Whether you studied design at a design school, a community college, or an online university doesn’t really matter much. What matters most when it comes to getting your foot in the door at a sought-after design firm is the brand you create for yourself. Before a design company even has the pleasure to meet and interact with you face-to-face, they are faced with the look and feel of you on paper or on screen. This is why it’s important to make sure your identity is unique, catchy, and memorable.

photo by dalydose

Be True to Yourself

The most crucial aspect of creating a brand for your self is making sure to stay true to yourself and a person and as a designer. Make sure to fully understand what it is you want to do with your degree, what kind of company you want to work for, and how you want your style to be executed within your resume. If you misidentify yourself you are likely to attract design firms that aren’t really compatible with the career path you have established for yourself while pushing through those tedious college years. Do not put up a front or become what you think a company wants you to be, because sooner or later, they will catch on to you or you will lose yourself as an individual (and then, eventually, hate yourself).

Be Inventive

While it may be a good idea to research other resume designs, you must make sure not to let the styles of other resumes influence your own too much. It would be a shame to appear unoriginal to a potential employer. If HR has already seen a replica of your resume HR might not even look it over. I’m sure HR will want someone with their own sense of style and not just the ability to recreate something they find aesthetically sound.

photo by Jorge Valle

Be Appropriate

After you have a basic idea of what you want to do with your design degree make sure to find firms that partake in your desired field of work. Once you understand what the company does try to make your resume reflect their design outputs. Make it look like it comes natural to you, and do work in a way that they would find appropriate to their overall theme. It is also vital to include projects and graphics you have created that are relevant to the company’s work. They will want to know that you are capable of successfully completing the tasks they have set for their possible new hires.

The three objectives I have mentioned above are what you need to focus on the most when creating your design identity and resume. You must remember to be true to yourself, be inventive, and be appropriate. If you are able to ensure these three aspects I can assure you that you will get the job you have worked for all those long, hard years in the design studio. Good luck! Design responsibly.