The fashion industry is a competitive one, and you need to have a fashion designing resume that stands out to complement your portfolio . You also have to keep up with fashion trends, develop new ideas and dedicate your time to learning everything there is to learn to improve your brand identity.
In addition to your design portfolio that helps you show off your latest design concepts, you need a fashion designer resume that allows you to show off your professional experience, education, and skills.
Let's look at some pro tips that will help you create a new resume that gets you your dream job.
How to Write an Eye-Catching Fashion Designing Resume
You may or may not have heard that the average hiring manager takes less than ten seconds on each resume. This means that your fashion designer resume needs to grab the hiring manager's attention in the first few seconds. Your fashion designer resume should highlight your skills and creative abilities in a way that separates you from all the other job seekers.
One of the best ways to do this is by using the correct resume format that shows off your experience to the recruiter or using a resume builder. You should also ensure your resume has all the relevant information. Here are the sections you need to have in your fashion designer resume.
Resume headerThis section should have your name, contact and portfolio information.
Resume summary or objectiveA summary is perfect if you have relevant experience in the fashion industry. If you are starting your career and have little to no experience, a fashion designer resume objective works well.
Work experienceThis section summarizes your work history mentioning the jobs you have had before. It is always better to add the jobs that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Education sectionIn this section, you list any education you have earned, especially if it is relevant to the fashion designer jobs you are applying for.
Skills sectionThis is where you mention the hard and soft skills you have relevant to the job you are applying for.
Lastly, add any relevant certifications or volunteer experiences that will help your fashion designer resume stand out./
What Is The Best Format for a Fashion Designer Resume
The right fashion designer resume format will help you land your dream job; A wrong one will make you miss out on a great opportunity. This is because the correct format allows you to present your experience and skills in your fashion designer resume in a way that helps you stand out. While a funky layout may seem like a good idea, it is better to stick to the professional resume formats.
There are three different formats you can use for your fashion designer resume.
Reverse chronological formatMost hiring managers prefer this format because it is the easiest to scan for the Applicant Tracking System. It lists your most recent job first and is the best format to use if you have a ton of work experience as a fashion designer.
Functional resumeA functional resume focuses on your skills instead of experience. If you are a recent graduate or are changing careers and have little to no experience in the fashion industry, this is a great format to use. It allows you to showcase your transferable skills from the other jobs you have worked.
Combination resumeThis format combines the best features of the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats. This format works well for candidates who have some experience working as fashion designers.
Start Your Fashion Designing Resume with an Eye-Catching Header
A header is essential in your fashion designer resume because it contains your name, contact information, and links to your portfolio and LinkedIn profile. If you are not sure about how to write the header on your fashion design resume, you can check various fashion designer resume samples. Check out our resume examples .
If your social media pages showcase your work, you may also include them in the header. The location is also optional, but if the job is abroad, you should add it. Let's look at an example of a header for your fashion designer resume.
Example
Fashion Designer
256-349-781
kathlynhill@gmail.com
Kathyhill.com
Provide Your Contact Information Clearly
The contact information on your fashion designer resume is crucial because the hiring manager cannot communicate with you if you put the wrong information. This is why you need to double-check your fashion designer resume to ensure you have accurate contact information.
This section on the header section should have your full name, phone number, city, state, zip code, professional email address, and home address(optional). You can also add your Linkedin profile link and any other links to your website or portfolio.
Example
taylorwatford@gmail.com
364-654-764
250 6th Avenue
New York, NY 10087
linkedin.com/in/taylor-watford
New York
How to Create Summary Section of the Fashion Designer Resume
A fashion designer resume summary gives you a chance to grab the attention of your potential employer by summarizing your career goals and key achievements in one short paragraph. This section is like a sales pitch and should compel the potential employer to continue reading your fashion designer resume.
If you don't have a lot of experience, you should consider adding a fashion designer resume objective and talk about the value you will bring to the company.
Resume experts advise fashion designers to write a resume summary that allows them to stand out, focusing on what sets them apart from the other designers applying for the same position.
How to Write Educational Section of the Fashion Designing Resume
The education section is one of the major sections in your resume, and you should not leave it out of your fashion designer resume. Many fashion designer resume examples can help you with this section. You can also use a resume builder or resume template to help you write the perfect resume with style. Check out our resume templates.
Most fashion designer jobs have specific educational qualifications, so it is essential to check the job posting to see what is required and add the necessary qualifications to your fashion designer resume.
If you have a couple of years of experience, include:
- Your degree.
- The school you graduated from.
- The dates you attended the school in the education section.
If you do not have a lot of experience, include your GPA score, if it is 3.5 or higher, and the relevant coursework.
Example
Savannah College
2011-2014
Fashion Marketing & Management BFA
Fashion Institute of Technology New York
2014-2017
Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design
Professional Experience Section
The professional section in your fashion designer resume is vital because it allows the recruiter to see what you can do from your previous work history. If you are applying for a fashion designer job, any experience working with production teams, helping with the design process and creating presentation boards will go a long way.
A pro tip by career experts is to include only the relevant work experience for fashion designer jobs and start with your most recent job.
Each job you mention in your fashion designer resume should have at least three to five bullet points under it explaining your duties and key achievements in that particular role. These duties should align with the ones mentioned in the job description of the job you are applying for. Also, don’t forget to quantify your achievements with numbers to show the recruiter the value you will bring to the new job.
Example
Ritz Wear New York
September 2018- Date
- Designed the labeling for Ritz Wear New York, including fabric to be used, pattern and finish, printing and trim, and introduced line sheets.
- Provided support to the design team and production team with the design process to initiate operational improvements and resolve customer-related problems, resulting in A-1 customer/client service.
- Acted as team leader for the design team for the technical designs project to promote close cooperation to share information and develop satisfactory solutions to deliver various services successfully.
Skills to Put on Your Fashion Designing Resume
A fashion designer job not only requires you to keep up with the latest fashion trends and have a good sense of style but also requires some specific fashion designer skills that allow you to excel in the fashion industry. If you write a fashion designer resume without this section, it will be less desirable and will most likely not get past the ATS system.
It is always advisable to read through the job description and add the required skills for the job you are applying for in your fashion designer resume. You should break down your skills into hard and soft skills.
One of the most important expert tips you should remember is to only add the skills you have because hiring managers may ask you about them or test them. It's also better to list them in bullet point form to make it easy for the recruiter to see them.
Let's look at the skills section of a fashion designer resume sample in bullet points.
Hard skills
- Adobe photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Computer-aided design (CAD)
- Adobe InDesign
- Tech packs
- Textile engineering for technical designers
- Excellent sense of color and style
Soft skills
- Creativity
- Attention to detail
- Teamwork
- Analytical skills
- Technical and design skills
- Organization skills
- Communication skills
- Time management
Use Action Verbs in Your Fashion Designing Resume
Action verbs express action and bring a tone of confidence to your fashion designer resume. Hiring managers use software to filter fashion designer resumes, and using these action verbs increases your chance of moving to the next step in the hiring process.
The best source for action verbs for your fashion designer resume is the job description, but you can also check fashion designer resume examples to get some ideas.
Here is a list of action verbs you can use in your fashion designer resume.
- Sketched
- Designed
- Analyzed
- Visualized
- Selected
- Displayed
- Organized
- Created
- Researched
- Developed
Additional Tips for Creating the Best Fashion Designing Resume
As mentioned before, the fashion industry is very competitive, so you need to ensure your fashion designer resume stands out. Check out other resume examples to get the perfect resume. One way to do this is to add different sections in your fashion designer resume that set you apart from the other job seekers. Some of the sections you should consider adding to ensure you have the best resume include:
Professional achievements and awardsIf you recently received a fashion award or showcased your new designs at one of the New York fashion shows, this is where you should include it.
CertificationsIf you have any additional training or certifications that will allow you to stand out, add them under this section.
LanguagesIt is essential to list your languages in a different section to make it easy for the recruiter to see them.
Volunteer experiencesIf you have volunteered at a fashion house or have any other relevant volunteer experience, you should add it to this section.
Cover letterSome jobs do not ask for a cover letter, but you should always accompany your fashion designer resume with a cover letter, even if that is the case.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to list fashion design certificates on a resume?
Your fashion design certificates need to stand out and grab the hiring manager's attention, so the best thing is to list them in a separate certifications section.
How long should a fashion designing resume be?
If you don't have a lot of experience, a one-page resume works best, but if you have more than five years of relevant experience, you can submit a two-page fashion designer resume.
What skills does a fashion designer need to get a job?
A fashion designer requires both hard and soft skills. Some of the skills you need to have in your fashion designer resume include interpersonal skills, sewing and crafting, adaptability, leadership skills, computer and art skills./span>/p>
Do I need an education section for a fashion design resume?
An education section is essential to have on your resume as most fashion designers jobs require specific educational qualifications.