How to build an illustration resume
A resume is a great medium to provide your credentials to clients and employers, and should complement your portfolio. But it can be tricky to get that perfect blend of professionalism and creative flare. Here are a few tips for what you should be sure to include in your resume… and the official go-ahead to just toss the rest of those stiff-necked resume building rules and get your creative juices flowing! :
1) Do I even need a resume? Why isn’t my portfolio enough?
Your portfolio shows people what you can do, but your resume covers the details that your finished pieces don’t… like are you able to turn around a tight deadline? How has your work affected positively the campaign or product it was used for? While a picture tells a thousand words, there are all sorts of juicy details that your illustrations can’t tell about the background to the project, so tell ‘em in your resume. Remember the purpose of a resume is for the reader to quickly browse through “what you can do” to see if you fit their criteria for what they are looking for in an employee or freelancer.
2) Design your resume to complement your portfolio
Put some time into the look of your resume… you’re a creative person, this is where you should stand out! BUT… at the same time, you want it to be simple enough that it won’t fight with your business card and portfolio while they’re all on the table in an interview. So design your resume keeping in mind the other items you use to brand yourself as an illustrator.
3) Who says you can’t put illustrations in your resume?
No one! Illustrators have the trump card when it comes to breaking this rule… where it would look hokey and out of place for an engineer to put a picture of a ball-bearing in their resume, it’s completely normal for illustrators to include thumbnails of their work incorporated into their resume design. But remember that the resume isn’t a replacement for your portfolio, so just stick to a few thumbnails to entice the reader to request your portfolio. Keep in mind that the more images you include, the higher the file size… and if you plan to email the resume, think of how your potential client / employer will feel having to print out your resume in two pages of solid 80% ink coverage! So be considerate, but go crazy at the same time!
4) What do I need to include in my resume?
Be sure to include :
- • your full name
- • your email address
- • your phone number
- • your website address
- • a short opening blurb of who you are and what you do (4 sentences maximum)
- • Experience : in this section, you should write (in point form or other easily browsed through layout) out your experiences such as types of work you have done (i.e. creative direction, illustration, marketing, animation, etc.) and the final product you created (i.e. brochures, editorial, children’s books, etc.) Be sure to list any campaigns or volunteer work you have done as well in this area.
- • Skills : in this section, list in detail your soft skills (customer service, sales & marketing skills, etc.) and your hard skills (i.e. illustration mediums, computer software, web, print production, etc.)
- • Education : in this section list the name of your educational facilities, the name of your course / degree, and the year you completed. You can even write down any accomplishments while you were in school.
- • Clients : this section replaces the need for a traditional ‘chronological resume’ where you have to read everything you did in the order you did it. Because all your skills & experience are listed intuitively in their own sections, you can just provide a brief list of your clients name, the dates you worked with them, the city they are located in, and your role with them.
- • Published Works : in this section, write a list of your published books by title, publisher, and ISBN.
5) How should I send my resume out?
Whether you print it, post it, or PDF it, always include a coverletter with your resume :
- • Print It : print them as you need them… think of the environment and avoid printing dozens of unneeded copies, just print out a couple at a time.
- • Post it online : adding your resume to your website is a great idea… just keep it up-to-date. Having it as a downloadable PDF is a simple / easy option.
- • PDF it : When emailing your resume, send it as a PDF, that way you’ll be sure your lovely fonts and images look exactly as you see them on any other computer. Just be conscientious of the file size, no one likes to get attachments over 1Mb from strangers looking for work ;)
6) Tailor your resume
Having a resume is great, but having a resume tailored to skills your potential client / employer may be looking for is even better. Be sure to research who you are sending your resume to, and tailor your resume to include the skills you have that they may be interested in… and leave out the superfluous ones that they mightn’t care about.
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