Top Apparel Designer sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers & results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Writing a strong Apparel Designer experience section
Apparel Designer Resume Experience Section: Dos and Don'ts
- List 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Include only relevant job experience;
- Make sure to highlight your strongest skills by focusing on the challenges you’ve faced and the results you’ve achieved;
- Don’t use buzzwords that carry no meaning;
- Don’t share confidential information about your previous employers.
We’ve selected some of the top Apparel Designer resumes made using the Enhancv platform to illustrate what a great experience section looks like. Use them as inspiration when building your own resume:
- Created and implemented fit and construction standards resulting in a 20% reduction in garment returns and a 15% increase in customer satisfaction
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams including Technical Design, Product Design, and Product Management to deliver consistent fit blocks
- Managed and met calendar target dates resulting in 100% on-time delivery for all product lines
- Utilized Adobe Illustrator and CAD Pattern Design software to create and update tech packs for production partners
- Trained and mentored junior designers and interns to ensure consistency in design and fit across all product lines
- Led fit consistency discussions resulting in a 30% reduction in fit-related complaints from athletes and consumers
- Partnered with material and trim partners to tailor products to specific athlete and consumer needs
- Managed and requested prototypes for blocks resulting in a 50% reduction in sample costs
- Utilized Optitex/Browzwear to create and modify block patterns for production
- Developed training materials and conducted fit training for production partners
- Designed over 200 graphic tees and accessories, resulting in a 30% increase in sales for clients
- Managed 15+ projects at any given time and consistently met project deadlines
- Developed 20+ technical sheets and film separations to guide production team in creating final products
- Trained and mentored 3 junior designers on design software and best practices
- Designed 100+ graphic tees for independent and small businesses, resulting in a 25% increase in sales
- Produced high-quality, scalable designs and consistently met project deadlines
- Collaborated with clients and account managers to translate business requirements into effective design concepts
- Developed 10+ product catalogs and sales decks for clients
- Designed and produced 50+ graphic tees and accessories for small businesses and non-profit organizations
- Developed technical sheets and production files to guide printing and manufacturing process
- Collaborated with clients to understand their design needs and provided recommendations to improve their products
- Managed design projects from conception to delivery
PRO TIP
Make sure to relate your experience to your job description, but never lie. That’s not tolerated and will show up in the face-to-face interview later on.
Action Verbs for your Apparel Designer Resume
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Apparel Designer Resume: Crafting a Strong Skills Section
Apparel Designer Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Match your hard skills to the job description;
- Add keywords to pass applicant tracking systems;
- Don’t list soft skills such as ’teamwork’ – rather, mention how they’ve helped you gain success in some other sections of your Apparel Designer resume;
- List only skills you actually have, keep lying out of the picture.
Top skills for your apparel designer resume
Pattern making
Sewing and tailoring
Garment construction
Fabric selection
Technical drawing
Computer-aided design (CAD)
Draping
Textile knowledge
Color theory
Product development
Attention to detail
Creativity
Time management
Collaboration
Communication
Critical thinking
Adaptability
Problem solving
Innovative thinking
Project management
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
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Apparel Designer resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Mastering the summary section: Checklist
- Mention the total years of experience you have in the field;
- Focus on 2 to 3 of your top achievements;
- Highlight the things that make you the best fit for the position;
- Go for short, easy-to-read sentences to keep the recruiter’s attention.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary section should act as a professional taster. Use it wisely. Effectively convey your professional profile and let the hiring manager know that if they hire you, they won’t be disappointed. Make sure to include keywords from the job description too! Elaborate on your abilities further in your experience section. Again, cater to the job description.
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Apparel Designer Resume: How to Choose the Right Format
The content of your resume is necessary for showcasing your expertise, skills, and education. Great formatting, on the other hand, is essential for highlighting your attention to detail, creativity, and ability to stand out.
There are three basic resume formats to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
Which one of these you choose depends on a couple of things, but most importantly: the industry and your level of experience.
The reverse-chronological resume format, for example, is great if you’re a Apparel Designer with many years of experience and no career gaps. It doesn’t really matter if your company of choice is a multinational corporation or an early-stage startup – this resume format is considered to be a safe bet.
If you’re someone with little or no experience, however, we advise you to go for a functional skills-based resume format. It focuses on skills, competencies, and education, rather than experience. This makes it great for entry-level applicants, career changers, and graduate students.
And if you’re tired of traditional formats and want to go over the top when it comes to your application, the combination or hybrid resume format is here to help. Here, you can focus on both your experience and your skills, there’s even space for you to highlight your most spectacular personality traits. If you want to give a modern feel to your Apparel Designer resume, this resume format is just what you need. Add a ‘my life philosophy’ section for additional bonus points!
Here are some additional tips on perfecting your resume layout and style:
- Go for a traditional resume font sized 12p;
- Use standard 1-inch resume margins for increased readability;
- Make sure your resume fits on a one-page template. In case you’ve got 10 years of experience or more, your resume’s length can reach two pages;
- Avoid unwanted editing and plagiarism – save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiters.
Want to take it a step further? Learn how to make your resume stand out without relying too much on creativity.
