How To Write A Game Design Resume (With An Example)

Updated 14 March 2023

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A game designer creates online games for laptops, mobiles and websites. They conceptualise a game and use their technical skills to bring it to life. If you are thinking about becoming a game designer, it might help you to learn how to write a suitable resume to apply for jobs in the gaming industry. In this article, we discuss how to write a game design resume, explore some of the important skills that game designers have and consider a template resume example.

How to write a game design resume

Here are seven steps to help you write a game design resume:

1. Select your layout

The first step is to select a layout for your resume. Go for a format that highlights your skills and qualifications well. Consider any of the four common types of resume layouts:

Chronological: This is the most common type of resume. As the name suggests, this type of layout presents your achievements in order by date. This is an ideal layout for anyone with a solid work history that is free of any major breaks or pauses.
Functional: A functional layout works well for professionals who have more skills than experience. In this layout, you list skills at the top of your resume. This helps to draw the recruiter's attention first to that section so that they can evaluate whether your skills are in line with the role.
Combination: You may opt for a combination format if you have both professional experience and skills. This kind of layout highlights your skills and experience equally. For a combination resume, start by mentioning the job role you are looking for, followed by your professional summary, skills and work experience. You may conclude with a small section about your educational background and skills training.
Targeted: A targeted resume can adhere to any of the above layouts, but you specifically tailor it to the position that you are applying for. You construct every section, be it skills, work history, or education, in a way that matches the requirements of the job. Such resumes are particularly useful when seeking a job in a competitive environment.

2. Add your contact information

Once you select the layout, the next step is to add your contact information at the top of your document, preferably as a header. You might want your contact information to be the first thing a potential employer notices in your resume. This ensures employers know exactly how and where to reach you for an interview.

Include your name, email, telephone number and complete address. You may consider bolding your name or changing it to a larger font size for emphasis. Those who have a portfolio of previous work or a professional website can add the link underneath their contact information. This is a good opportunity to highlight your skills to recruiters and help your profile stand out.

3. Write a professional summary

A professional summary is a brief description that tells recruiters who you are, what you have accomplished and your professional goals for the future. It can include your achievements, skill set and goals. This section can go underneath your contact information.

Recruiters can look at this section to evaluate whether they would like to read the rest of your resume. A good practice is to align your professional summary to the job description. Since you are drafting a game design resume, customise your professional summary to highlight your skills and credentials as a game designer.

4. Include your professional experience

Your professional experience is the biggest highlight of your resume, so make sure you are explaining it well. This section shows employers the kind of work you have done before. If you have years of work experience, you are likely to have a longer section on your employment history. In such cases, try to stick to the most important details, including any awards you may have received or other key accomplishments. Mention all your roles in chronological order.

To write a concise and informative description of your professional experience, start with the name of the organisation, job title and the duration that you held the position. Describe your responsibilities in brief, using action verbs. Focus on your strengths, skills and achievements that are in line with the position for which you are applying. For instance, if you received an award while designing a new game, it might be a good idea to highlight it under the professional experience section.

5. List your education and other credentials

Once you have added your work experience, the next requirement is to list your education and other credentials. This not only includes your school and university education but any of the special game design training courses or diplomas that you may have taken. Try to emphasise any of the degrees or courses that you think might be relevant to the job role.

As the gaming industry is becoming more competitive, many employers now want candidates to have at least a bachelor's degree in game design and development. This ensures candidates have the creativity and technical know-how to design games that users enjoy playing. Even if you do not have a game design degree, it may be wise to take an online course and learn some of the basic skills you might need on the job.

6. Add a skills section

Employers want to know whether you have the skills relevant to the role you applied for. For example, gaming companies expect their designers to have storytelling abilities, programming skills and creativity. You might also work in a team environment and work long hours, depending on the project's demands. Keeping these factors in mind, you may add a skill section that includes both hard and soft skills to help employers evaluate your application better and understand whether you would be a good fit for the company.

When creating this list, try to include keywords. Keywords are words or phrases that employers repeat in their job listings to indicate what they are looking for in a candidate. For example, if the job posting repeats the words motivated, independent and communicative, then those are the probable keywords. Including these words in your resume might increase your chances of getting an interview because you have the skills requested. Consider adding some of the following keywords in a game designer resume:

analytical
problem-solving
communication
game systems
proficient in coding languages
game scripting

7. Revise your document

Once you have finished writing your resume, read and revise the document. Checking your resume ensures that there are no mistakes in it. When revising your resume, check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors. You can also make sure that all the information you put on your resume is accurate, such as names, job titles and dates. Read your resume out loud to identify mistakes you may have otherwise missed.

If preferred, you can choose to modify the formatting of your resume. Use a professional font, such as Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica, and make your font size between 10 to 12 points. Adjust your margins, so they are 1 to 1.5 inches wide. This increases the readability of your document.

Key skills for a game designer resume

Game designers use sophisticated software to design video games. You may require several technical skills, including knowledge of programming, multimedia development and editing tools, to be a master game designer. Since video games tell interesting stories, it is important that game designers are good storytellers who can develop games that capture users' imaginations. Other relevant skills include soft skills like collaboration, time management and critical thinking abilities to be a good team player and excel in the field.

Game design resume example

You can use the following game design resume as an example when writing your own:

Tushar Singh
111-222-3333
tushar.singh@email.com
Mayur Vihar, New Delhi

Professional summary
Highly dedicated and imaginative game designer seeking an associate-level position at a game developing company. Looking to use storytelling and design skills to create immersive video games with interactive plots and characters.

Professional experience
Game designer
ABC Studios, New Delhi, India, March 2018 to present

Develop and create the outline, story and gameplay for video games
3+ years designing and writing four video games, including two real-time strategy video games, one survival game and one tower defence game
Work with the team to develop character models and write storylines
Implement beta user feedback

Assistant game designer
XYZ Games, New Delhi, India, February 2017 to March 2018

Co-designed two mobile games
Modified game systems and features
Collaborated with senior designers to create game functions
Tested preliminary stages of games

Education

Bachelor's degree in computer science and game design
North Point University, May 2017

Skills

Communication
Time management
Critical thinking skills
Game systems and platforms
Intermediate coding skills
Character design

Grants and awards

2020 Game Developer Achievement Award for design work in 'Galaxy Fortress'
2019 Indian Game Design Grant for 'Research in Game Design and Systems'