Graphic Designer CV (ATS-Optimised) — Complete Guide

Lead with a concise profile that names your tools and the types of assets you actually produce. For example, highlight Adobe Photoshop for retouching and compositing, Adobe Illustrator for vector branding and dielines, and Adobe InDesign for multi-page layout. Include your workflow outputs using practical KPIs such as “30–45 assets per month” or “12–20 campaign creatives per sprint”, so ATS keywords sit alongside evidence recruiters can verify. Add your portfolio URL in the header so the recruiter can validate the quality immediately, even if ATS has filtered the CV for software match.

Back up your overview with a structured “Toolbox” section. Separate Adobe Creative Cloud from digital prototyping tools (for instance Figma), and only list what you can confidently discuss in an interview. Where print is relevant, mention colour management and pre-press checks such as PDF/X readiness, crop marks, bleeds, and proper export settings. This combination helps ATS extract both your software and your production competence, which are two of the most common filter categories for Graphic Designer vacancies.

Write experience bullets using the same language employers search for: “print-ready artwork”, “web-optimised exports”, “brand guideline compliance”, and “campaign deliverables”. For example, one bullet can state that you built a cohesive brand identity system in Illustrator, then converted it into InDesign templates for brochures and reports. Add a second bullet describing how you produced digital campaign assets for social using Photoshop layers and exported in appropriate formats for fast publishing. Include measurable outcomes such as turnaround time (e.g., “reduced revisions by ~20% using structured handover files and named layers”).

When describing motion or interactive work, be specific about the software and the deliverable type. If you create short animations, mention After Effects for motion graphics and define what you delivered (for example “animated logo stings for video intros” or “30-second social reels”). If the role is more UI-driven, mention Figma components, layout grids, and responsive constraints, not just “UI design”. This specificity improves ATS alignment while also helping recruiters understand how you contribute across multiple production channels.

Recruiters look for evidence that your aesthetics are production-ready, not just visually appealing. Add a “Design Craft” subsection covering typography choices, hierarchy, and layout discipline, and name relevant tools used to implement that craft in Adobe InDesign and Illustrator. Include your approach to colour management, such as using ICC profiles and maintaining consistent branding across digital and print outputs. If you work with print, explicitly state your pre-press habits (for instance checking bleeds, keeping safe margins, and producing press-ready PDFs).

Where appropriate, reference how you collaborate through files and handover. For example, mention layer naming conventions, organised asset libraries, and exporting web assets from Photoshop with the right resolution and compression settings. If your work feeds developers, note that you prepare assets for handoff, such as exporting SVGs/icons from Illustrator or providing design specs from Figma with documented measurements. These practical details signal professional maturity, which is especially valuable when employers use ATS keywords to screen for “workflow” and “production capability”.