CV Advice 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 interesting enough that they actually keep reading instead of moving on to the next one.

I've reviewed hundreds of CVs over the years and heard feedback from some of London's top Creative Directors and hiring managers. Here's what actually matters.

Start With the Basics

Your name and contact details need to be at the top. I know this sounds ridiculously obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs I'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 pictures of yourself. Just don't.

List Your Skills, Don't Rank Them

It's great to show all the software and skills you've picked up over the years, but don't rank them with little bar charts or percentages. You might think you're being helpful, but often you're just underselling yourself. List them clearly and let your experience speak for itself.

Nobody Cares About Your Grades

Unless you've just graduated and got a first or a 2:1, leave your grades off. Seriously. Don't list your final uni grade if it's a 2:2 or below, don't list individual module grades, and if you're past junior level, don't bother with GCSEs or A-Levels at all. Your work experience is what matters now.

Keep It Tight

Junior to midweight? One page. Senior to team lead or associate? Two pages maximum. Your most recent role should have the most detail because that's what's most relevant. As you go back in time, the descriptions should get shorter and more concise. Only include responsibilities or projects that actually matter for the role you're applying for.

If you're padding your CV to fill space, you're doing it wrong.

Make It Look Good, But Keep It Readable

By all means, use colours and typography that reflect your personality and design style. But keep it professional and clean. If someone has to squint or work hard to read it, you've lost them. Remember, you've got 8 to 10 seconds. Make them count.

Your Words Matter

Avoid clichés like "team player" and "hard-working." Everyone says that. Instead, show those traits through your actual experience. What did you do that demonstrates you work well with others? What projects did you deliver that prove you're dedicated? Let your work speak instead of relying on tired phrases.

Hobbies Should Add Something

If you're going to list interests, make sure they're either relevant to the role or genuinely interesting. "Watching TV" is not a hobby. Neither is "socialising." If you've got nothing that adds to your story, just leave that section off entirely.

Proofread Until Your Eyes Hurt

Then get someone else to proofread it too. A parent, a friend, a flatmate, anyone. Typos and grammatical errors make you look careless, and that's not the impression you want to give. If you don't have anyone to ask, use Grammarly or another tool. Just make sure it's clean before you send it.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

An unexplained gap on your CV looks worse than the actual reason for the gap. If you took time out to travel, do volunteer work, deal with health issues, or handle family matters, just say so. Keep it short and sweet. You don't need to give details you're uncomfortable sharing, but acknowledge it. It shows you're upfront and honest, which matters.

Tailor It Every Single Time

This is the one that separates people who get interviews from people who don't. If you're applying for a hospitality design position, your CV should highlight hospitality work. If you're going for a retail role, focus on retail experience. Don't send the same generic CV to every job and hope something sticks.

Hiring managers can tell when you've actually read the brief and tailored your application, and they really appreciate it.

The Bottom Line

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

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is the problem, I'm 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. I'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!