We all want to create the best UX designer resume for ourselves. Before you start – What is a resume’s precise function?
Answer – you use your resume to get hired! This is the wrong answer. The function of a great resume is to get prospective employers and hiring managers to notice your resume from the pack. It will give you the opportunity to be considered for a phone screening interview.
Is a resume’s importance overstated? Definitely not!
While the internet certainly evolved rapidly it isn’t necessarily great for job seekers. Sending out more applications to land a job, does not mean an increased opportunity to get an interview. The secret is sending better resumes. Employers shared their experience on resumes and the consensus is that 75% of applicants that apply are not even qualified for the advertised position.
According to experts and hiring managers, a minute fraction of job seekers is selected. Only the top 2% of job candidates actually make it to the interview. This 2% could potentially meet the rigorous requirements.
If you want to be part of the 2%, read more as we will share with you how to avoid being part of the 98% that are eliminated during resume screening when designing a UX resume. The top secrets of designing a UX resume that is part of the 2% will include:
UX resume essentials
How to design a UX design resume that stands out among the thousands?
Mistakes that will lower rejection rate
You can compare a resume with an exam. Mistakes result in lower scores and negative results.
Common mistakes in a UX designer resume that you need to avoid:
- Grammatical errors and typos
- Visually too busy
- Incorrect contact information
- No action verbs
- Ugly typesetting
- Broken links
- And many more….
Suggestions
Go over your UX resume with a fine toothcomb as you will continue finding small errors like these mentioned above. Get a proofreader or a couple of friends to check your resume as others can see a common mistake that you will not notice.
Self-description and Objective do not match the job requirement
This is a big mistake you should avoid and why HR does not add your UX resume to the shortlisted potential UX interviewees.
Suggestions
When your target is UX design, check out the recruitment information. Do not use a one-for-all UX resume. Different companies will have different UX job descriptions. When you forward the same UX resume to different companies, your chances are 98% certain to be in the rejection pile.
Information overload
- Bad portfolio
- Wordy irrelevant description
- Too lengthy
- And many more….
Your UX resume must be concise with focal points that attract attention. A hiring manager has thousands of resumes to check and doe not have hours to spend on a single resume.
Suggestions
Your first page is where you attract attention, thus if possible, stick to one page, a 25-page UX designer resume will not attract attention.
When you add UX portfolios you should add it in links as additional attachments and lengthy pages also get rejected. Add links to a website where your UX portfolio is placed.
Use Hierarchy to make your resume eye and user-friendly.
Essential elements that a UX designer resume should have
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics UX, User Experience Design is one of the hottest creative careers.
There are more than 3,426,000 jobs and job growth over the last ten years is 22.1%. that is very appealing especially when you consider the pay rate is between $95,000 and $150,000.
With this information you know you want a UX designer resume that stands out, however, how could you stand out from the crowd of applicants?
Top Points to Highlight
UX Designers have key skills which they specialize in. What are yours? Do you have experience in the retail or restaurant industry? Are you specializing in designing apps or is desktop software your specialty, or do you concentrate on mobile? You will have UX Design specialties, which you must highlight.
Besides your UX design skills, what else makes you different and where do you stand out? Do you have a strong communicative and collaborative nature which are essentials to communicate with clients?
What software specialties do you possess? Are you a UX design expert that uses specific tools like Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Balsamiq, In Vision or Sketch? While code is a bonus it is something which could mean that you are the UX designer that lands the job.
Contact details
Full name
Contact info – phone number and email address
Social media – employers use social media on an increasing basis and a personal website where you showcase your UX design skills, UX portfolio, UX design work, and previous clients and expertise are recommended.
Keep it short
A single or two-page resume is adequate. Keep in mind that the HR does not have time and when the person has to go through a heap of applicants with pages upon page. If your UX resume is too long, the time that they get to your fourth or fifth page they already forgot what is on the first couple of pages, therefore is your first page the essential page and keeping it as concise as possible.
Concise self-introduction
Who are you, what are your UX design expertise and role?
Work experience
It is tricky but essential as both beginner UX designers and experienced UX designer need different methods.
Shorten work history
While UX design employers are looking for experience, it is rather irrelevant what you did two decades ago. What worked ten and more years ago and the UX design tool of that time are different today. If you want to include a decade and longer ago, keep it short.
UX Skills
Make a list which is relevant to your UX experience. Nobody wants to know or have time to see how long you have used a tool. List the skills you have mastered in a list which could include CSS, HTML, information architecture, sitemaps, UX design research, UX writing, usability testing, wireframing and so on.
Education
A UX beginner designer could have exactly the same chances as an experienced UX Designer.
Recognition and Awards
If you have any, please include it as UX Awards and recognition could make a difference.
What does a UX designer resume look like that stands out?
If you incorporate the elements listed above, you are half-way there as the UX designer resume must be designed to stand out. How would a well-designed UX designer resume look?
Prototyping
A UI designer would commonly use a Vector tool but UX designers tend to use prototyping tools. A recommended tool to use is Mock Plus which has 200 components and drag-and-drop design that makes your job effortless.
A UX resume should be easy to read
Color scheme
If you are going to choose a dark or busy resume you are already mistaken. Choose a simple, clean design and do not use more than two colors.
Whitespace
Male reading easy with adequate whitespace
Typography
Avoid fancy illustrative fonts and script. Do not use Comic Sans or Times New Roman and use single typeface with key points in italic or boldface.
A great file title
You want a useful file title even though this might appear irrelevant to you at first. It should not be called resume.pdf. it should include your name and if you wish the date as it immediately shows it is an updated resume. An example could be JamesSmith_UIUXdesigner-2019.pdf
Stand out regarding vital information
UX work experience is very important. This should always be in the center and it should be easy to read.
Remain honest
You will be a part of a massive pack of applicants and you want to stand out without dishonesty. You should avoid titles like CEO, Art Director, Creative Director, etc. especially when you are a beginner of entry-level UX designer. It is not more impressive, and it will not attract employers when scanning through your resume. Your design experience, work experience, and information must match the title.
If you enjoyed reading this article about the UX designer resume, you should read these as well:
- Resume fonts to consider using on your CV before applying for a job
- Create a UX designer cover letter that will get you hired
- Graphic design companies whose work you should check out
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