Fantastic game design CV examples for this year

A game designer needs to be creative yet technical, taking care of all aspects of game development, including story, character, level design, settings and the rules of gameplay. Therefore, game designer skills include programming, graphic design, scripting, game mechanics and much more. The best CV for a game designer job will reflect this broad range of abilities and show that you have the relevant skills to perform the role’s duties.

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Any recruiter for the gaming industry wants to see evidence of technical expertise shown through either your previous work experiences or the skills you possess. You must establish your credibility to show the hiring manager that you can perform the duties outlined in the job description.

However, it’s also essential to highlight your interpersonal skills. Teamwork is critical in game design, so you need to show you can collaborate with team members effectively.

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Your CV comprises different sections, including the header, the professional summary or career objective, and sections outlining your skills, work experience and education. You can arrange your CV according to one of three different CV formats: the chronological format, which highlights work history, the functional format, which emphasises skills, and the combination format, which stresses both. Choose a format that puts your strengths first, whether it’s skills or extensive work experience..

Header

You must make it easy for the hiring manager to contact you. You do this by putting your full name and contact information at the top of the page in your header. For a game designer CV, you should put any portfolio links and your LinkedIn profile into the header too. This allows the recruiter to check out your work if they wish.

Professional  summary or career objective

The professional summary or career objective lays out how your relevant experience impacts what you can do for the company. It’s a two to three-sentence paragraph that introduces your career background and lists some of your specialties. Check out the links above to explore the differences between them.

Skills

You’ll need to reference both soft and hard skills to land your dream job in game design. Check the job posting for clues as to what the hiring manager is looking for, and use this to frame the skills you advertise in your skills section. Employers are looking for the following skills:

• Communication skills
• Creativity 
• Knowledge of specific programmes like Unreal Engine, Maya and Unity
• Specialist knowledge in programming languages for scripting, like Lua and Python
• Project management skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Other specialist programme knowledge, like Adobe Photoshop

Work history

In reverse chronological order (most recent job first), list your previous relevant professional experiences in this section. Experience may be challenging to evaluate. Many game designers spent years as a programmer or in quality assurance testing before entering game design. Some may have worked on mobile games or may have contributed in some way to AAA games. Others may be entry-level. Depending on where you are with your journey in game design, you need to choose roles that are relevant to the job you are applying for. There can be various job titles within game design that incorporate different duties, so be sure to check the job description fully.

A professional CV helps draw the line between your previous roles and the job advertised. Make sure to outline duties and responsibilities with action words (e.g., “Managed,” “Oversaw”) to give agency to your achievements.

Education

Your education section should highlight any certifications you have that show your expertise in game design. Many candidates now enter the field with a bachelor’s degree in game design, computer science, or a related degree. While not always a necessary qualification, you should include it in your CV if you have it. Technical certificates in specific programming languages or software applications should also be featured here as evidence of your skills.

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Here are a few bullet points outlining some basic rules for your professional CV:

Do:  

• Take time to edit your CV, checking for errors in spelling and punctuation. A job application should be mistake-free.
• Use correct terminology and industry jargon to show your expertise. Using the right terms when outlining previous experience indicates that you are up to date in industry standards.
• Customise your CV for the job description. Game design roles can vary, so check the job duties and make sure you address them in your CV.

Don’t:

• Write your CV without any help. Instead, use the CVHelp CV Builder and its job-specific suggestions.
• Stretch the truth about your skills and  experience. For example, don’t claim knowledge of Unreal Engine if you haven’t worked with it. This is disingenuous, and the consequences can be greater than simply losing the job opportunity.

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