How To Write A Graphic Design Internship Resume (Examples)

Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 20 September 2022

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

Internships allow learning new professional skills and fill experience gaps. They help you determine what you want to do (and what you do not want to do) in your career, besides helping you find a job. They offer you an insight into a company's inner workings, like how teams operate, how managers lead and how the job gets done. In this article, we discuss how to write a graphic design internship resume, share a few examples to identify the best way to word your skills and explore steps to position yourself in the best way to get hired.

Related: How To Become a Graphic Designer: A Complete Guide

How To Write A Graphic Design Internship Resume?

It is essential to know how to write a graphic design internship resume if you are an aspiring graphic designer with a goal to express your creativity on your resume. It is important that your resume represents your skills and abilities in a way that a hiring manager can acquire a good understanding with a quick read. Here are some tips to follow if you want your resume to accurately depict your goals, which resonate with the presentation, tone and information you provide:

1. Start strong with your qualifications

Include a synopsis of your value proposition and the key reasons to select you for an interview. It is critical to state a clear objective and supporting credentials in your objective summary. The synopsis can explain why you are a unique candidate, including skills, strengths, accomplishments and how you would add value to the company.

2. Choose the right fonts

Organise your resume based on the format you have chosen and evaluate the font style and size. Following the newest typographic trends is not necessary while constructing your resume, as the goal is to make your resume readable. It is best to choose a simple and legible font size that is neither too little nor too large.

3. Make education a priority

Because you are an aspiring graphic designer with limited experience, it is important to prioritise your educational qualifications. As your experience grows, your education moves to the bottom of your resume. The education section's basic information comprises the name of the institution or university, location and state, degree programme, major or focus and projected graduation date.

4. Proofread your resume

Before submitting your resume and any other documents, such as cover letters, as part of a job application, it is important to proofread them. Show it to a trusted adviser, lecturer, industry professional, friend or anybody who is willing to review it. An error-free resume would make you look more professional and enhance your chances of getting an interview.

Related: How To Write A Resume For Internship (With Template And Example)

Why Is A Graphic Design Internship Resume Important?

Writing a graphic design internship resume is one of the first stages towards getting your desired internship. Your resume is the quickest way for prospective employers to understand if you would be a good match for their firm and whether they would like to learn more about you. If you are a graphic design student or recent graduate searching for an internship, your resume is your first chance to demonstrate your abilities.

Related: How To Apply For An Internship (And What To Do After Applying)

What To Include In Your Internship Resume?

An ideal internship resume has several elements and understanding them can help boost your resume. You may want to include the following in your resume for a graphic design internship:

Relevant information

It is extremely important to collect relevant information to fill in your resume. Include your past experiences related to graphic design, hard and soft skills, major design accomplishments, schooling history, certifications and creative work. You can also include your expertise in design tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and After Effects) and HTML/CSS.

Perfect formatting

It is critical to format a resume so that it seems neat and professional. Format your resume in reverse chronological order, which is also known as a hybrid or combination resume format. A resume goal or career description, education history, soft skills and hard skills sections could be included in this layout.

Contact information

Including your contact information enables an easy flow of interaction. It is advisable to give at least two different ways for people to reach you. If you are a student with various addresses, mention your permanent and temporary residences.

Design samples

For a graphic design resume, a link to a website that consists of your designs might be important to the hiring manager. It provides prospective employers with a more cohesive look at your skills. This can help them go through some of your best works and increase your chances of getting an interview call.

Related: A Complete Guide To Internships

What To Exclude From Your Internship Resume?

Employers frequently get dozens of resumes for internship opportunities. Because they often do not have time to examine each one thoroughly, they generally look for reasons to reject an application. Here are some items you can leave out in your internship resume:

Incorrect information

It is imperative to be honest with potential employers about your GPA, qualifications or skills. If your lie is discovered, considering how easy it is to get caught in today's technological and social media environments, it may damage your career. If you lack experience, emphasise your talents and eagerness to learn new skills.

Irrelevant work experience

It is essential to make your resume concise, as the more irrelevant information you include in your resume, the more your core message would be diluted. It is advisable to leave out previous work experience that is unrelated to the position you are applying for. You may include experiences that illustrate essential talents, such as problem-solving and communication abilities, that can help you in any job.

References

It is advisable not to put your recommendations on the same page as your resume. Since references are not often requested during the interview process, it is best not to present information that may not be beneficial to employers during this stage. They can be listed in a separate document and submitted when requested.

Making a poor filename choice

A recruiter is unlikely to review your resume if the filename does not make sense to them. Name your resume by your first and last name or 'full-name-target-job-title-resume.' Doing this would instantly identify your resume file to the recruiting manager, who may get hundreds of applications daily.

Going over two pages

One full page is the ideal length for an internship resume. A two-page resume might damage your prospects by making hiring managers less inclined to read your details. Keeping your resume to one page allows them to easily identify your experience and skills that fit the job description.

Related: How To List Internship Experience On A Resume

Graphic Design Internship Resume Template

To get you started, here is a short internship resume template:

[Your full name]
[Your address]
[Your contact information]
[Your email address]

Objective
[The purpose of writing an objective is to inform the employer about the position or type of work you are looking for, and even your credentials for that role. List up to three sentences that outline your professional objectives, strengths and eligibility.]

Experience
[List any previous internship experience you had. Showing your knowledge of the organisation's operations strengthens your application.]

Education
[Provide a list of your educational credentials, including the name of the institution and the year of completion.]

Skills
[Make a list of your technical and soft talents that are applicable to the internship opportunity.]

Achievements
[You can list your accomplishments, including any honours and recognitions you received. In addition, including measurable accomplishments would make your resume appear more professional.]

Related: Intern Resume Samples

Graphic Design Internship Resume Sample

Take a look at an example below on how to create your resume:

Tina Wadwa

Address: 745 Mill Road, London, United Kingdom

Email address: tinawadwa@gmail.com

Phone number: 077 0467 7654

Web: www.tinawadwadesigns.com

Objective

Creative and passionate student currently enrolled at the Elynton University of Design. A team player with exceptional leadership qualities, trained in infusing brand goals with design aesthetics to produce compelling designs. I am seeking a position as a graphic design intern, where my skills in digital design can be put to use in designing, presenting and delivering creative solutions to meet communication goals.

Experience

08/2020 - 09/2020, Graphic Design Intern, Labeca, London, United Kingdom

  • Developed designs with the management and creative team from conception to completion.

  • Used Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign and Canva to create several design templates.

  • Assisted the design team in production of logos, infographics, e-newsletters, posters and other graphic assets needed by the department.

  • Consulted with clients to discuss layout designs.

  • Created adaptable web designs in collaboration with lead designers.

Education

02/2019 - present, Graphic Design, Elynton University of Design, London

GPA: 3.87

Clubs and Societies: Design Club, Music Association, Coders Society

01/2017 - 01/2019, Arts Diploma Programme, Global School of Arts, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Graduated with Distinction

Activities: Design Club, Animation Society, Cello Society

Languages

  • English

  • Hindi

  • French

Computer Skills

  • Adobe Photoshop

  • Adobe Illustrator

  • Canva

  • CorelDraw

  • Adobe Indesign

  • Inkscape

Interpersonal Skills

  • Leadership Skills

  • Creative

  • Communication Skills

  • Time Management

  • Empathy

  • Response to conflict

Certificates

  • 08/2018, Illustration Certification, Galaxy School of Design

  • 06/2018, Comic Strip Design Certification, Young Storytellers Workshop

  • 03/2021, Driving Licence, Driving School

Related: How To Find Remote Graphic Design Jobs (With Practical Tips)

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are associated with Indeed.

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