If you are hunting for a job in the creative sector, a creative CV provides an excellent opportunity to showcase your talent. You can instantly catch the attention of recruiters looking for designers or similar. Your CV needs to be original, visually striking, and demonstrate your artistic skills to make an impact.
In this article, we reveal our top tips for making a creative CV.
What is a creative CV?
Visual CVs typically follow a theme, which is relevant to the position you are applying for. The types of creative CV include:
- Video CVs
- Written CVs with graphics, illustrations, or infographics
- CVs with links to online portfolios
- CVs with links to career-focused personal websites or social media accounts
Is a creative CV appropriate?
Before spending time developing a design concept, it is crucial to question whether a creative CV is appropriate. If you are applying for a job as an investment banker or warehouse manager, a creative CV is neither proper nor effective.
Roles where a creative CV is appropriate include media, publishing, and advertising positions such as animator, fashion designer, illustrator, video editor, graphic designer, and web designer.
Pros and cons of a creative CV
The advantages of a creative CV include:
- Your CV will stand out when there is stiff competition for a job
- Creative skills can be quantified through the layout and design of your CV
- You can show your personality and help recruiters determine if you are a fit for their company
The disadvantages of a creative CV include:
- Some hiring managers do not welcome visual CVs in non-creative industries
- Your design might not match the brand image of the company
- It takes longer to create a visual CV
- You have less space to include crucial text and information
- Online recruitment search tools cannot scan them
- They may not be saved in a format you can upload on an employers website or job board
What a creative CV should include
When creating a visual CV, you must ensure that content isn’t sacrificed for the sake of presentation, graphics, and illustrations. Your creative resume should include all the elements of a traditional CV, including:
- Your contact details
- A personal statement
- Work history
- Education and qualifications
- Hard and soft skills
- Hobbies and interests
Creative CV design tips
While you want to showcase your design skills, you need to remember that effective CVs can be read quickly, with your top skills visible at a glance. To meet these objectives, don’t go overboard on colour, embellishments, or a design concept that will confuse the reader.
A one or two-page CV is acceptable, but if you venture onto a second page, ensure your most important information is on the first. With this structure, it matters less if the recruiter does not look at the second page, and it is a bonus if they do. You can enhance the concept of prioritisation by remembering that people usually look at the top of the page and the left side of a page first.
Three further creative CV tips:
- Tailor your CV to each job
- Include links to your online portfolio or work
- Get feedback from someone you trust.
Career advice and CV templates
For further guidance on securing your next job, read our career advice, guidance on references, and CV templates.
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