Design Internship Resume Guide: Templates & Expert Tips

The email from the hiring manager was short and devastating: “Thank you for your interest. Unfortunately, we won’t be moving forward with your application.” I had spent hours perfecting my portfolio, writing a personalized cover letter, and submitting everything exactly as requested. I couldn’t understand what went wrong—until a mentor asked to see my complete application package.

She opened my resume, and I watched her expression shift from neutral to concerned within seconds. “Your portfolio is excellent,” she said carefully. “But your resume is actively hurting you.” She was right. My resume was a disaster—cluttered layout with three different fonts competing for attention, massive blocks of text no one would read, generic bullet points like “created graphics” that said nothing meaningful, a skills section listing “creative” and “detail-oriented” as though those were technical abilities, and worst of all, design choices that made it look like I’d never studied design at all.

I had treated my resume as a formality, something to check off the application requirements list before getting to what really mattered—my portfolio. What I didn’t understand was that many hiring managers and recruiters review resumes before portfolios. If your resume doesn’t pass this initial screen, they never click your portfolio link. And even when they do review your portfolio, your resume influences how they perceive your work. A poorly designed resume suggests you don’t understand design principles, can’t communicate effectively, or lack attention to detail—none of which are impressions you want to create.

Over the following week, I completely rebuilt my resume using the principles I’m about to share with you. Clean typography, clear hierarchy, strategic use of white space, concise but meaningful content, and design choices that demonstrated my abilities without overwhelming the information. My interview rate for the next round of applications jumped from roughly 10% to over 40%. Same portfolio, same cover letters—the difference was entirely in how I was presenting my qualifications through my resume.

Your graphic design internship resume serves dual purposes: it must communicate your qualifications clearly while demonstrating your design skills through its execution. This comprehensive guide, part of our complete resource on graphic design internships, walks you through creating a resume that accomplishes both objectives—proving you can design well while showcasing the experience, education, and skills that make you a compelling internship candidate.

Resume Fundamentals for Design Internships

Before diving into design specifics, understand what your resume actually needs to accomplish in the internship application process.

The Resume’s Role in Your Application

Your resume typically gets reviewed before your portfolio, especially at companies with formal application processes. Human Resources or recruiting teams often conduct initial screenings based on resumes alone before passing qualified candidates to design managers who review portfolios. This means your resume needs to:

Pass Initial Screens: Demonstrate that you meet basic requirements (enrolled in appropriate degree program, possess required software skills, have relevant experience or education). If your resume doesn’t clearly show these qualifications, you may be eliminated before anyone sees your portfolio.

Provide Context: Give reviewers background about your education, experience, and qualifications that complements your portfolio. Where your portfolio shows what you can do, your resume explains your journey and credentials.

Demonstrate Design Ability: For designer positions, your resume itself is a design sample. Poor resume design suggests you either don’t understand design principles or can’t apply them to real-world communication challenges. Either way, it raises red flags.

Facilitate Conversation: During interviews, your resume serves as a reference document for discussing your background, experience, and qualifications. Clear organization helps interviewers navigate your history and ask relevant questions.

Understanding these roles shapes how you build your resume. It’s not just a list of qualifications—it’s a strategic communication tool that needs to work hard on your behalf.

Key Differences From Non-Design Resumes

Graphic design resumes face unique expectations. For non-design positions, resumes should be simple, text-focused, and conforming to conservative conventions. Designer resumes need to be professional and readable while also demonstrating design sensibility. You’re walking a tightrope between “too plain” (looks like you can’t design) and “too elaborate” (sacrifices function for form).

The best designer resumes achieve this balance through thoughtful typography, clean layouts, strategic use of white space, and subtle design touches that demonstrate skill without overwhelming content. You’re proving you understand that design serves communication, not the other way around.

Resume Structure for Graphic Design Internships

A well-organized resume makes information easy to find and understand. Follow this proven structure:

Header and Contact Information

Your resume header should prominently display:

Your Name: Largest text on the page, establishing immediate visual hierarchy. Use 18-24pt font size depending on your name length.

Contact Information: Phone number, professional email address, portfolio website URL (critical!), LinkedIn profile, and location (city and state—no full street address needed).

Your portfolio URL deserves special attention—it’s arguably as important as your email address for design internships. Make it visible and ensure the link works (test it!). Some designers make the URL a different color or slightly larger to draw attention, which is appropriate given its importance.

Consider a subtle tagline under your name if it helps position you: “Graphic Designer” or “Brand Design Student” or “Digital Designer.” Keep it brief and professional.

Example header layout:

textJANE DESIGNER
[Larger, bold font]

Graphic Design Student

Phone: (555) 123-4567 | Email: jane.designer@email.com
Portfolio: janedesigner.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janedesigner
Chicago, IL

Professional Summary/Objective (Optional)

This 2-3 sentence section at the top of your resume can be effective if done well, but skip it if you can’t make it compelling. Never use generic statements like “Seeking a challenging position where I can grow and learn.”

Good summaries highlight your strongest qualifications and what you bring to the internship:

Effective example: “Brand design student with focus on visual identity systems and typography. Created brand identities for 5+ clients through freelance work, with emphasis on strategic positioning and systematic design thinking. Seeking summer internship to develop skills in collaborative creative environments.”

Ineffective example: “Hard-working design student passionate about creativity and eager to learn in a fast-paced environment.” (Generic, says nothing specific or meaningful)

If you use a summary, customize it for each application to emphasize experience most relevant to that specific internship.

Education Section

List your education with:

Degree and Major: “Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design” or “Bachelor of Arts in Visual Communication”

School Name: Full official name of your institution

Expected Graduation Date: Month and year (e.g., “May 2026”)

GPA (optional): Include if 3.5 or higher; leave off if lower

Relevant Coursework (optional): List 4-6 courses if they’re impressive or particularly relevant (Typography III, Motion Graphics, Design Systems, Brand Strategy). Don’t list basic required courses everyone takes.

Honors or Awards (if applicable): Dean’s List, scholarships, design competitions, or academic recognition

Example:

textEDUCATION

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI
Expected Graduation: May 2026 | GPA: 3.7

Relevant Coursework: Advanced Typography, Brand Identity Systems, 
Design Thinking & Strategy, Motion Graphics

Awards: AIGA Student Design Competition Finalist (2024)

If you’ve attended multiple institutions (transfers or community college before university), list them in reverse chronological order. You can consolidate to save space if the earlier education is less relevant.

Skills Section

Your skills section should be concrete and specific, focusing on technical abilities rather than soft skills or personality traits.

Good skills to list:

Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, Sketch, After Effects, XD, Premiere Pro—only list tools you genuinely know how to use

Design Skills: Typography, brand identity, layout design, digital illustration, UI/UX design, packaging design, motion graphics, photo editing

Technical: HTML/CSS basics (if applicable), WordPress, print production, color theory, grid systems

Additional: Photography, illustration, video editing, social media design (if relevant)

Poor skills to list:

Avoid generic soft skills like “creative,” “team player,” “hard worker,” “detail-oriented,” “passionate,” or “fast learner.” These are subjective, unmeasurable, and everyone claims them. Use your bullet points under experiences to demonstrate these qualities through specific examples rather than listing them as skills.

Organize your skills logically—perhaps “Design Software,” “Design Skills,” and “Additional Skills” as subsections. This organization makes it easy for reviewers to quickly assess your capabilities.

Example:

textSKILLS

Design Software: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma, 
After Effects, Sketch

Design Specialties: Brand identity, typography, layout design, 
digital design, UI/UX, illustration

Additional: Basic HTML/CSS, WordPress, photography, video editing

Experience Section

This is where you detail internships, jobs, freelance work, volunteer design projects, or relevant part-time employment. List experiences in reverse chronological order (most recent first).

For each experience, include:

Position Title: Clear, professional title
Company/Organization Name: Full name
Location: City, State
Dates: Month Year – Month Year (or “Present”)
Bullet Points: 2-4 bullets describing your responsibilities and accomplishments

Writing Effective Bullet Points:

Start each bullet with action verbs: Designed, Created, Developed, Collaborated, Managed, Led, Produced, Implemented, Redesigned, Conceptualized.

Focus on specific accomplishments and responsibilities, not vague descriptions. Quantify results when possible—numbers make impact tangible.

Weak bullet point: “Made social media graphics”
Strong bullet point: “Designed 50+ social media graphics for Instagram and Facebook campaigns, increasing engagement by 35% over 3-month period”

Weak bullet point: “Helped with branding projects”
Strong bullet point: “Collaborated with senior designer on brand identity development for 3 clients, creating logo concepts, color palettes, and brand guidelines”

Even if you lack formal internships or jobs, you can include:

• Freelance or contract work (even for friends/family if you approached it professionally)
• Design projects for student organizations or clubs
• Volunteer design work for nonprofits or community organizations
• Design-related work study positions
• Relevant non-design jobs where you can highlight transferable skills

Example experience entries:

textEXPERIENCE

Freelance Graphic Designer
Self-Employed, Chicago, IL
September 2024 – Present
• Designed brand identities for 4 small businesses including logos, 
  business cards, and brand guidelines
• Created social media graphics and marketing materials for local 
  nonprofit, reaching 10K+ followers
• Managed client relationships from initial consultation through 
  final delivery, maintaining 100% client satisfaction

Design Intern
University Marketing Department, Chicago, IL
January 2024 – May 2024
• Produced 30+ digital and print assets for university recruitment 
  campaigns reaching 50K prospective students
• Collaborated with marketing team to redesign event promotional 
  materials, improving attendance by 20%
• Maintained brand consistency across all deliverables following 
  university style guidelines

Projects Section (Optional)

If you lack extensive professional experience, a projects section can showcase significant academic or personal work. Include project name, brief description (1-2 lines), and your role.

This section works particularly well for:

• Significant class projects that involved real or realistic clients
• Self-initiated design projects
• Design competition entries
• Collaborative projects with other students

Example:

textPROJECTS

Campus Sustainability Rebrand
Developed comprehensive brand identity for university sustainability 
initiative, including logo, poster series, and website design. 
Awarded Best Student Project in Design Capstone.

Music Festival Identity System
Created fictional music festival brand celebrating African diasporic 
culture, including visual identity, promotional materials, and 
environmental graphics.

Don’t list every class project—only include work you’d proudly show in your portfolio and that demonstrates specific skills relevant to internships you’re pursuing.

Additional Sections (As Applicable)

Consider adding sections for:

Certifications: Relevant design certifications or completed courses (Google UX Design Certificate, Adobe Certified Professional, etc.)

Languages: If fluent in multiple languages, especially if relevant to the internship

Professional Memberships: AIGA student membership, design organizations, relevant clubs

Volunteer Work: Design-related volunteer activities or leadership in creative organizations

Only include sections with meaningful content—empty or thin sections make your resume look padded.

Essential Skills to Highlight

Beyond the skills section, your experience bullet points should demonstrate capabilities companies value for internship positions.

Technical Design Skills

Make it clear throughout your resume that you possess core technical abilities. This doesn’t mean listing every project where you used Photoshop—it means highlighting diverse applications of your technical skills that prove proficiency.

Mention specific software in context: “Created animated social media content using After Effects” or “Developed interactive prototypes in Figma for user testing.” This demonstrates you don’t just know the tools—you use them to accomplish design objectives.

For guidance on skills companies prioritize, see our comprehensive resource on skills needed for graphic design internships.

Soft Skills Through Examples

Rather than listing soft skills, demonstrate them through your experience bullets:

Communication: “Presented design concepts to stakeholders and incorporated feedback into final deliverables”

Collaboration: “Partnered with development team to ensure design feasibility and successful implementation”

Time Management: “Managed 5+ concurrent projects with competing deadlines, delivering all work on schedule”

Problem-Solving: “Redesigned user flow after identifying navigation issues through user testing, improving task completion by 40%”

Attention to Detail: “Maintained brand consistency across 50+ assets following comprehensive style guidelines”

These concrete examples prove you possess soft skills far more convincingly than simply claiming them.

Design Elements in Your Resume

Now comes the uniquely challenging aspect of designer resumes: the design itself must demonstrate your abilities while serving the primary function of communicating information clearly.

Typography Choices

Typography is the foundation of good resume design. Your font choices and how you use type create hierarchy, establish tone, and demonstrate your understanding of typography fundamentals.

Choose Professional Fonts: Avoid common system fonts like Arial or Times New Roman that signal default choices. Instead, select fonts that are professional but show intentionality:

Serif options: Garamond, Georgia, Crimson Text, Merriweather, Lora
Sans-serif options: Helvetica, Avenir, Proxima Nova, Montserrat, Inter, Work Sans

Use One or Two Fonts Maximum: Either use a single font family with multiple weights (light, regular, bold) for different elements, or pair a sans-serif for headings with a serif for body text (or vice versa). More than two fonts looks chaotic and amateur.

Create Clear Hierarchy: Use size, weight, and spacing to establish visual hierarchy:

• Your name: largest (18-24pt)
• Section headers: medium-large (12-14pt, bold or heavier weight)
• Job titles/company names: medium (10-12pt, bold)
• Body text: standard (10-11pt, regular weight)
• Dates/locations: small (9-10pt, lighter weight or color)

Ensure Readability: Body text should be at least 10pt, with adequate line spacing (120-140% of font size). Dense text with tight leading is hard to read and gets skipped.

Layout and White Space

White space isn’t wasted space—it’s essential for readability and visual balance.

Margins: Use adequate margins (0.5-0.75 inches minimum on all sides). Cramming more content by reducing margins makes your resume feel claustrophobic and hard to read.

Section Spacing: Clear space between sections helps reviewers navigate your resume quickly. Use 1.5-2x your normal line spacing between sections.

Alignment: Choose consistent alignment (usually left-aligned for body text) and stick with it. Mixed alignment looks messy unless you’re very intentional.

Column Structure: Some designers use two-column layouts with contact info and skills in a sidebar and main content in a larger column. This can be effective if executed well, but ensure it’s ATS-compatible (more on this below) and doesn’t sacrifice readability.

Balance: Visual weight should be distributed evenly across the page. Avoid heavy concentration in one area with emptiness elsewhere.

Color Usage

Strategic color can make your resume memorable without being overwhelming.

Use Color Sparingly: One accent color is usually sufficient—perhaps for section headers, your name, or subtle accents. Too much color becomes distracting and can look unprofessional.

Choose Appropriate Colors: Consider the company culture and industry when selecting colors. Creative agencies might appreciate bolder color choices; corporate internships call for more conservative palettes.

Ensure Contrast: If using color, ensure sufficient contrast with backgrounds for readability. Light gray text on white backgrounds is hard to read; dark text on light backgrounds is safest.

Consider Printing: Your resume may be printed in black and white. Ensure it remains readable without color. Test by printing or viewing in grayscale.

Brand Yourself Subtly: Your resume color could match your portfolio site for cohesive personal branding, but don’t force it if the color doesn’t work for resume contexts.

Visual Hierarchy

Every design decision should support clear information hierarchy:

Most Important Information Stands Out: Your name, contact info (especially portfolio URL), section headers, and job titles should be immediately visible.

Similar Elements Look Similar: All job titles should be formatted identically, all dates should look the same, all section headers should match. Consistency creates visual organization.

Guide the Eye Deliberately: Your resume’s design should naturally guide reviewers through your information in the order you intend—typically name/contact → summary → education → experience → skills.

Don’t Overdesign: Resist the urge to add unnecessary graphic elements, excessive lines, boxes, or decoration. Your resume isn’t a portfolio piece—it’s a professional document that happens to be well-designed.

Resume Templates and Examples

Let’s look at three different approaches to designer resumes, each appropriate for different contexts.

Template 1: Clean and Minimal

This approach uses excellent typography, clear hierarchy, and strategic white space without any graphic embellishments. It’s appropriate for corporate internships, conservative industries, or when you want your experience to speak for itself.

Characteristics:

• Single-column layout
• One font family with varied weights
• Black and white or single accent color
• Heavy use of white space
• Traditional structure (header, education, experience, skills)

When to use: Corporate internships, formal programs at large companies, conservative industries, or when ATS compatibility is critical.

Template 2: Creative and Bold

This approach shows more personality through color, layout innovation, or graphic elements while maintaining professionalism and readability.

Characteristics:

• Possibly two-column layout with sidebar
• Strategic use of color (2-3 colors maximum)
• Creative section headers or subtle graphic elements
• Thoughtful typography with personality
• Non-traditional but still professional structure

When to use: Creative agencies, startups, design studios, or companies with clearly creative cultures where standing out visually is advantageous.

Template 3: Traditional Professional

This approach prioritizes function and compatibility over design flourish—perfect for situations where you need maximum ATS compatibility or very conservative contexts.

Characteristics:

• Single-column, simple structure
• Standard fonts (Helvetica, Georgia)
• Minimal color (black and gray, perhaps one subtle accent)
• Traditional formatting easily parsed by ATS systems
• Clear, straightforward organization

When to use: Large corporations with automated screening, conservative industries, or when you’re uncertain about company culture and want to play it safe.

Writing Effective Content

Beyond design, your resume’s content must be compelling and strategic.

Action Verbs for Designers

Start bullet points with strong, specific verbs:

Design/Creation: Designed, Created, Developed, Produced, Conceptualized, Illustrated, Crafted, Composed

Collaboration: Collaborated, Partnered, Coordinated, Contributed, Worked with, Teamed with

Improvement: Redesigned, Improved, Enhanced, Optimized, Streamlined, Refined, Elevated

Leadership: Led, Managed, Directed, Oversaw, Coordinated, Spearheaded

Analysis: Analyzed, Researched, Evaluated, Assessed, Identified, Investigated

Vary your verbs—using “Designed” to start every bullet becomes repetitive.

Quantifying Achievements

Numbers make accomplishments tangible and impressive:

• “Increased social media engagement by 45%”
• “Designed 30+ marketing assets”
• “Managed brand identity for 5 concurrent clients”
• “Completed 50-page publication under 2-week deadline”
• “Reached audience of 10,000+ with campaign designs”

Even if you don’t have perfect metrics, approximate quantities communicate scale: “dozens of,” “hundreds of,” “multiple.”

Tailoring for Each Application

Customize your resume for different opportunities:

Emphasize Relevant Experience: If applying to a branding agency, ensure your brand identity work is prominent. For a digital design role, highlight web and app projects.

Adjust Skills Focus: Reorder your skills to list most relevant ones first for each position.

Modify Summary: If using a professional summary, tailor it to each internship’s focus.

Highlight Appropriate Projects: If including a projects section, select projects most relevant to each opportunity.

You don’t need completely different resumes for each application, but strategic emphasis on most relevant qualifications significantly improves your success rate.

For comprehensive guidance on the full application process, explore our resource on how to apply for graphic design internships.

Common Resume Mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls that hurt many otherwise strong resumes:

Over-Designing: Adding excessive graphic elements, elaborate layouts, or decorative features that sacrifice readability and professionalism.

Under-Designing: Plain text document that looks like you don’t understand design or can’t apply principles to functional documents.

Too Long: More than one page for internship positions. You don’t have enough experience to justify multiple pages—be more concise.

Generic Content: Bullet points that could apply to any designer or any job. Make everything specific to your actual experiences and accomplishments.

Typos and Errors: Spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or formatting inconsistencies are inexcusable for design positions. Proofread ruthlessly.

Missing Portfolio Link: Forgetting to include your portfolio URL or including a broken link. Test your link before submitting.

Irrelevant Information: Including every job you’ve ever had, even if unrelated to design. Focus on relevant experiences; omit the high school lifeguard job unless you have nothing else.

Weak Bullet Points: Vague responsibilities without accomplishments: “Responsible for creating graphics” says almost nothing meaningful.

Poor PDF Quality: Saving PDFs at wrong settings, resulting in huge file sizes or pixelated text. Use PDF/X or Press Quality settings for clean exports.

Inconsistent Formatting: Different formatting for similar elements, misaligned text, or varying styles that look sloppy and unprofessional.

ATS Optimization

Many large companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that scan resumes before humans see them. Making your resume ATS-compatible ensures it isn’t rejected by automated systems.

Keyword Integration

ATS systems scan for specific keywords matching job requirements. Include relevant keywords naturally throughout your resume:

• Software names mentioned in job postings (Adobe Illustrator, Figma, etc.)
• Design skills specified in requirements (typography, brand identity, UI/UX)
• Education credentials (BFA, Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design)
• Relevant techniques or methodologies (design thinking, user-centered design)

Don’t “keyword stuff” by listing everything randomly—integrate keywords organically into your descriptions of actual experience and qualifications.

File Format Considerations

Always submit as PDF unless the application specifically requests Word documents. PDFs preserve your formatting across different systems and devices.

Name your file professionally: “FirstName_LastName_Resume.pdf” rather than “resume_final_v3.pdf” or just “resume.pdf”

Avoid images of text: Don’t create your resume in Photoshop or Illustrator and export as an image. ATS systems can’t read text in images. Use actual text that can be selected and copied.

Scanner-Friendly Design

While ATS systems have improved, certain design choices remain problematic:

Safe design choices for ATS:

• Simple, single-column layouts (most compatible)
• Standard section headers (Education, Experience, Skills)
• Text-based content (not images or graphics)
• Standard fonts available on most systems
• Bullet points using standard characters

Risky design choices for ATS:

• Multi-column layouts (can scramble reading order)
• Text in headers/footers (often ignored by scanners)
• Tables or text boxes (may not be read correctly)
• Graphics or logos (can’t be parsed)
• Unusual section headers (might not be recognized)

For large corporate applications, err toward simpler, more traditional layouts even if less visually interesting. For small agencies or startups with human reviewers, more creative designs are safer.

Pairing with Other Application Materials

Your resume doesn’t exist in isolation—it works with your portfolio and cover letter to create a complete application package.

Resume + Portfolio

Your resume provides context for your portfolio. Include brief mentions of projects in your experience bullets, then link to your portfolio where reviewers can see the work: “Designed brand identity for sustainable fashion startup (featured in portfolio)”

Your portfolio URL should be prominently displayed on your resume—it’s one of the most important pieces of information. Make it visible and ensure the link works.

For detailed portfolio guidance, see our comprehensive resource on portfolio for graphic design internships.

Resume + Cover Letter

Your cover letter tells stories and provides personality; your resume lists facts and credentials. They should complement rather than duplicate each other.

In your cover letter, you might expand on a particular experience mentioned on your resume or explain the significance of something briefly listed. Don’t just repeat resume content in paragraph form—add context, emotion, and narrative.

For cover letter strategies, explore our guide on graphic design internship cover letter.

Consistency Across Materials

Your resume, portfolio, and cover letter should feel like they come from the same designer. Consider:

Visual Consistency: Similar typography, color palette, or design sensibility across materials creates cohesive personal branding.

Content Consistency: Information across documents should match—don’t list different job dates on your resume versus LinkedIn, or claim different software proficiencies in different places.

Professional Consistency: Tone, level of formality, and how you present yourself should be consistent. Don’t be casual in your portfolio and overly formal in your resume.

Resume Length and Format

The One-Page Rule

For internship positions, one page is almost always appropriate. You don’t have enough experience to justify more length, and conciseness demonstrates strong editing skills.

If you absolutely cannot fit everything on one page (rare for students), ask yourself:

• Am I including irrelevant experiences that could be cut?
• Are my bullet points too wordy?
• Am I using space inefficiently with excessive margins or spacing?
• Do I have redundant information that could be consolidated?

Usually, the answer is yes to at least one of these, and you can trim to one page. In the rare case where you genuinely have substantial relevant experience, a second page is acceptable—but ensure the first page is your strongest content since some reviewers may not flip to page two.

Digital vs Print Considerations

Your resume will likely be viewed primarily on screens, but it may also be printed. Ensure it works in both contexts:

For Screen Viewing:

• Colors should display properly on different monitors
• Text should remain readable at various zoom levels
• Links (like your portfolio URL) should be clickable if viewing digitally

For Printing:

• Colors should work in black and white (test by printing or viewing in grayscale)
• Layout should fit standard letter size (8.5″ × 11″) without cutting off
• Important information shouldn’t rely solely on color (use weight, size, or other indicators too)

Industry-Specific Considerations

While core resume principles remain consistent, slight adjustments help for different types of internships.

Agency Internships

Creative agencies appreciate more personality and design in resumes. You can take slightly more risks with layout, color, or creative touches—as long as professionalism and readability are maintained.

Emphasize client diversity, fast project turnaround, and collaboration skills. Agencies value designers who can handle multiple clients and adapt to different brand voices.

Corporate Internships

Large corporations often use ATS systems and prefer more traditional resume formats. Stick with conservative designs, clear structure, and extensive keyword integration matching job postings.

Emphasize reliability, following processes, working within established brand guidelines, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Startup Internships

Startups value versatility and initiative. Emphasize range of skills, self-directed projects, willingness to wear multiple hats, and entrepreneurial thinking.

Slightly more personality in resume design is fine for startups, though always maintain professionalism.

Tech Company Internships

Tech companies appreciate clean, functional design with emphasis on digital and UX skills. If you have basic coding knowledge (HTML/CSS), highlight it. Emphasize user-centered thinking and systematic design approaches.

Review and Proofreading

Before submitting your resume anywhere, rigorously review it.

Self-Review Checklist

Content:

• ☐ All dates, companies, and titles are accurate
• ☐ No typos or grammatical errors anywhere
• ☐ Action verbs start each bullet point
• ☐ Bullet points are specific and achievement-focused
• ☐ Quantifiable metrics included where possible
• ☐ Relevant keywords from job posting integrated naturally
• ☐ Most relevant experience is emphasized
• ☐ Nothing irrelevant or outdated included

Design:

• ☐ Typography is intentional and professional
• ☐ Visual hierarchy is clear and effective
• ☐ White space is used strategically
• ☐ Alignment is consistent throughout
• ☐ Color (if used) is strategic and professional
• ☐ Layout is clean and organized
• ☐ Design demonstrates ability without overwhelming content

Technical:

• ☐ Portfolio URL is prominently displayed and works
• ☐ Contact information is accurate and professional
• ☐ File is saved as PDF with professional name
• ☐ Prints correctly on standard paper
• ☐ Displays properly on different devices
• ☐ Text is selectable (not an image)

Getting External Feedback

After self-review, get multiple people to review your resume:

Professors or Mentors: Can assess whether your experience is presented effectively and design choices are appropriate.

Career Services: Professional resume reviewers can spot issues you’ve overlooked and ensure you’re following best practices.

Design Peers: Fellow students notice design inconsistencies or errors you’ve become blind to.

Non-Designers: If your parents or friends without design backgrounds can’t quickly understand your resume, it’s not clear enough.

Ask specific questions to get useful feedback: “Is it immediately clear what my strongest qualifications are?” “Does the design help or hurt readability?” “Are there any typos or errors?”

Conclusion

Your graphic design internship resume serves two critical functions: communicating your qualifications clearly and demonstrating your design abilities through its execution. The best designer resumes achieve both—presenting information in organized, scannable formats while showcasing typography skills, understanding of hierarchy, strategic use of white space, and thoughtful design choices that enhance rather than compete with content.

Start with solid structure: contact information with prominent portfolio URL, education with relevant coursework and achievements, experience section with specific, quantifiable accomplishments, and skills section listing concrete technical abilities. Use professional typography with clear hierarchy, adequate white space for readability, and strategic color (if any) that enhances without overwhelming. Write compelling bullet points starting with action verbs and focusing on specific achievements rather than generic responsibilities.

Your resume must be one page for internship positions, formatted as a professionally named PDF, and thoroughly proofread for any errors. It should complement your portfolio and cover letter, creating a cohesive application package that presents you as a polished, capable candidate ready for professional design work.

Remember that for many design internships, your resume gets reviewed before your portfolio. If it doesn’t pass this initial screen, your excellent portfolio never gets seen. Treat your resume as seriously as you treat your best design projects—because in many ways, it is one of your most important design projects. It needs to work hard on your behalf, communicating your value quickly and effectively while proving you understand design principles and can apply them to real communication challenges.

Invest the time to build an exceptional resume. Customize it for each application by emphasizing most relevant experience and integrating keywords from job postings. Get multiple people to review it before submitting anywhere. And update it regularly as you gain new experience and skills.

For comprehensive guidance on every aspect of the internship process, from finding opportunities to succeeding once hired, explore our complete guide to graphic design internships. Your resume is your professional calling card—make sure it’s doing its job.