How to use this list
These are keywords that often appear in graphic designer job listings. They are not a checklist to copy. Paste the actual job ad into the free score checker to see which words that employer uses, then add a keyword to your resume only if it is true for you and you can talk about it in an interview.
Link a portfolio. Mark team projects as team work and say what part you designed.
Hard skills
- Visual design
- Branding
- Typography
- Layout
- Print design
- Digital design
- Illustration
- Packaging design
- Social media graphics
- Design systems
Tools and software
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Adobe InDesign
- Figma
- Canva
- After Effects
- Sketch
Certifications and licences
- Most roles care about your portfolio more than certificates. If you hold one, list it, e.g. Adobe Certified Professional
- RGD designation (Association of Registered Graphic Designers, Ontario, Canada)
Soft skills
- Creativity
- Taking feedback
- Communication
- Time management
- Attention to detail
Soft skills land better as evidence inside a bullet ("trained 4 new hires") than as a bare list.
Using keywords honestly
- Start from your real experience. Keep a full Master CV with everything you have done.
- Mirror the ad's wording for the same thing. If you built "dashboards" and the ad says "data visualization", you can use their term because it describes your real work.
- Put proof next to the keyword. A skill inside a bullet with a result is stronger than a skill in a list.
- Leave gaps as gaps. If you have never used a tool, don't list it. Mention you're learning it only if you really are.
- Avoid stuffing and hidden text. Repeating keywords or hiding white text can get a resume rejected by the people who read it.
Designed a new label set for a 12-product skincare line in Illustrator and prepared print-ready files for the printer.
This is an example of the structure (action, tool or skill, result), not a line to copy. Your bullet must use your own work and your own numbers.
Sources and more reading
- O*NET: Graphic Designers (27-1024.00) (US Department of Labor task and skill data)
- How to tailor a resume without making anything up
- Keywords for other job titles
FAQ
What keywords should a graphic designer resume include?
Use the keywords from the specific job ad that are true for you. Common ones for graphic designer roles include Visual design, Branding, Typography, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign. Check a real listing with a free score checker to see which ones that employer uses.
Should I add a keyword I do not have?
No. Only add a keyword if it is true and you can discuss it in an interview. If it is a gap, leave it out or say you are learning it, if you really are.
How many keywords should I use?
There is no magic number. Cover the required skills you really have, in context, and keep the resume readable for a person.
Check your resume against a real job
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