If you’re a person who works in the creative industry, the struggle of multi-tasking is not new to you. Working on multiple projects, with different deadlines can swamp you. But what’s even more difficult is to put all those projects and work achievements together to write an exciting resume for creative professionals. Questions like:
How to share my creative story while working with a corporate?
What projects to include and what to exclude from the resume?
How to write a creative CV?
How do I make recruiters want to hire me?
Many questions and self-doubts can cross your mind while framing your resume. We have put together some tips that will help every creative professional update their resume for the better.
Design and content
I don’t know if it is a general assumption or something rational, a person in a creative field is expected to have an attractive personality as well as a resume. The first thing that a recruiter is going to notice is how interesting your resume is in terms of visuals. To pass that bar, you have to be extra careful while choosing a resume template. Search for the best resume templates used in your industry, that comes out clean and professional. But in the end, please remember. The design should be uniquely you.
After the format, content is the essential part of the most creative resumes. Whatever you’re going to add should showcase you as an asset to the organization. Whether you’re a graphic designer or voice-over artist, your work should speak volumes. Show hiring managers that you know how to use your creativity to help the organization grow.
Pro tip: It is always better to keep a record of the work you’ve done for a company or client. Collect all the analytical data of the projects done and incorporate them into your resume.
Customization
As easy it is to create just one resume and use it everywhere, it is quite relevant to customize your resume for each and every job you apply for, or at least for each job position. The reason behind this is really simple. For example, if you’re hired to design a website for an agency, your past experience of working in customer service won’t help you get the job. Of course, it is a valid job experience, but is it going to help you in the current position, umm no, right?
Secondly, hiring managers are tired of seeing a pile of standard applications, if you wish to stand out, customization is the key.
But how do you do that? If you have different interests or skills, you can easily create different versions of your resume. Let’s say, you can have a video editing resume that helps you get the job and a content writer resume to help land the job with content creation.
Experience in the creative field
We are talking about an industry that works in freelancing mode most of the time. Creative people generally don't limit themselves to “the job” with the regular working office. Keep your history of freelance projects ready to be added to your document. For example, you can add the title Copywriter + Content Strategist, and add all your freelance content under the description. When mentioning the freelance gigs, make sure to add links to those throughout your resume. Make it as interactive as possible, by attaching your portfolios or personal websites. This can help the hiring manager take a profound decision about your work before calling for an interview.
Why is it advisable to link your projects? Well, you know, talent acquisition people or clients, in general, don’t have time to google you before interviewing. So it is better to make this easy for them by adding the links to the most relevant work you have done and the projects you’re super proud of.
Talk numbers
Metrics and data are generally considered for business or marketing people. But it is always powerful to show success through numbers in a resume for creative professionals. For example, instead of saying that you worked as a social media manager at the company you worked at, try mentioning “grew engagement rate from 17% to 58% in just two months”. Providing solid data points can impress your recruiter and give a sense of your success in previous roles.
While writing a resume, one has to think about the hiring managers and what they want. As they look for an Interior designer or a PHP developer, what will be the expectations? To combat that, research the company you’re applying to about their current products and market priorities. Take a hint on what matters to them the most and customize your resume accordingly.
Network
Unlike other professions, education is not a major criterion to get a job in the creative field. Your work, not your pedigree, is getting you hired. Most employers want to see if you’re going to be a great fit in terms of personality. A great way to showcase yourself as a reliable candidate is by networking with your community. In the creative industry, mostly lookup for references from colleagues and friends to get someone for the job. Or in today’s time, you can clearly see there’s power in social media itself. Use it to showcase your talent and art to the community or your audience, and reach out to the maximum potential of getting noticed.
Assessment
With these resume tips, one can easily create an exciting resume for creative professionals. Run your document with friends, family, or colleagues and ask them to give an honest opinion of the content you’ve put together. And if it still feels overwhelming to ask someone, upload your resume with InspiredResume.com and get a free assessment from an expert from your industry. You will receive personalized feedback on your resume on the very same day. Try it!
