Choose a clean, professional template that puts your creative work front and center. Use a reverse-chronological layout if you have steady design experience, or a hybrid layout if you need to highlight specific collections or technical skills.
Keep length tight. One page usually fits entry or mid-level clothes designer roles. Use two pages only if you have many collections, patents, or leadership roles that matter.
Pick readable, ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. Use 10-12pt for body text and 14-16pt for section headers. Keep line spacing at 1.0–1.15 and margins at least 0.5 inches for good white space.
Structure your file with clear headings: Header, Summary, Experience, Collections/Projects, Skills, Education, Awards. Use short bullets for impact. Start bullets with strong verbs and add numbers when you can.
Avoid complex multi-column layouts, heavy graphics, or embedded images for text content. These elements often confuse applicant tracking systems and can hide your key details.
Watch common mistakes. Don’t use nonstandard fonts or bright full-page backgrounds. Don’t cram too much text into small fonts. Keep section spacing consistent and use a simple color accent for headings only.
Export to PDF after checking ATS parsing if possible. Save a plain Word file for some online forms that request DOCX uploads.