How to get that UX job? —Design your CV

Hello my dearest nerdzzz! 🌸🤓

Long time no see, and I am so sorry for that, but I have been so busy with 💗my job💗 and enjoying some summer activates that I haven’t had the time to write. I hope to change that in the future!

What I wanted to share here most of all are a couple of advices I got regarding your CV.

First of all, don’t worry, making the CV right it will not happen overnight, and yes that right CV can get you that job.

Sometimes your CV is like the first impression you make because, well, it is.

So make it stand out, don’t hold anything back, and shine bright like a diamond! 💎

First things first.

Treat it like an UX project.

What I mean by that?

It’s simple.

Your CV is a product that will be viewed in this case by some HR managers, potential employers and other people.

So, with that in mind, it should be useful, easy to read and scan, understandable, and have the main purpose of communicating who you are in a professional way while also having a little bit of an individual touch, because we are all unique after all.

I won’t go into great detail, but I will cover the most important stuff.

Your contact information

• Name and Surname, email address, LinkedIn profile (linked), portfolio (linked), and anything else you may think it will be important to showcase for your future UX position. (In my case I put my Medium blog because I write about design). I don’t recommend including any social media pages unless they are related to design.
• You may include a photo; it will add an appealing and warm touch to who you are, and it is best if you smile. After all, pictures capture people’s attention — more on that you can read here.

Your employment/work history

• In this section, you should include everything you worked on that is related to UX, even if it is a tiny project for a client. This will show that you are doing something and that you are trying. Also include everything else on which you’ve worked, but always prioritize design-related jobs.
• Also, try adding a sentence or two with specifics of what you’ve worked on, what you’ve learnt, and so on. It is quite important.
• You can include links to specific websites you’ve worked on, if you have any, and other relevant information, but keep it short and to the point.

Your education part

• You already know what to put here😎; if you’ve completed an academy or something associated to design, present it alongside explanations of what you’ve done.
• Don’t forget about awards, certifications and everything else you think it will be important to mention. You really have to shine here. So everything you’ve done and you think it’s important to mention here, do it. Don’t hold yourself back, it may be the part that will get you that job.

And that’s all folks! Good luck! 🤞

I will not be me without some bonus stuff. ⭐

BONUS BONUS BONUS

• If you have some recommendations, it’s good to put them anywhere on your CV. Maybe just mention the names of the people or ask them to give you a recommendation on your LinkedIn, but it’s great if you have this stuff somewhere.
• If you have certifications, awards, and other things that are not linked to design, it is best not to put them, but if they are relevant to the position you are applying for, you should include them.

For example, if you have previously worked with nails, hairdressing, or something related to beauty, and you are applying for a skincare business that needs a website designed, you should definitely emphasize that.

• Also, include your hard and soft skills. This is very important. You must definitely mention your knowledge of Figma, Adobe XD, Photoshop, Illustrator, maybe even CSS and HTML.

Really important advice!!!☄️

I understand that everyone lies on their resumes, but please try not to do it. Believe me, it is not going to help you.

For example, you mentioned that you are familiar with Adobe Creative Cloud (which includes everything that Adobe has to offer), and the HR person who is going to interview you will neglect to ask you if they would occasionally require someone to work with InDesign. You get employed, and they quickly need something done in that app, and they asked you because it’s already on your CV. Don’t place yourself in these kinds of situations.

Believe in yourself and your skills.

Put something if you really know it. If you know a little bit about something — discuss it in the interview, but don’t go pretending to be someone you’re not since they’ll hire the wrong person for the position.

Technical things

I will be short here.

• The CV should be one page, but it’s not a sin to have it on two pages as well. But don’t go overboard; it may appear a little too much, as if you’re bragging, but it will be bragging bye bye.

Please avoid using any website that generates CVs for you.

Why?

I tried it, and I will spare you the agony in advance.

You will not have enough space. It won’t look like you want it to… and it’s not free, even if most of them claim to be, and you are, after all, a designer.

IF you weren’t able to design your CV in Figma to make it your own one-of-a-kind work of art and product, why are you even applying to job as a designer?- Of course, joking, but also serious.🤔😏

Last bit.

Just do it.

Don’t overthink. Don’t stress. Start. Iterate. Ask for advice from close friends or mentors. And just start sending it.

The more sooner you start sending the more you will realize where you’ve gone wrong and what needs to change.

And also one of the most important thing to remember!

It can never be perfect.

But it can be enough.

Just like we humans are.

Good luck to everyone;🍀🍀🍀 I hope I was able to help you in some way; don’t give up hope; I never did, and I am now happily working at a wonderful company. 💗