Designing a Creative CV - Careers & Employability Service | www.mmu.ac.ukcareers/guides - Manchester Metropolitan University
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Designing a Creative CV
Careers & Employability Service | www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/guides
1Contents
Who needs a creative CV? Page 3
What information needs to go into a Creative CV? Page 3
Relevant headings for creative CVs Pages 3 - 4
Personal/artists/designers statements Pages 4 - 6
What visual elements can I incorporate into my CV? Page 6
Utilising media technology Page 6
Using CV and Portfolio Templates – or Not! Pages 6 - 7
Amazing examples of creative CVs for ideas and inspiration Page 7
2D and 3D Creative CVs
Video, animated and interactive CVs
Creative blogs
Getting more advice and information Pages 7 - 8
Read our ‘Getting Work in the Creative Industries’ guide
for information on where to start looking for
opportunities, experience and networking.
2Who needs a creative CV?
As we now live in a visual and digitally driven world, more and more employers prefer to
receive creative CVs. These will still contain vital biographical details such as your
education, work experience and technical skills (see Creative CV Headings below) but also
illustrate that you have the skills you will be required to utilise when you start work.
Occupations where creative CVs are expected or are increasingly common include:
Artists, makers and performers
Illustrators and animators
Designers – fashion, textiles, 3D, interior,
Apparel specialists—including stylists, garment technologists, visual
merchandisers and fashion marketers
Architects and landscape designers
IT roles – including web development and design, information architecture,
UX design, front end development, games design and development
Engineering design
Media— including producers, script writers, film makers, photographers and
engineers
Content writers and journalists
Digital advertising, public relations, sales and marketing
You may need several versions of your CV depending on whether you are applying for
work, pitching for a freelance commission, profiling your work at an exhibition/
competition or approaching a bank/funding provider to support development of your
work. Different employers will look for different skills dependent on the markets and
client groups they work with.
What information needs to go into a creative CV?
Before you start making approaches for employment, work experience or freelance
commissions, you will need to provide clear evidence of your creative ability but first get
the content right before you consider layout and presentation. Peppering your CV with
words such as ‘creative’, ‘innovative’, ‘unique’ and ‘passionate’ will not suffice! You need
well-articulated, practical examples that prove you are these things!
As a result, creatives produce CVs that may have a very different style and format to
those written by students seeking graduate roles in management and the professions. In
general, creative CVs tend to be short and concise and one page.
Relevant headings for creative CVs:
Creatives adopt different headings to present their biographical information so the
reader is made instantly aware of their specific skill set and experience. Typically, they
will include a number of the following:
Personal details. Your name, ‘professional’ email address and mobile will
usually be sufficient together with links to samples of your work – e.g. online
portfolio, website, blog, Instagram, Vimeo or You Tube clips, your LinkedIn
profile (or other professional directory listing). Make sure you check what
your on-line profile looks like via mobile, tablet and laptop
Personal /Artist’s/Designer’s Statement
3 Education, concentrating upon your ‘professional’ training in art and design
Course-based projects, especially in the last year or two
Professional short courses relating to the area of practice
Commissions and freelance work
Exhibitions and shows, including curations
Competitions, awards and scholarships
Published work
Study tours
Related work experience and internships, paid or unpaid
Residencies
Commissions
Relevant interests and collaborations outside of your course
IT/Design software
Digital, technical and making skills
Membership of professional groups and networking
Driving licence
Fluency in modern languages
These headings are not rigid. Do not hesitate to create your own in order to highlight your
abilities and special interests clearly.
Remember too that your CV must be a dynamic document. You need to keep adding your
latest work and editing older details so that the content stays fresh. When compiling your
CV, you are free to let your creativity (and creative use of new technology) come through.
However, keep the content factual and to the point, and the layout attractive and easy to
read.
Personal/artist/designer statements
The key part of a creative CV – and notoriously difficult to write!
(Please note there are additional considerations for fine artists. Please refer to our guide
‘The Fine Artist’s CV’ at www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/guides.
Personal statements (also known as designer’s or artist’s statements) are nearly always
included in a creative CV. They are especially useful in situations where they are not
accompanied by a covering letter - for example, handing out CVs in person at an event/
exhibition or uploading to an online CV site.
The statement should be a concise (5—6 lines), straightforward and positive statement
about your work. This ensures a prospective employer gets an immediate feel of the role/
area of practice that you are interested in along with the potential you have for creative
work in the immediate future.
Remember – they will always be far more interested in what you have to offer rather than in
a personal wish list. It should also encourage them to click through to your online work and
then return to the rest of your CV to view more details about you.
A good profile will also show a glimpse of your personality and play to your strengths, e.g. if
you are happiest working in certain types of situations, say so.
4Top Tips:
Keep it factual – highlight the key themes and influences, medium(s) in which you
work, techniques and equipment you use. Describe what you enjoy doing.
Make it personal – use ‘I’, not ‘s/he’.
Do not claim extensive experience unless you really do have it. You are only just
starting out so you need to give the employer assurance that you are willing to learn
and build on your degree skills.
Avoid superlatives and personal opinions such as you are ‘highly motivated’,
‘extremely innovative’, ‘incredibly enthusiastic’, ‘hardworking’, ‘a good team player’
etc. So many students use these words that they have little impact upon recruiters.
Indeed, most employers take it as a given that every candidate will be hard working, a
good team player etc. (See www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130117141235-
20017018-stop-using-these-16-terms-to-describe-yourself for a creative viewpoint
on this).
Read your profile aloud to ensure it flows naturally.
Make sure your statement is supported by the experience cited in the rest of your CV.
Consider the following examples:
“I am a creative and enthusiastic designer, who enjoys both interior and exterior
design, a reliable, conscientious and flexible team worker; I am well organised,
confident and quick to learn.”
“Emma is a second year Fashion Design student at the Manchester School of Art. I
have undertaken several internships within leading organisations. Emma is now
looking to be in an environment where she is able to gain more knowledge and
expertise in all processes concerned. Ideally, I would like to widen my skillset in
terms of production as this would be beneficial to me for my final year at
university.”
Does this tell us anything really worth knowing about the applicant?
The mismatch of first and third person is confusing to the reader and almost sounds like a
profile about different people. Moreover, the entire focus is on what they want to get out
of the company. It lacks specific detail of the value the applicant could bring to the
organisation despite implying they have relevant professional experience.
The following approaches might receive more serious consideration:
“A 2016 graduate of textile design from the Manchester School of Art, I specialise in
knit. I am interested in creating experimental, unusual, specialised knitted fabrics for
high-end women's wear. Specialising in knit has enabled me to experiment with a
variety of techniques, knit machines and gauges exploring different looks and styles. I
like to use a variety of interesting and exciting concepts within my work.”
5“I am a final year landscape architecture student looking for a graduate role where I
can work as part of a team to produce innovative designs which are in keeping with
the local environment. My main interest lies in the remodelling and creative use of
redundant or underused urban spaces. My final year project allowed me to exploit my
particular interest in the use of native perennial planting and recycled materials,
whilst gaining practical experience of the stages of the planning process alongside
public consultation.”
What visual elements can I incorporate into my CV?
You can go for any approach that demonstrates you have the relevant skills and knowledge
for the job you are applying for. However, it is best to avoid highly quirky approaches that
may come over as tacky or juvenile. Consider the purpose of your CV and who the recipient
will be then do your research. This will help you to tailor your approach to align with an
organisation’s culture and values as well as how to promote relevant skills and experiences.
In addition to providing links to your work online, you may choose to incorporate images of
your work. However, feedback from employers tells us that depending on the role, images
are often better attached as a separate pdf or accessed through a direct link to an on-line
portfolio or website. If you’re applying for an advertised role, ask the recruiter what they’re
looking for in terms of images.
You can use a variety of images including drawings, photographs, designs, CAD, plans,
sketches, diagrams, animations, digital presentations and infographics, even screen shots
from any film and video clips or your blog.
These visual elements can subsequently be adapted to build your personal brand, rather like
a logo, appearing on your business card, portfolio, digital presentation, website etc.
Utilising media technology
New technology now provides immense scope for imaginative and novel approaches to CV
design. If you are not sure how to start creating work for an online audience, useful articles
can be found at:
www.moonfruit.com/blog/creative/create-online-portfolio
www.creativebloq.com/create-perfect-design-portfolio-111153
wiredcanvas.com/2015/08/websites-artists-how-make-artist-website-using-
wordpress
https://gothinkbig.co.uk/features/how-to-set-up-an-online-portfolio-for-journalists-
photographers-illustrators-or-budding-advertisers
Using CV and Portfolio Templates – or Not!
You can draw inspiration from the many creative CV, portfolio and presentation sites
offering templates online – for example, Dunked, Cargo Collective, Square Space and
Portfolio Box. However, be aware that most employers in the creative industries say that
they can see immediately where a template has been used and they do not like them! They
look for profiles that clearly present your skills and qualities in a personalised way.
6Templates can offer good starting points (for an example, see www.visualcv.com) but you
are a creative. Be confident that you can illustrate yourself in your own unique way.
Amazing examples of creative CVs for ideas and inspiration
There are some fascinating examples online. You will quickly get an insight into some of the
different approaches that you could take and how you can set out the evidence which sells
your skills and talents effectively.
However, don’t let all these overwhelm you. Just dip in to get a few ideas and then start
drafting what you want to say and evidence in your own style.
2D and 3D Creative CVs:
www.theguardian.com/guardian-professional/careers-blog/gallery/2015/feb/25/
the-worlds-most-creative-cvs-in-pictures?CMP=new_1194&CMP=
jobmob.co.il/blog/most-creative-designer-resumes/
bashooka.com/inspiration/30-great-examples-of-creative-cv-resume-design/
www.hongkiat.com/blog/creative-designer-resume-curriculum-vitae/
www.pinterest.com/rtkrum/infographic-visual-resumes/
blog.nextdayflyers.com/10-graphic-design-resume-examples-that-could-get-you-
hired/
nina4airbnb.com/ (This example offers real proof that creative CVs that
demonstrate the skills that employers are looking for do indeed make an impact. Liz
Sellier, Recruiter at Airbnb said: “Nina did a good thing by getting our attention, but
also by having something substantial to show — something that we might actually
use. It’s not just a shiny object, it’s a deliverable.”)
Video, animated and interactive CVs:
www.econsultancy.com/blog/63693-16-ultra-creative-cvs-interactive-resumes-that-
catch-the-eye
www.rleonardi.com/interactive-resume/
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vq80YK7n3Qg
www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_PZTAW5piQ&feature=youtu.be
www.themuse.com/advice/the-perfect-example-of-a-tastefully-creative-resume
Getting more advice and information
Attend the ‘Creative Applications’ and ‘Presenting Portfolios at Interview’ workshops
offered by Careers and Employability every term. Details at www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/
events
Get one to one feedback on your draft CV through our daily drop-in service or a bookable
appointment:
www2.mmu.ac.uk/careers/students/how-we-can-help-you/career-advice-appointments/
See our Guide ‘Getting Work in the Creative Industries’ for more top tips on getting your
applications for creative work noticed www.mmu.ac.uk/careers/guides
7Browse ‘‘The Creative CV Guide’ in the Employability Hubs in the Business School and Crewe.
It contains the CVs written by students from all areas of art and design, as well as very useful
editorial.
Useful tips can also be found in the CVs and applications sections at:
The University of the Creative Arts www.uca.ac.uk/creative-careers/
The University of the Arts in London www.arts.ac.uk/student-jobs-and-careers/
Creative Skillset www.creativeskillset.org/job_roles
and for students aiming for the digital industries:
Bubble Jobs www.bubble-jobs.co.uk/career_portal/
Orchard www.orchard.co.uk/careerkickstart.aspx
Some tips here aimed at those applying to advertising, however there is useful and practical
advice for any creative CV: https://creativepool.com/magazine/advice/for-beginners-building
-their-creative-resume
8You can also read
