10 creative resumes to grab the recruiters attention

Just because you went to school for fine arts doesn’t mean you don’t want to hold down a job. With the number of graphic designer, illustrator, and similar positions out there just waiting for the right candidate, you know you could easily land a job at any number of prestigious production companies – especially once an interviewer takes a look at your portfolio. If only you knew how to get your foot in the door, you’d be a shoe-in!

The Constant Refrain

Does that sound familiar? It’s the mantra of many an otherwise highly-talented artist that struggles to land a decent job. The problem is never their drive, or their talent, or their experience, or even their body of work – instead, the problem is that they don’t know how to draft an artist resume or a curriculum vitae (CV) that will get them past the hiring manager to the interviewer.

It’s only natural: you’ve been spending years honing your skills in design, drafting, illustration, photography, sculpture, or performance. Your chosen method of communicating is any number of fine art disciplines, not necessarily the written word, and your portfolio reflects that expertise. However, you’ve got to get your artist CV together in order to demonstrate that you’ve got what it takes to function not just as an artist, but a professional one.

Using a Resume Template

It turns out that if you’re truly at a loss when it comes to drafting anything that doesn’t involve charcoal or pencil, your best bet is likely to use a resume template as a base. It may sound like cheating, but it’s really not. With the world of employment so complex and varied, it’s natural that not everyone is going to be adept at creating a resume from scratch.

There is any number of ways to use a resume template as a base and adapt it to fit your needs for an artist resume or an artist CV. There are excellent resources available on the Internet in the form of downloadable Microsoft Word CV templates that make it easy to plug in your personal details like your education and your work experience, but you need to ensure that you choose a template that will be uncluttered and readable: don’t choose a template that features an embellished font or one that’s undersized, or it’s going to be too difficult to read – and that’s a surefire way to get your resume tossed into the “do not call” pile. Furthermore, remember one important thing: your resume needs to be less a collection of your personal information and more a subtle advertisement for hiring you. Show that prospective employer that you can convey that on paper and you’ll get that all-important interview – and then your portfolio will speak for itself.