This week, our lecture was a little shorter but focused on reviewing our current CVs and preparing them for professional feedback. We had the opportunity to have our CVs looked at by hiring experts during class time, which was a valuable chance to gain insight from an employer’s perspective. As a group, we went over the correct formatting and structure of a CV. We discussed its purpose in helping employers quickly understand our skills, experience, and suitability for a role. Daniel also spent time offering individual feedback, which I found really helpful, helping us refine our work and prepare for the next stage: planning our portfolio design and, in preparation for future placements.
A CV is a key document within the hiring process, used to present an individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications to potential employers. Its main purpose is to provide a clear and concise overview of who you are as a professional, enabling employers to assess whether you meet the requirements of a role quickly. The thought and design process behind a CV also plays an important part - layout, structure, and visual clarity can greatly influence how effectively your information is communicated. For me, this highlights the importance of ensuring that my CV includes the most relevant and accurate details about my background, skills, and career objectives. Doing so not only makes it easier for employers to read and understand my profile but also positions me as a strong and suitable candidate for the role I’m applying for.
After reviewing CVs in class, I then had the opportunity to take part in a one-to-one session with a member of the university’s employability scheme. I was matched with Brian Bryers, who, from the start, was very supportive and approachable. This made it much easier for me to openly discuss my CV, including what it currently contains, how it reflects me as a designer, and how it connects to both my studies and the type of roles I aim to apply for in the future. During our session, Brian offered really helpful feedback on areas such as structure, layout, and how to better communicate my skills and experience. He also encouraged me to tailor my CV more closely to design-related positions by emphasising projects and experiences that show my creative process and problem-solving abilities.
During my feedback session with Bryan, I received some really positive and constructive advice on my CV. Overall, the session was quick but very supportive. From the beginning, Bryan praised how my CV was presented and the tone I used when writing about myself, which was great to hear and gave me a confidence boost. He also pointed out a few minor areas for improvement. For example, in some sections of my work experience, I hadn’t specified how long I worked in certain roles, which is an important detail for employers to see. Additionally, he suggested that I include my current average performance grade under my education section, explaining that while my CV already felt strong, clear, and engaging, adding academic performance would help further demonstrate my commitment and capability.
All in all, it was a really valuable and encouraging session, and I took a lot from it. Bryan also shared some opportunities and advice related to placements, which I found especially exciting as I’ve just started exploring potential roles. His feedback has given me a clearer sense of direction and has opened new doors for how I can continue to refine my CV and prepare for future opportunities.
After my CV review, I had the chance to catch up with Daniel, who agreed with the feedback Bryan had given me, which was great to hear and reassuring that I was on the right track. During our discussion, Daniel suggested that I start planning how I’d like to design and present ****my portfolio website, which will act as the next step in developing my professional identity. As I haven’t created a portfolio before, it was really helpful to get an early insight into what this stage of the process will involve. One piece of advice that really stood out was Daniel’s suggestion to maintain ****the same design aesthetic I used for my CV when creating my portfolio. He explained that this would help ensure consistency across my professional materials, giving them a cohesive and recognisable style. I completely agreed with this approach, as it will allow my portfolio and CV to feel visually connected and reflective of my design identity.
After my discussion with Daniel, I decided to put together some early**,** quick ****sketches in response to his suggestions for my portfolio design. These initial sketches allowed me to visualise how my portfolio could look and how I might carry over the same design aesthetic from my CV. As they are only early concepts, I haven’t focused too much on the finer details just yet; instead, they serve as a helpful starting point for when we begin the process of building our portfolios. Having these sketches prepared will make it easier later on to organise and present my completed work, projects, and blog posts within a cohesive and well-structured website.
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This week’s class was quick but intuitive and memorable. I took away a lot of important insights, particularly around how my CV should be presented and how to adapt it depending on the type of role or company I’m applying to. I received really positive and supportive feedback from both Daniel and Bryan, which has helped me understand how to refine my CV and strengthen my overall design thinking moving forward. I now feel ready to progress to the next stage, creating my portfolio website. I’m genuinely excited about this step, as it’s something I haven’t done before, and I’m looking forward to designing a site that truly represents who I am as a designer and professionally showcases my work.
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