the professional resume templates and resources of Jobseeker can help you create a great-looking resume that stands out from other applicants. Sign up today and follow the simple steps to get started. Whether you're a junior or senior candidate, a professional cover letter can help to grab the attention of the employer. Jobseeker's cover letter examples were created by careers experts to provide useful tips and ideas for your cover letter.
Sources:
(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
