I’m looking for some inspiration for new corporate resume design. All I read is how you should make it as simple and boring as possible so the ATS can read it. In other words, no graphics, use a font like Calibri or Arial, no more than one column, etc. I see a LOT of two column resumes when I search, but I’ve been told not to do that. Would anyone care to share or give examples of good resumes for graphic designers? I don’t want anything that looks like an accountant’s resume, but I don’t want anything too crazy either.
I don’t have examples, but the best approach I’ve seen is to create a simple, straightforward version for human resources’ scanners to read, and a second version for the human when you go in for an interview, where you can use better typography and pay more attention to aesthetics and visual hierarchy, and print it on nice paper.
One problem is knowing whether HR people will be taking the first look or whether it will go straight to a real person. If it’s a mid-sized or larger company, HR will almost certainly get a first look. If it’s a smaller company or addressed to an actual person, it’s probably safe to start out with the nicer-looking version. In either case, though, keep it simple.
If you go to this link, you will have a good examples: Graphic Designer CV Examples & Writing tips 2026 (Free Guide) · CVapp.ie
Just-B’s two-version approach is solid — I’d only add that the ATS-safe version doesn’t have to be boring. As a designer, your edge is typography, not graphics. A single well-set column can still look clearly designed: one good system font used with real discipline (consistent measure, generous leading, hierarchy built from size and weight rather than decoration), strict alignment with a consistent spacing rhythm, tabular numerals so your dates and figures line up, and one restrained accent — a hairline rule or a single muted color — used the same way every time.
That combination reads fine in a scanner and still looks like a designer made it when a human gets it. One practical check before you send anything: export a text-selectable PDF and copy-paste the text out. If it pastes back in the right order, the ATS will read it in the right order too.