Hi guys, I’m new here, I think someone here would be able to help me figure out the answer.
Most of my graphic design experience came from one company where I did pretty much everything from product design, to packaging, production and whatever the company needed to make, edit or advertise. So now I’m writing a resume and don’t know how to classify my skills and what the job’s title should be. My questions are:
A: What would my title be at that job
B: What would you call a designer / process when a person (for a specific example) gets drawings from an artist/illustrator and creates a coloring book out of them. Setting up pages, text if needed, making cover design, packaging and guidelines for the manufacturer?
Thank you to anyone who can help, I’m quite confused
What was your title at that job? And what did your initial position entail before they started placing a whole department on your shoulders?
If you were an ‘Administrative Assistant’ at Company X, but did all the stuff you listed. It only makes sense to put ‘Administrative Assitant’ then list/describe your responsibilities. If you were to give yourself a title, and the company that wants to hire you calls the company you were just at as a reference (if you’re using them as a reference). Than they will know you made up a title.
If you want to apply to a company looking for a “Graphic Designer”, just put that as your title. If you e managed creative projects from concept to production, put “Senior Graphic Designer”. Company’s just want to hire people who are competent and can do what they say they can do with little or no supervision. The title may get you through the door, but knowledge, skill and personality will keep you there and guide you up the ladder.
I thought I’d have a better answer, but It’s difficult to give sound advice without more relatable information.
Do you have a BA, BFA or BS degree? (with the last not being very commonly keyed for.)
If you don’t, sadly in the US, your resume will likely not be considered for a design position of any value, it won’t really matter what you call yourself. It’s very rare these days, where one job opening draws literally hundreds of applicants and most often the first weed-out hinges on having a 4-year degree and at least 2 years experience.
thank you for answering. You are both right, that’s why it is so hard for me to come up with an answer.
here’s a little back story:
I do have a degree in graphic design and it’s actually that weird BS in graphic design that PrintDriver is talking about. The degree is not from an art school, it’s from a state University (but it should not make too much difference since I’m not applying to top notch in the field anyway.
I was originally hired as an administrative assistant, but within 2-3 months my boss found out that I can do graphic design and for the past 4 years I’ve been doing almost exclusively design work. The company is private ran by one man and his wife, I had no contract and nowhere on my W-4 does it mention my title.
Our company produced educational craft kits, stickers, coloring books for kids 3-10 years old and sold to schools and stores in the US.
So now I’ve moved and need to find a job. I really loved what I did at that company but I don’t know what it’s called.
It’s recommended to exclude your title on your resume, but instead pinpoint some of the tasks that you responsible for- mainly tasks that will carry over to your new position. Titles are pretty much meaningless.
Remember to suit each resume for the specific position in the company that you are applying for.
you are right, I’m not going to put Art Director on my resume just because I feel like it.
What I want to know is what “pre-print production” is called so I can look for that type of work (because I don’t even know what the work that I’m looking for is called) There are a lot of UI/UX, and other unrelated positions out there.
When I applied for my placement (now job) I positioned myself as a “Multidisciplinary Designer”. There was no description by the company as to what specifically they were looking for, so when I went in for my interview I highlighted everything I was capable of doing, and my portfolio reflected that.
The biggest fallacy about people creating resumes (in my estimation) is that they create a general resume and hand it off to every company. That’s fine, and you may or may not get a call/interview. But you should really be tailoring the resume to the specific company you want to work for, and leverage your skills to position yourself as the best possible candidate for that position.
I would almost place you in the vicinity of a Production artist - pre-press technician - Designer for Print.
Pre-press technician or Production Artist is the answer to ‘what pre-print production’ is.
Your department, is the pre-press department.
A fruitless, tedious job. I did this job for a few years. I was extremely talented at in fact, and for that reason, I couldn’t get out! at least, not within the same company.
Package designers are in high demand. you could try shooting for that.
I have 3, maybe 4 resumes. One says Print production manager, another for art direction, One as a workflow coordinator, IE one who bridges the gap between the graphics department, Production, and the end client