User Experience (UX) Designer Resume Sample for 2023

You're a UX designer who turns digital chaos into harmonious interfaces, but is your resume as smooth as your designs? It's time to create a UX designer resume that's as intuitive and engaging as your best projects

Capture the hiring managers' attention and keep them hooked until they hit "contact."

Read on and you’ll see a professional UX designer resume example you can edit and make your own. You’ll also learn a simple formula for writing a resume for UX design jobs that will land you 10x more interviews than any other resume you’ve written before.

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UX Designer Resume Sample to Get You Inspired (Text Version)

Now for the job-winning UX resume formula.

Think of this as defining your information architecture. That is, creating a structure for your product. 

A good structure for a product allows users to understand where they are and where to find the info they want next.

This is also an excellent description of what a good resume looks like. Let’s wireframe it.

Here’s how to format a UX resume template:

• Layout: choose reverse-chronological format, it’s the most user-friendly.
• Headings: bold your section titles so recruiters can locate info fast.
• Fonts: use clear and readable resume fonts.
• Font size: 11–12pt for the body text and 2–4pts bigger for headings.
• Margins: use a 1” border on all sides for your UX design resume.
• Line spacing: always choose 1.15 or single line spacing.
• Layout: good use of white space is essential in UX design, use plenty in your resume too and double space between sections.
• File format: keep your design intact, for resume format PDF is best, unless the job ad specifically says otherwise.

Now, here’s an outline of the sections your resume should include, from top to bottom:

1. Header: include your resume contact information.
2. Resume profile: a short paragraph explaining how you’re the perfect fit for the UX design job.
3. Work experience: a timeline of your previous jobs with duties and achievements.
4. Education: a description of your academic attainments.
5. Skills: a brief list of abilities targeted to the job.
6. Extra sections: to add value, including awards, languages, certification, hobbies, etc.

Learn more about resume formatting: Professional Resume Format—Complete Guide

Guess what, though. We’re not starting from the top. It makes more sense to start with the easiest section, your work history.

Then you can go back to your profile with a ready written list of achievements and experience to use. Time to get writing.

According to the BLS you’re working in a field that’ll expand by 20,000 jobs in the next decade. 

The crowd you’ve got to stand out from is getting bigger by the day. 

But a well-written work experience section creates a persona and writes a scenario that’ll meet all of the recruiter’s user requirements.

This is the best way to craft a UX design resume job history:

• Use chronological resume format, opening with your most recent job and working back.
• Include the job title, company name and location, and the dates of employment for each.
• Use 4–6 bullet points that combine your responsibilities with quantifiable achievements and skills. It’s not just what you do but how well you do it.
• Do your product research. Create a targeted resume that’s tailored to the specific job description.
• To give your description of your UX prowess more impact, use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula.
• Make each bullet point pop by starting it with an action word.
• If you're writing a resume with no experience, highlight substitutes: freelance work, internships, projects, relevant coursework.

Let’s put that into practice.

Here are two UX resume work experience section samples.

UX Designer Resume Examples (Experienced)

The first example could get you hired on the spot. The second, no numbered resume achievements, no skills, no chance. But—

It’s from the same candidate. Following the right formula makes a world of difference.

The next example is for an entry-level UX design resume. 

UX Designer Resume Examples (Entry-Level)

Again, same candidate. But the first example combines tasks with achievements, skills, and actions that add business value. 

It’s that careful combination that makes it shine.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, our free resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Find out even more about describing work experience on your resume: How to Add Work Experience in a Resume to Get Hired Fast

3

Enter Your Education (It’s Not as Simple as You Think)

A UX designer is focused on the entire process of creating a product including facets of usability, function, branding, and design. Your UX resume has to show a blend of technical knowledge, coding and a deep understanding of the interaction between person and product.

With a job this complex a good education is a must. But you have to know how to include it right.

If you’ve got plenty of experience just list your degree like this.

UX Designer Resume Education Sample (Experienced)

But—

Less experience requires more detail, like this. Add some coursework that’s relevant to the job. 

UX Designer Resume Education Sample (Entry-Level)

If you’re an entry-level UX designer then feel free to put your education section above your work experience section.

Right now, this section will be more persuasive than your work experience so it makes sense to put it first.

Pro Tip: To stay at the top of your game as a UX designer you need to take part in ongoing professional development. So don’t forget to include your continuing education in your resume to really help this section shine.

Wondering about including your GPA? Check out our guide: Should I Put My GPA on My Resume—Expert Tips

UX designer responsibilities vary widely from company to company and even from project to project. That means you need a list of skills as long as your arm.

But—

A resume should only be one or two pages. 

So how to decide what skills to include on your UX resume?

Here’s how to do it:

• Read the UX designer job ad and pick out the resume keywords identifying the skills the employer is looking for.
• Then think in terms of an information architecture again. Draw up a full hierarchy of all of your skills, referring back to your work experience and education sections for inspiration.
• From this master list, identify which UX design skills match up with the requirements in the job description.
• Then in your UX resume skills section, include a list of 5–10 of the most relevant skills. 
• For maximum impact include both hard skills and soft skills along with technical skills.

Now some typical UX skills for inspiration.

UX Resume Soft Skills

• Creative thinking
• Decision-making
• Communication skills
• Time management
• Conceptual skills
• Problem solving skills
• Organizational skills
• Active listening skills
• Interpesonal skills
• People skills
• Leadership skills
• Teamwork skills

UX Resume Hard Skills

• Data analysis
• Graphic design
• Computer skills
• Web design
• Writing skills
• Project management skills: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, Lean.

UX Resume Technical Skills

• Graphical suites: Fireworks, InDesign, Photoshop. Keynote, Powerpoint.
• Product testing: gathering and analyzing user feedback, conducting in-person user tests, implementing iterative improvements.

Now let’s see how this would actually look in a UX designer resume.

UX Designer Skills Resume Example (Experienced)

UX Designer Skills Resume Example (Entry Level) 

But don’t stop there. Be sure to incorporate your skills into your work experience section and your resume profile. That provides solid evidence of your expertise.

Don't forget to mention projects and freelance work as well!

For even more skills-based inspiration see our guide: Best Skills to Put on a Resume [99+ Examples]

If there’s a simple tweak that’ll improve function and usability you’ll be sure to include it right?

For your UX resume that simple tweak is adding extra sections.

They’re an easy win that can help transform a mere wireframe into a fully-fledged final product.

Here are some ideas.

UX Designer Resume Samples—Extra Sections

Certifications and Licenses

Industry-specific training adds an extra sharp edge to your resume. Here’s some of the most prestigious UX design certifications.

• UX Master Certification from Nielsen Norman Group
• Interaction Design Foundation UX design courses
• Human Factors International CUA and CXA

Volunteer Work on Your Resume

A great choice for entry-level UX designers. 82% of recruiters say they’d be more likely to choose a candidate if they have volunteering experience.

Language Skills

Another powerful addition to your UX design resume. 9 out of 10 employers in the US say they’re reliant on employees with foreign language skills.

Conferences

UX design is a rapidly evolving field of expertise. Show that you’re keeping up to speed with the latest developments by listing industry conferences you attend and contribute to.

Publications on Your Resume

Have you contributed to UX design resources or published research? There’s no better way to show off your expertise and passion than including publications in your UX resume.

Now for some examples of extra sections in a resume.

UX Design Resume Extra Sections Example (Experienced)

UX Designer Extra Sections Resume Example (Entry-level)

Check this guide to see what other additional sections you can put in your resume: What to Include on a Resume: 20+ Top Examples

As promised we’re pressing rewind and going back to your resume profile.

In UX design your first impression of a product instantly sets the tone for the user experience. The Braun ET66 calculator for example. It just looks good.

In your resume that first impression is set by your profile.

It comes in two product variants. The resume summary and resume objective.

Both are written in the same way.

• Go back over your experience, education, and skills looking for standout achievements that are relevant to the job description. Choose the best 2–3 of these.
• Use them to construct a 3–4 sentence introductory paragraph.
• Keep it targeted by name-checking the company and job title.

If you’re a seasoned pro then opt for a UX designer resume professional summary. As the name suggests it summarizes your experience and skills with a quantifiable achievement as proof.

See these professional summary examples to see how it’s done.

Sample UX Designer Resume Summary Statements

The first example has numbered achievements and skills peppered throughout. It also signs off by directly targeting the job. 

But the second is just lazy. Nothing to quantify, and it looks like it could be used for any old UX designer job application.

If you’re an entry-level UX designer use a resume career objective. Instead of wowing with your experience you impress with your career goals, not forgetting to include an achievement here too.

Here’s two UX designer resume objective examples.

Sample UX Designer Resume Objective Statements

Just as with the summary example, the right way to do it is to target your objective to the job and add a numbered win to keep them reading.

For the full guide on starting a resume, take a look at: How to Start a Resume: Tips & Examples

Just how important is a cover letter these days anyway? In short, don’t believe the hype about cover letters being obsolete.

Leaving it out is as bad as not usability testing your iterations. Almost half of recruiters say not including a cover letter is a deal-breaker.

But writing a UX designer cover letter is easy when you know how.

• Set your cover letter format before you start writing.
• Mention the hiring manager by name when addressing your cover letter.
• Capture user attention with an enticing cover letter introduction.
• Showcase your most impressive UX design skills and experience.
• End your cover letter like a boss with a closing statement that includes a call to action.

Simple, right?

But don’t stop there. We really spill the beans in our guides on how to write a cover letter and what should a cover letter say.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Recap—UX Designer Resume in a Stylishly Minimalist Nutshell

Here’s the full information architecture for writing a UX resume:

• Choose the right structure: Use format, font, line spacing, margins and white space to maximize readability.
• Save the beginning for the end: Write your UX design resume objective or summary last.
• Make your work experience stand out: Use action words, bullet points and target them to the job.
• Don’t just list your skills: Make them targeted and put them in your UX resume profile and work experience to prove you have them.
• Get your education right: Include more detail if you’ve got less experience.
• Don’t forget extra sections: They’ll make you stand out like a bright red button.
• Attach a cover letter: They’re the final design element you need for a job-winning UX.

Thanks for reading my guide. Now I’d love your input: 

• What are the biggest challenges of writing a UX design resume? 
• Which section do you struggle with the most? 
• Tell me in the comments section. Let the discussion commence!

Looking for a different guide? Take a look at these:

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• Graphic Designer Resume
• QA Tester Resume
• Manual Tester Resume
• Senior Software Engineer Resume

About Zety’s Editorial Process

This article has been reviewed by our editorial team to make sure it follows Zety's editorial guidelines. We’re committed to sharing our expertise and giving you trustworthy career advice tailored to your needs. High-quality content is what brings over 40 million readers to our site every year. But we don't stop there. Our team conducts original research to understand the job market better, and we pride ourselves on being quoted by top universities and prime media outlets from around the world.

Sources

• https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/web-developers.htm
• https://www.pcc.edu/staff/tmaldona/wp-content/uploads/sites/114/2018/08/Samples-of-a-PAR-formula-statements.pdf
• https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/us-deloitte-impact-survey.pdf
• https://www.leadwithlanguages.org/wp-content/uploads/MakingLanguagesOurBusiness_ExecSummary.pdf