First of all, it definitely shouldn't be "Resume versus Portfolio" - they each help one another and cater to specific audiences. I think it is important to have decent versions of each.
Monique, I think your new resume design looks great and it matches well with your portfolio work on Behance. Employers can see that you are creative, and that your work is clean and fits with the client's identity.
In the past two years, I redesigned my resume and my website to reflect how I've grown as a designer. I started out in undergrad with a travel website geared towards photography and writing, but then I settled down at a corporate position and neglected to travel, write or take photographs.
My resume was bland and text heavy, and my "portfolio" site was a mess of different pieces that were more personal than professional. So I had to think of a way for them to meet in the middle. I came up with my own graphic identity that reflected my work in a corporate setting, while still hinting at those personal details.
I am hesitant to share either of them (which I think is a separate conversation about all of us learning to embrace our work and gaining the confidence to show it), but they are meant to be shared, so I'll just have to get over it. Maybe some of you can give me a few suggestions.
I would say my resume is fairly conservative in terms of design resumes, but that also makes it more versatile for other jobs in communications and marketing. I created a template that I can edit for each new position. Take Jen's advice and make sure to tailor yourself to fit the job.
My resume has the standard personal information (name, phone, email, website), relevant work experience (I list three positions and I change the details depending on what type of position I am applying to), education, skills, and awards and publications. For work experience, I have learned that it is important not only to list what you do, but also the benefits of what you do. For instance, I manage an ecommerce site and handle all of the product photography for my current workplace, which is something that I would include on my resume. But really, the important thing is that since I joined the team, online sales have increased by over 80%. Those are the details that make you more desirable to potential employers!
This article on the 7 Secrets of a Successful Marketing Resume (they're not secrets, and they are definitely not limited to just marketing), was helpful for me. Some takeaways: You are the product that you are selling, know your unique value, and don't try to say too much.
I include the link to my website on the resume and in my email/cover letter, even for non-design positions.
I definitely feel like my website can use some work, but I have learned over the years that having something is better than having nothing. In the past few months I have been trying to post more often with projects and ideas from classes. Since we are doing all the work, we might as well take the time to show it off! I do limit my portfolio to pieces that I am proud of and that I feel convey my unique style.
That being said, my online portfolio is a lot more extensive than the suggested 8 to 12 pieces. I'm not sure if that is good or bad, but it probably ends up being both. On one hand, you can customize your resume based on the job, but you can't really do that with your electronic portfolio, so it seems better to include more. On the other hand, employers don't want to spend a lot of time sifting through content that is not relevant to the position. To combat that, my portfolio is divided into groupings, such as Print, Web, Identity, and Photography.
I am curious, however, if designers often include pdf samples of their work in addition to their resume. In applying for a few graphic designer positions at UB, Stevenson, and UMCP, I feel like I have been at a disadvantage because my resume itself doesn't show of much of my design abilities, and the folks reading the resumes are definitely not going to click through to every website. Has anyone run into this before? Is there a good way to work around it?
Also, does anyone use business cards? Do you consider those a part of your resume/portfolio/freelancing?
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