How to wow, Part 1: The graphic design CV
Nothing can be more nerve-racking than applying for a job, particularly when you’re still young and looking to prove yourself. While every applicant is different, and agencies may vary in their hiring process, there are certainly some dos and don’ts to follow.
To help understand how junior graphic designers can really wow throughout the application and interview process, I sat down with Giulia Salvioni, co-founder and co-owner of Moskito Design. She shared her insights from Moskito’s 10-year history, as she (and partner Evelina Borghesan) have built a 35-strong team and grown a number of young designers into senior leaders.
While I’ll go into lots of details below, what I learned, in a nutshell, was this:
Treat your potential employer as your client, and your application as your first project.
Your application process in many ways resembles that of graphic design work. There’s a call for proposals, followed by a selection process, a meeting and a chance to explain your work. For a potential employer, how you approach this process will reveal a lot not just about your design talents, but how you’d work in their agency. So it’s important to treat the application as your first job.
If you’re in the market for a new graphic design job, consider this a style guide to your first most important client, your potential employer.
Part 1: Putting together a CV
Looks aren’t everything ― but they sure count for a lot
While the portfolio may be, as Giulia says, the “heart” of the application, you’ll never get it in front of your potential employer’s eyes if you don’t give them a CV that looks first-rate.
“The CV is kind of a personal infographic that shows us your taste,” says Giulia. “It gives us an idea of how you work in just one page.”
So don’t fall into the trap of thinking that the portfolio’s the only thing that counts and you can just toss off a European-format CV. Instead, think of it as a project in itself, or the cover image on your portfolio, and aim to impress with your design sensibility. Giulia says she still remembers some stand-out CVs of current team members.
If you’re stuck for ideas, or putting one together for the first time, do some research and get some inspiration to create a sharp, memorable CV.
The devil is in the details
Formatting, alignment and other layout errors suggest either a lack of understanding of design fundamentals, an inattention to detail or simply laziness. All of which are bad when you’re trying to impress a potential employer. Check, double-check and triple-check everything before submitting. And then get a friend or colleague to do the same.
The same is true for writing. Spelling errors and grammar mistakes make a bad impression. Equally so if you’re writing in a language not your own. An agency may be looking for someone with good English skills, but if you’re applying to e.g. an Italian agency you’re better off writing your CV in fantastic Italian than submitting it in mediocre English. Trust me, they’ll know.
And lastly, Giulia says make sure the link to your online portfolio is clickable. Seems obvious? “You’d be surprised how often it’s a problem.”
Relevant experience only
Even if you’re young, include only relevant experience in your CV. A junior designer needs a one-page CV, not longer. Whitespace is better than padding out your CV with waitressing jobs (“It happens,” says Giulia). Junior designers aren’t expected to have a lot of experience, so don’t measure yourself against more experienced professionals and think your CV has to be stuffed to the gills. Think quality (and relevance), not quantity.
Do the write thing
While reviewing applications, a potential employer will most likely check the CV and portfolio first, it’s always recommended to write an email or cover letter. For a potential employer, it’s the first time they’ll “hear” your voice. As Giulia says, an email is “like a first chat with someone. It gives me a view of the personality of the person.”
And consider this: as a graphic designer you may spend lots of time writing. Depending on the size of the agency, you may have to communicate with clients ― as at Moskito Design ― or perhaps write small amounts of copy, or at the very least have to use email and messaging to communicate with and convince your colleagues and employers about your ideas and your work. Writing is an essential skill, even in the visual arts. So start off on the right foot by showing you can do it with sincerity and professionalism.
That’s it for the CV. In part 2 I’ll discuss how to curate your portfolio to show your work at its best, and in part 3 how to get ready and get through the graphic designer interview.
