CV Advice for Designers That Actually Gets You Noticed.

Here's something that might sting a bit: hiring managers and Creative Directors spend about 8 to 10 seconds looking at your CV. That's it. Less time than it takes to make a cup of tea.

So your CV needs to work fast. It needs to be easy to read, immediately clear, and visually confident enough that they actually keep reading instead of moving on to the next one.

We've reviewed hundreds of CVs from interior designers, graphic designers, architects, and branding specialists over the years, and we've heard feedback from some of London's top Creative Directors and studio leaders. Here's what actually matters.

Start With the Basics

Your name and contact details need to be at the top. We know this sounds ridiculously obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs we've received with no name or no phone number. If a hiring manager is in a rush and can't immediately see how to reach you, your CV goes in the bin.

Don't let that be you.

And please, no headshots. Your work speaks for itself.

Your CV Should Look Like a Designer Made It

Let's be honest here: you're a designer. Your CV is a design piece. It should absolutely reflect your aesthetic sensibility, your understanding of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy.

Use colour intentionally. Choose typefaces that feel like you. Create a layout that's distinctive but still professional. This is your chance to show you understand how to balance personality with clarity.

But here's the line: don't make it so clever that it's hard to read. If someone has to work to figure out where your experience is or what software you use, you've lost them. The content still needs to be immediately scannable.

Your CV should feel confident and polished, not gimmicky. Think of it as a one-page brand identity exercise where the brand is you.

List Your Design Skills Clearly

Make sure your technical skills are easy to find. For interior designers, that means AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Enscape, whatever you're proficient in. For graphic designers and branding specialists, list your Adobe Creative Suite capabilities, Figma, Sketch, InVision, or any other tools you work with regularly.

Don't rank them with bar charts or percentage scores. Just list them clearly. Your portfolio and experience will show how strong you are in each area.

If you've got hand sketching or technical drawing skills, mention those too. They're still highly valued, especially in interior design and architecture.

Nobody Cares About Your Grades (Unless You've Just Graduated)

If you've recently graduated and got a first or a 2:1, include it. Otherwise, leave your final grade off. Don't list individual module results, and if you're past junior level, skip GCSEs and A-Levels entirely. Your portfolio and work experience are what matter now.

Keep It Tight

Junior to midweight? One page. Senior to associate or team lead? Two pages maximum.

Your most recent role should have the most detail because that's what hiring managers care about. As you go back in time, descriptions should get shorter. Only include responsibilities or projects that actually matter for the type of role you're applying for.

If you're listing every single task you've ever done just to fill space, you're doing it wrong.

Show Your Sector Experience

This is crucial. If you're applying for a hospitality design role, your CV should immediately show your hospitality experience. Residential interior design? Lead with residential projects. Retail branding? Make sure your retail work is front and centre.

Don't make hiring managers hunt for the relevant experience. Put it where they'll see it in those first 8 to 10 seconds.

For architects and interior designers, mention project types and scales: residential refurbs, commercial fit-outs, RIBA stages you've worked on, planning applications, technical packages. Be specific.

For graphic designers and branding specialists, highlight the type of work you've done: brand identity, packaging, digital, print, campaigns, art direction. Sector experience matters here too. FMCG, lifestyle, tech, hospitality.

Your Words Matter

Avoid generic phrases like "team player" and "hard-working." Everyone says that. Instead, show those traits through your actual work. What projects did you deliver? What challenges did you solve? What results did you achieve?

Use language that's specific to design. Don't say you "helped with projects." Say you "led concept development for a 200-cover restaurant fit-out" or "delivered brand guidelines for a luxury residential developer."

Hobbies Should Add Something (Or Leave Them Off)

If you're going to list interests, make them interesting or relevant. Architecture, exhibitions, photography, printmaking, furniture design. These all add context to who you are as a designer.

"Watching TV" and "socialising" add nothing. If you've got nothing compelling to include, just leave the section off.

Proofread Until Your Eyes Hurt

Then get someone else to proofread it too. A partner, a friend, a flatmate, anyone. Typos and grammatical errors make you look careless, and in a visual profession, attention to detail is everything.

If you don't have anyone to ask, use Grammarly or another tool. Just make sure it's spotless before you send it.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

An unexplained gap looks worse than the actual reason for it. If you took time out to travel, freelance, deal with health issues, or handle family matters, just say so briefly. You don't need to over-explain, but acknowledge it. Honesty matters.

Always Send It With Your Portfolio

This should go without saying, but your CV is only half the picture. Always send it alongside a PDF portfolio showcasing your best three to five projects relevant to the role you're applying for. Your CV gets you attention, your portfolio gets you the interview.

We’ve got some tips for your portfolio here if you need some help…

Tailor It Every Single Time

This is what separates designers who get interviews from designers who don't.

If you're applying for a hospitality interior design role, your CV should highlight your hospitality work. If it's a residential architecture position, focus on residential projects. If it's a branding role for an FMCG brand, show FMCG experience.

Don't send the same CV to every job and hope for the best. Hiring managers can tell when you've actually read the brief and tailored your application. It shows you care, and they notice.

The Bottom Line

Your CV is your first impression, and you don't get a second chance at it. Make it look good, make it clear, make it relevant. Show them quickly why they should care, and give them a reason to pick up the phone.

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is holding you back, we're always happy to take a look. Sometimes it's just one or two tweaks that make all the difference.

Need a second pair of eyes on your CV? Want to make sure it's actually working for you? Get in touch. We'd love to help.

Creative Industry Trends 2025: What's Shaping London's Design Market.

The UK’s creative industry is booming, driven by exciting digital innovations and a surge in demand. From virtual reality to AI-powered design, companies are looking for skilled creative talent to lead the way and deliver standout work that captures the imagination of clients and consumers.  

Since February 2020, the UK’s creative sector has grown by an impressive 9% - far outpacing the broader economy’s 1.6% growth. It's an incredibly exciting time to ride this creative wave, whether you're a creative professional, a business owner, or a specialist in design recruitment! 

Let’s dive into some key stats and trends that highlight where the buzz is strongest and what it means for jobs.   

Rising Demand for Creative Professionals  

The UK’s design economy is booming, and nowhere is this growth more evident than in London. From Architecture and Interior Design to Graphic and Digital Design, the demand for creative professionals is soaring. Between 2010 and 2019, the design economy grew at twice the rate of the UK economy, and all signs point to this momentum accelerating in 2025.   

Our 2024 Market Review and Salary Report highlights rising hiring and salary trends across key fields like Interior Design, Digital Design, Architecture, and Client Services. London, the epicentre of the UK’s design economy, hosts nearly 30% of design jobs and a third of all design businesses. As Deloitte forecasts 4.3 million creative jobs by 2030, there’s no better time to be part of this vibrant and rapidly expanding sector. If you’re looking for opportunities in design, London is calling! 

Growing Competition for Creative Talent   

When you’re looking to hire someone for a design, digital or creative strategy role, you’re likely to find competition for good talent is rather tough. And the fact is, it’s not going to get easier in 2025. Whilst there is strong revenue growth evident for creative economy businesses, profitability is getting squeezed by increases in salaries and pay rates, as companies race to snap up skilled talent.  

The challenge for employers is to demonstrate why their business is a great place to work – by articulating their employee value proposition (EVP). Companies with strong EVPs will cover the essentials of attracting talent, like a competitive base salary. But it’s just as important to emphasise other factors that make your company an attractive place to work. Flexible work arrangements, for example, have become increasingly valued by candidates in recent years – and we see no sign of that desire abating! 

Creative professionals are also flocking to roles that offer autonomy and opportunities to work on inspiring projects and innovations. The most sought-after candidates want to work for companies that provide genuine career development and invest in their people for mutual growth. With that said, as an employer, you can differentiate by offering clear career growth paths and support for upskilling.  

Investing in training and development may become increasingly essential rather than optional for employers in the creative industries, as there are warning signs of a dwindling pool of fresh graduate talent. The number of students taking Design and Technology (D&T) at GCSE has halved over the last decade, indicating that fewer young people are gaining foundational skills in creative disciplines.  

AI Everywhere? 

Generative artificial intelligence is by far the biggest headline story in several industries, particularly creative fields like design and digital. From graphic design, and 2D design to video and coding, AI has upped the ante for creative work. Now, the challenge is to see who can do the most interesting stuff with it! 

Can we expect AI to replace many design jobs? Whilst it’s too early to make that call, we’ve seen numerous examples of gen AI lifting productivity for designers in multiple disciplines. Considering that the rate of AI adoption has at least doubled over the past five years, demand for designers shows no signs of slowing down.  

 In 2025, we could expect human skills and talent to come at an even higher premium, as AI use becomes increasingly mainstream. Professionals with a strong grounding in design disciplines will be highly sought after for their ability to combine creativity with strategic thinking.  

Sensory Experiences 

In 2025, we may firmly find ourselves in the realm of the senses, at least when it comes to design innovations. More interior design and architecture projects will involve creating multi-sensory spaces that blend digital and physical experiences. As Dentsu highlights, there’s a growing demand for immersive sensory activations, where elements like touch, sound, light, scent, and gesture converge to captivate audiences.  

Engaging senses all five senses requires design and creative professionals with a multi-disciplinary mindset, who can meld the digital with the experiential.  

Industries such as hospitality, retail, and cultural institutions are hunting for new ways to engage consumers with a multi-sensorial feast of sound, colour, light, touch and scent.  From hotels incorporating haptic feedback into guest rooms to museums designing exhibits with interactive light and sound, the emphasis is on creating environments that stimulate and inspire – and look amazing on social ! 

Nostalgia Vibes 

From the aesthetics of nostalgia (90’s fashion revival, music on vinyl, vintage cameras) to the growing desire to disconnect from digital technologies (at least once in a while), nostalgia will be a powerful force for creative professionals and consumers alike in 2025.  

For built environment professionals (interior designers, architects), nostalgia will inspire the creation of spaces that evoke the vibes and memories of a bygone era – whether it be brutalism or mid-century modernism.  

On the digital front, graphic designers will draw on forgotten visuals like the pixelated, DIY look of early MySpace pages or the grainy, low-res charm of flip phone photography. By remixing these tiny slices of history, brands can be sure to capture attention with a playful feel. 

The Rising Tide for Creative Recruiters 

With creative sectors set for a bumper year in 2025, people with a background in recruitment for creative sectors are going to see their boats lifted by the same tide. 

As the creative sectors continue to expand, recruiters with experience in or passion for these industries will be instrumental. After all, creative businesses need help in identifying the talent that brings these trends to life. If that sounds like your kind of thing, we’d love to chat with you about our internal opportunities. Please feel free to send us a message to introduce yourself and pop your CV over to us! 

Connect with the Creative Recruitment Specialists 

Ready to add a team member or two, or planning your next career move for 2025? Twenty One Twelve’s creative and design recruitment specialists can help you get sorted with a solution or role that’s right for you.  

Contact us today for support in growing your team or finding your next role.  We’d love to chat with you!