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With years of experience in the design industry, I’ve seen many resumes, joined hiring discussions, and worked with talented teams. One key lesson? A resume isn’t just about listing skills — it’s also about knowing what to leave out.

A clear and well-structured resume can open doors, while unnecessary details can hold you back. Whether you’re an experienced designer or just starting, avoiding common mistakes will help you create a strong resume in 2025. Let’s go through the key things to remove to keep your application professional, polished, and effective.

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1. Overly Creative or Unclear Job Titles

While creativity is a big part of design, job titles should be easy to understand. Avoid titles like “Pixel Wizard” or “Design Ninja.” Instead, use standard terms like “UI Designer” or “Product Designer” so recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS) can recognize your role instantly.

Pro Tip: If you want to highlight a specialty, try a structured title like “UX Designer | SaaS & FinTech Specialist.”

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2. Team Projects Without Your Specific Role

Teamwork is important, but listing projects without explaining your role doesn’t help. Instead of saying, “Worked on the redesign of X app,” clarify your contribution, such as, “Designed the UI for an app with 500,000+ daily users.”

Pro Tip: You can also add percentages to show your role, like “My Role: 40% — UI/UX strategy and wireframing.”

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3. Technical Skills Without Context

Listing software or skills alone isn’t enough. Employers want to see how you apply them in real projects.

Pro Tip: Instead of “Skilled in Figma,” write, “Created Figma prototypes that improved user feedback cycles by 20%.”

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4. Old or Unnecessary Education Details

If you have more than five years of experience, recruiters focus more on your work than your college courses.

Pro Tip: Instead of listing old education details highlight recent certifications, like “2024 Interaction Design Certification — Nielsen Norman Group.”

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5. Overly Complex Resume Designs

Your resume should look good, but too many visuals or fancy layouts can make it hard to read and process with ATS software.

Pro Tip: Use simple fonts, clear headings, and enough white space. Save the creative visuals for your portfolio.

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6. Unrelated Work Experience

Adding jobs that don’t connect to design can make your resume less effective. Only include roles that highlight relevant skills.

Pro Tip: If a past job helped develop useful skills (like leadership or project management), describe it in a way that relates to design.

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7. The Phrase “References Available Upon Request”

This phrase is outdated and unnecessary. Employers know they can ask for references if needed.

Pro Tip: Instead of using this space for references, add an achievement, like, “Designed a feature that increased user engagement by 30%.”

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8. Personal Photos

Photos on resumes can introduce bias and may not work well with ATS systems.

Pro Tip: Keep your LinkedIn profile updated and include the link in your resume’s contact section instead.

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9. Every Project You’ve Ever Worked On

A resume with too many projects can be overwhelming. Focus on a few key projects that best demonstrate your skills.

Pro Tip: Use your online portfolio to display more of your work and include a link to it in your resume.

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Final Thoughts

Creating a great designer resume in 2025 is about clarity, relevance, and impact. A simple, well-organized resume makes a strong impression. Keep it focused on what truly matters and let your best work stand out. Your resume is just one part of your career story — your portfolio and experience will do the rest!

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Aram Andreasyan
Industry Leader, Design Expert

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