Art Director Resume Guide for 2024: Examples & Expert Writing Tips
Having the perfect art director resume is the key to landing the job of your dreams. There are so many guides out there claiming to have the secrets to landing the job you want, but the fact is the perfect resume is what even gives you the chance.
With so much riding on your resume, it’s essential that you create one that makes a lasting impact on the employer you send it to. Our guide will walk you through every step of creating your art director CV, including the information you should and shouldn’t include, the format to use, and much more.
Art director resume writing guide: Where to start?
Whether you’re applying for your first art director position or you’re a seasoned art director, it’s essential to know how to create a resume that will impress potential employers. Trying to compress all of your skills and experience into one page can feel intimidating, but following this guide will take the guesswork out.
To send off the perfect resume, you need to first start with a resume that has all of your relevant skills and experiences listed. From there, you can create a job-specific resume for each position you apply for.
Master artistic director resume
Your master art director resume is where you’ll compile all of your relevant skills, education, experience, and other information into a common form. Your master resume doesn’t have to have a professional appearance as long as you are able to easily read it and pull information from it.
The process of putting together a master resume can be time-consuming, but the effort will pay off when you start your job search. Having a single document with all relevant resume information will allow you to quickly pick out information that fits a particular position.
If you’ve been in the art director field for many years, your master resume could be pretty lengthy - that’s okay. Again, this isn’t what you are sending out with job applications, so it can be as thorough as it needs to be. The goal is to make it easy to find your resume information when you need it.
Make lists of all your skills, previous positions, education, achievements, references, and any other information related to your experience in the art director arena. Once you have this information, you’re ready to create job-specific resumes.
Job-specific art director resume
Many job applicants believe they should have a single resume they send with every job application. However, that isn’t the most effective way to apply for jobs. Instead, you should create a job-specific resume each time you apply for a position.
To do this, it’s important to carefully read the job description. While reading, look for keywords that point to the skills or experience an employer is looking for and make a note of them. Once you’ve done this, go to your master art director resume and look for relevant skills and experience that line up with what the job description entails.
A job-specific resume shouldn’t have all of your art director skills listed. While you may be tempted to point out all of your accomplishments, it’s important to only include the ones relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Your job-specific art director CV should follow the standard professional layout of resumes. This is the resume you’ll be sending to a potential employer, so you want it to be organized, easy to read, and pleasing to the eye. The example below will give you a good place to start.
Art director resume example
Download these art director resume samples
Above is one of many art director resume examples. Notice how the resume has an eye-catching personal summary. The work experience section utilizes bullet points to create an easy-to-read description. When you’re finished creating your art director resume PDF in our building tool, simply save it and send it to future employers.
How to write a successful resume for an art director? Writing tips and examples
You’ve seen a sample resume for an art director and created your master resume, so now you’re ready to create an art director resume that will make you stand out from the crowd of applicants. Consider the following information when crafting your resume.
How to write a personal profile on an art director resume?
The personal profile is like the art director resume summary. This is typically the first thing potential employers will see on your resume after your contact information, and it should give them a high-level understanding of what you bring to the table.
Your personal profile is like your elevator pitch, but instead of an idea, you’re pitching yourself. Point out your best aspects in relevance to the art director position. The goal is to grab the attention of the person reviewing resumes.
When writing your personal profile, choose to highlight the most impressive and relevant information on your resume. You don’t want to go into too much detail about these skills at this point. Instead, give the reader just enough to want to learn more about you. This will keep them reading the rest of your resume.
Ensure you’re creating a unique personal profile for each job you apply to. This will show that you read the job description before applying since your profile is tailored to that. Your summary is your chance to give an employer an idea of who you are, and you want to sell yourself for that specific position.
Skills to list on an art director resume
The skills you put on your art director resume should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. However, there are some skills that show up often in the job descriptions in this field. Some popular art director skills for your resume include:
- Typography
- Graphic design software
- Art direction and concept development
- Web design
- Web development
- Photography
- Video production
- Print and digital production
- Branding design
You’ll also want to consider any soft skills you have that may be useful in your future position. Consider any leadership, communication, or teamwork-related skills you have when establishing your skills list.
While this isn’t an extensive list of art director skills, it should give you a good place to start when choosing the skills you want to showcase.
How do you write work experience on an art director resume?
The work experience section of your resume is arguably the most important part. This is the area where you will showcase the previous jobs you’ve had that make you qualified for the job you’re hoping to get.
When listing your work experience, include your job title, the company’s name and location (city and state are fine), and the dates you worked there. This is also the best time to list out any relevant job duties that you performed while holding that position. In most cases, you’ll want to list your experience from most recent to least.
Again, you will want to make this section job-specific. If you’re applying for an art director position, you’ll want to include any art-related jobs you’ve had. However, you may want to skip food service jobs or other unrelated, older positions - this will free up more space for relevant experience.
How to list education on an art director resume?
The education section of your art director resume should have a similar layout to your work experience section. In this section, you’ll include any relevant schooling, degrees, or certificates you’ve earned. Again, this section should be ordered from most recent to least.
When listing your education, start with the degree or certificate you earned. Then, put the name of the school you obtained it from, the city and state it’s located in, and the year you earned the diploma. If you were involved in any relevant extracurriculars while attending or earned relevant achievements, you can list them as well.
Again, keep your education relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, when applying for an art director position, you can keep your cosmetology license off your resume.
Typically, you will want to put your education history below your work history. However, if your work history is short or not relevant to the job you’re applying for, consider putting your education history at the top instead. The goal is to have your most relevant experience at the top of the resume.
How do you include references in your art director resume?
Sometimes, potential employers ask for references in your resume, or you may be wondering if you should include them. References are professional contacts you have a positive working relationship with and are willing to vouch for your skills.
References should be added at the bottom of your resume, under all of the other information. While these contacts may be important to your work experience, you don’t want them overshadowing your skills or experience by being at the top of your page.
If you have a lot of experience in the art director field, you will likely want to omit references unless they’re asked for by an employer. It’s better to utilize the space on your resume for skills or projects rather than contact information. However, if you only have limited experience, having references can help fill in some of the potential gaps to up your chances of getting the job.
As a final note on references, always ensure you’ve gotten permission from your contacts before including them in your resume. You want to make sure they are comfortable speaking with your potential employers about your skills and experience before a phone call is made.
The easiest way to create the perfect art director resume is by using our resume-building template. Our resume builder is quick and easy to use - simply enter your resume details, choose a professional layout, and download your completed resume. You can even keep track of more than one resume in your account, allowing you to easily create job-specific resumes when you need them.
Creating a professional, job-specific resume makes you more likely to earn a job because it will help you stand out among the other applicants who send out blanket resumes every time they apply. Our resume templates make it easy to do just that.
Key takeaways on building professional art director resumes
It’s essential to set yourself up for success when searching for an art director job. Creating the perfect resume is the foundation for landing interviews, which is what will lead to your dream job.
Create your master resume that lists all of your skills, experience, and education relevant to the art director field. From there, read the job description of the position you’re applying for and make note of the skills the company is looking for in applicants. Cross-reference those skills with your master resume to choose the skills and experience to highlight in your resume so you make the biggest impact possible.
When you’re putting your resume together, remember to include these important sections:
- Include the most impressive and relevant information in your profile summary and showcase it near the top of the page. Remember that this is your first impression with the person reviewing your resume, so you want it to count.
- Showcase your relevant work experience in reverse chronological order. Include any relevant skills that you showcased in each position to show relevancy.
- List your relevant education experience and any certificates you’ve earned below your work experience.
- Highlight your most relevant art director skills by choosing ones that are listed in the job description or hiring posting.
- Consider using the CVMaker resume-building tool to easily create a professional resume.
You have the relevant job skills and experience. Combine those with our resume builder, and you’ll have an attention-grabbing resume that will help you land the job you want.
Next steps?
If you get stuck in an area of your resume building or you’re so overwhelmed that you don’t know where to start, don’t fret! Utilize our resume writing service to get a tailor-made resume without the hassle. Our expert team will create the perfect resume for you in just four days, allowing you to apply for jobs quickly. It doesn’t get simpler than that.
FAQs
How do you create a freelance art director resume?
If you’re a freelance art director, your resume-building process will look similar to the guide above. The most significant difference comes in the work experience section. As a freelancer, you’ll want to include all of your freelancing experience as one job listed in your work experience section.
If you have an LLC for your freelancing business, you can name that as the company you work for. On the other hand, those who freelance through sites like Upwork can list those sites as their company. You don’t want to list every client you’ve done work for, though you could include some of them in your references if the job posting asks for them.
Instead, you’ll list skills you’ve showcased through the different work you’ve done as a freelance art director in your job description. This will allow you to pull relevant experience into your resume without overloading it with each individual client you’ve worked with.
How do you create an art director resume with little or no experience?
If you’re just starting out in art direction, you may feel like you don’t have enough experience or skills to create a resume. However, that isn’t the case. With little work experience, you’ll want to highlight your education experience in your resume instead.
Put your education experience above your work experience on your beginner art director resume. When putting your education experience, it’s a good idea to add more detail than the degree and school. This is a good opportunity to highlight any academic awards you earned, extracurricular activities you did, and your favorite relevant classes or projects.
When creating your skills section, consider the skills you worked on during your schooling. While you may have yet to gain any work experience with these skills, you still have put them to use. For example, if you took a class on Adobe Photoshop, you can include Photoshop as a skill when it’s relevant.
Finally, your personal profile should be formatted to read as an objective by outlining what you’re looking to get out of your first art director job. You can showcase relevant skills you’ve earned so far and explain what you bring to the table that can make up for your lack of work experience.
What format should you use for your art director resume?
Traditionally, the best format for your art director resume is reverse chronological order, as this will showcase your most recent experience at the top of your resume. However, there are exceptions to this rule, and it’s important to read the entire job posting to see if the employer is looking for specific formatting.
Some art director positions are looking more for skill sets than employment history, which would call for a functional resume format that spends more time explaining skills and past projects. There are also times that a combination of employment history and skills will be requested, calling for a hybrid format.
Our resume example showcases the most common reverse chronological order resume. If the position you’re applying for is looking for more project-based experience, consider a functional resume format instead. Our resume builder tool can help ensure you have the professional format you need.
Should you utilize any keywords in your art director resume?
The keywords you include in your art director resume should be based on the job posting because that will show you what the employer is looking for. There isn’t a specific set of keywords that you have to include, however.
Some of the most common keywords found in art director job descriptions include:
- Collaboration
- Graphic design
- Adobe Photoshop
- Social media
- Communication skills
- Detail oriented
- Innovation
This is just a starting point for keywords to give you an idea of what to look for. Include relevant keywords in your resume, either in your skills or in past employment history, to showcase your experience.
Are there other sections you should include in your art director resume?
Our sample art director resume includes the basic sections that all resumes should include. However, some job postings may be looking for more information than that. If an employer is looking for specific information other than work history, education, and skills, make sure you include that information in its own section.
Some common sections that employers may request include:
- References
- Language skills
- Hobbies or interests
- Achievements or awards
If you opt to include any of these extra sections, they should go towards the bottom of your resume. Your relevant work experience should always be above additional information, as it’s the most important part of your resume.
Should my art director resume have a cover letter?
Opinions are often divided on whether you need a cover letter with your art director resume. However, it never hurts to include one, and almost half of hiring managers say they won’t look at a resume that doesn’t include one.
A cover letter will give you an advantage over other applicants who don’t include one, even if it isn’t a requirement. Ensure that your cover letter looks professional and matches your resume’s style. Pull the reader in with something impressive to keep them reading, then explain why your experience would mean success for them. Finally, end the cover letter with a call to action to optimize your chances of hearing from the employer.
When you utilize our resume writing services, you can choose a package that will create the perfect cover letter for you right along with your resume. If the idea of a cover letter is overwhelming, this is a great choice for you.