ATS Keywords & CV Guide for Graphic Designer

Graphic designers create visual concepts for digital and print media. They design logos, marketing materials, social media graphics, and brand identities. When you apply for Graphic Designer roles, applicant tracking systems scan your CV for the skills, tools, and responsibility phrasing below. Use them in context within your experience bullets, not just in a skills list.

Top skills recruiters scan for

These are the skills that appear most frequently in Graphic Designer job descriptions. The importance score reflects how heavily each skill is weighted in the occupation's O*NET profile. Include the top 5 in your CV where you can prove them with real outcomes.

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

Tools & software to name explicitly

Recruiters and ATS systems search for specific tool names. List the ones you have real experience with in your skills section, and prove them in your bullets. Tools marked as hot are currently in high demand in job postings.

• Adobe Illustrator
• Adobe Photoshop
• FigmaHot
• Adobe InDesign
• Canva
• ProcreateHot
• After EffectsHot
• BlenderHot
• Midjourney / AI toolsHot
• WebflowHot

Responsibility phrasing for your bullets

These are the core tasks a Graphic Designer is expected to perform. Use them as starting points for your CV bullets, but rewrite each one with your specific outcomes, scope, and context. Do not copy them verbatim.

• Create visual concepts for marketing campaigns, social media, and print
• Design brand identities including logos, color palettes, and typography
• Produce digital and print assets that meet brand guidelines
• Collaborate with marketing and product teams on visual direction
• Iterate on designs based on feedback from stakeholders
• Prepare files for production (print specs, web optimization)
• Maintain brand consistency across all visual touchpoints
• Create presentation decks and visual assets for sales and events

Other titles this role is posted under

Job postings for this role may use any of these titles. Search for all of them to find more relevant opportunities, and use the matching title in your CV's professional summary when applying.

• Visual Designer
• Brand Designer
• Digital Designer
• Creative Designer
• Marketing Designer
• Production Designer
• Multimedia Designer

Related roles

Explore ATS keywords for other roles in the Design family:

• UX Designer

Includes information from O*NET 29.x by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license.