How to Write a Product Designer CV: with Examples, Templates and Tips
With companies increasingly focused on user experience (UX) and innovation, the demand for product designers has never been higher. In this context, a modern CV for a product designer role is more than a summary of your career. It’s your chance to showcase creativity, technical skills, and your ability to improve user experience. Whether you’re applying for a graduate product design role or aiming for the head of product design, your document should reflect both professionalism and creativity.
In this article, we’ll guide you through:
The best product designer CV format
Top skills for your product designer CV
Examples of good and bad practices
How to write a product designer CV with little to no experience.
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Product designer CV example
Download this free product designer CV sample in PDF.
This product designer CV example demonstrates how to present a clear, professional, and creative application. Using a modern CV template, the document balances essential technical skills with strong soft skills. Ideal for apprentices, graduates, and experienced professionals, it’s ATS-friendly and fully customisable for different job titles.
What to include in a product designer CV?
To stand out in the design job market and land an interview, we recommend including the following CV sections:
Contact details: Include your full name, phone number, email address, portfolio website, and LinkedIn profile at the top of your CV.
Personal profile: Write a concise summary that highlights your experience in product design, your design philosophy, and your career goals. Tailor this section to the job description.
Education: List your degree or relevant qualifications in design-related fields such as Product Design, UX, or Human-Computer Interaction.
Work experience: Present your relevant roles in reverse chronological order, focusing on achievements in user experience, design systems, accessibility, or innovation.
Skills: Highlight your technical and hard skills to showcase your expertise. Soft skills, on the other hand, should be woven throughout your CV with examples and context, especially in your personal profile and work experience section.
Courses and certificates: Include any additional training in UX, design systems, accessibility, or software mastery. This shows commitment to continuous learning and strengthens your credibility.
Must-have CV sections
Personal profile
Skills section
Work experience
Education
Learn more about how to write a good CV.
How to list product designer skills in a CV?
Your skills section should show potential employers you can design, prototype, and collaborate effectively. Use bullet points or an easy-to-follow layout and tailor your skills to the specific job description.
Essential product designer skills:
UX design: Expertise in improving user experience and usability through research and testing.
Prototyping & wireframing: Creating functional models and design concepts.
Collaboration with cross-functional teams: Working with engineers, marketers, and stakeholders throughout the design cycle.
Technical skills: Proficiency in CAD, Adobe Creative Suite, or design systems.
Design process knowledge: Applying structured methods from ideation to delivery.
Use your personal profile to showcase soft skills in action
"Creative and detail-orientated product designer with over 4 years of experience. Skilled in UX research, prototyping, and cross-functional collaboration. Adept at delivering user-centred products that improve usability and enhance customer satisfaction."
| Hard skills | Soft skills |
|---|---|
| CAD software | Problem-solving |
| Wireframing | Communication |
| UX research | Collaboration |
| Prototyping | Adaptability |
| Design systems | Time management |
You can also integrate these skills into your experience section
"Led the creation of a design system in Figma, ensuring consistent user interface components and collaboration with cross-functional teams."
How to write a personal profile for a product designer CV
Your CV personal profile introduces who you are, your job title, and your career goals. This is your opportunity to highlight your creative vision, technical ability, and professional achievements.
Personal profile on a CV
Whether you are a student, a graduate, or a seasoned professional, a personal profile is essential for your CV when targeting the UK job market. This statement should grab the attention of employers and set you apart from other applicants.
Include soft skills and keywords from the job description
Example 1: “User-focused Product Designer with 5+ years of experience delivering enterprise HR and payroll solutions. Skilled in design systems, accessibility, and prototyping, with a proven ability to collaborate with developers and cross-functional teams to achieve intuitive user-first outcomes.”
Example 2: “Creative and detail-orientated Product Designer with a strong background in Figma, Material 3, and user research. Known for problem-solving, accessibility advocacy, and building scalable design solutions that align with product vision and business goals.”
Mention how you’ve applied your skills in relevant contexts
Example 1: “Product Designer who led the redesign of a payroll dashboard, improving usability scores by 25% and reducing accessibility issues by 30%. Partnered closely with developers to create reusable Material 3 components for scalable product delivery.”
Example 2: “Graduate Product Designer who delivered multiple academic and freelance projects in Figma, including prototyping a mobile HR app. Gained practical experience in user research and presenting design solutions to stakeholders, demonstrating creativity and strong communication skills.”
Graduate product design CV personal profile example
Graduate Product Designer with a degree in Product Design and hands-on experience through academic and freelance projects. Proficient in Figma and Adobe Creative Suite with a strong foundation in UX principles. Passionate about creating user-first digital products and eager to contribute fresh, innovative ideas. Excellent team player with strong analytical skills and a focus on continuous learning.
Creative product designer CV personal profile example
Creative Product Designer with 5+ years designing consumer-grade experiences across SaaS and enterprise products. Skilled in motion design, prototyping, and brand illustration systems that communicate concepts effectively. Adept at balancing creative exploration with practical design delivery. Strong collaboration with cross-functional teams to ensure designs support product vision and business needs.
Head of product design CV personal profile example
Head of Product Design with 10+ years leading design teams to deliver innovative HR, payroll, and enterprise solutions. Expert in building and evangelising design systems across organisations, with deep knowledge of accessibility standards. Proven leadership in guiding cross-functional teams and mentoring designers. Excellent track record of driving product innovation and aligning user experience with strategic business goals.
Apprentice product designer CV personal profile example
Apprentice Product Designer with strong creative and problem-solving skills, seeking to build a career in digital product design. Familiar with Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, and prototyping methods. Enthusiastic about learning industry best practices and contributing to innovative design projects. Strong teamwork and communication skills with a passion for user experience and continuous development.
Product design engineer CV personal profile example
Experienced Product Design Engineer with 7+ years developing innovative mechanical and digital products from concept through to production. Skilled in CAD modelling, prototyping, and design validation, with proven success in reducing manufacturing costs by 15% through design optimisation. Strong collaborator with cross-functional teams, combining technical expertise with creativity to deliver user-focused, commercially viable solutions.
Work experience to include on a personal designer CV
Your work experience is one of the most important sections of a product designer CV, as it demonstrates how you’ve applied your design skills in real-world contexts.
Pro tip
Employers want to see not only the roles you’ve held but also the impact you’ve made, from improving user experiences and building design systems to collaborating with cross-functional teams and delivering products that meet both business and user needs.
What should each work experience entry include?
Job title of current or previous role
Organisation name and location
Dates of employment (month/year)
A concise paragraph detailing your duties
Followed by 2–3 bullet points that highlight your key achievements or measurable impact.
Good and bad achievement examples for work history
"Redesigned the HR dashboard in collaboration with developers and product managers, introducing new navigation patterns and accessibility-first design principles."
“Helped improve the HR dashboard design.”
"Reduced design-to-development turnaround time by 40% and improved consistency across multiple products."
"Worked on a design system."
"Led a cross-functional design sprint that resulted in a new onboarding flow, improving first-time user activation rates by 25%."
"Worked on the app onboarding process."
Product designer CV work experience examples
[Job Title], [Company Name] [Location], [Dates]
Brief paragraph outlining role, responsibilities, and context.
Bullet 1: A strong, measurable achievement using an action verb. Bullet 2: Another quantifiable contribution or recognition received.
Product Designer, Zellis, Bristol, 2020 - Present
Design and deliver innovative HR and payroll product experiences, applying user-first principles across all design stages. Collaborate with product managers and front-end developers to build Material 3-compliant components and ensure accessibility standards. Create prototypes, motion design assets, and documentation to support product innovation and consistency across platforms.
Spearheaded the creation of a Figma-based design system with 120+ reusable components, reducing design-to-development handover time by 40%.
Conducted user research and usability testing with 50+ participants, leading to a redesigned HR dashboard that improved task completion time by 25%.
Product Design Apprentice, DesignWorks Agency, Birmingham, 2024 - Present
Supported senior designers in developing wireframes, prototypes, and product mock-ups. Learned design processes from concept through to delivery, including user research, accessibility testing, and documentation. Assisted cross-functional teams by preparing design assets and participating in design critiques.
Assisted in building 30+ reusable Figma components for the company’s design system, improving workflow efficiency.
Contributed to the redesign of a client's e-commerce site, resulting in a 12% increase in mobile conversion rates.
Graduate Product Designer, InnovateHR, Bristol, 2024 - 2025
Worked as part of the product design team on HR SaaS solutions. Focused on creating wireframes, user flows, and prototypes while gaining hands-on experience in accessibility and material design standards. Participated in workshops and collaborated with developers to ensure designs were functional and consistent.
Conducted usability testing with 20+ end users, influencing design updates that cut onboarding time by 18%.
Designed interactive prototypes in Figma that were adopted as final solutions in the payroll dashboard redesign.
Product Designer CV work experience example with little to no experience
Design Intern, CreativeStart Studio, Bristol, 2025
Assisted the design team in developing wireframes, mockups, and prototypes for web and mobile projects. Supported user research sessions, documented design feedback, and helped maintain design systems. Learned to apply basic accessibility standards and user-first principles while collaborating with developers and senior designers.
Created Figma components that were integrated into live projects.
Participated in a team design sprint that produced a new app feature concept within one week.
How to include education on a product designer CV
Employers hiring for product design roles often seek candidates with relevant qualifications, such as a degree or diploma in Product Design, Industrial Design, Graphic Design, or a related discipline. If you’re a recent graduate or apprentice, prioritise your education section by listing it first. Otherwise, place it below your work experience for better relevance.
How to format educational qualifications
Degree
[Degree title], [Institution], [Location], [Year of graduation]
BA (Hons) Product Design, University of the Arts London, London, UK, 2022
A-Levels
[Qualification name], [Institution], [Location], [Years completed]
Art & Design (A), Mathematics (B), Physics (B), Harrow Sixth Form College, London, UK, 2018
GCSEs / Equivalent
[Qualification name], [Institution], [Location], [Year completed]
10 GCSEs with grades A–C, including English Language and Mathematics, Hillside High School, London, UK, 2016
Tips for graduates or entry-level product designers:
Place your education section above work experience if you have limited professional history.
Highlight university or college projects that demonstrate your design process, teamwork, and technical skills.
If applicable, add competitions, workshops, or extracurricular design projects to improve your CV.
How to list courses and certificates in your product designer CV
Courses and certificates are a great way to boost your product design CV, especially if you’re a graduate, apprentice, or school leaver with little direct work experience. Employers value candidates who continuously upskill, so consider adding certifications from well-recognised platforms such as Google, Interaction Design Foundation, Coursera, Norman Nielsen Group or Adobe. These can cover areas like UX/UI design, accessibility, prototyping tools, or design systems.
Courses & certificates
[Course Name], [Issuer], [Issued Date]
Accessibility in Interaction Design, Interaction Design Foundation, 2025
How to write a CV for a product designer with little to no experience
Starting your career in product design can feel challenging, especially if you don’t yet have formal work experience. The good news is that employers value creativity, problem-solving, and transferable skills as much as years in the industry. Here’s how to build a strong CV even at an entry level:
Lead with education and projects: Highlight relevant coursework, university projects, or design challenges. For example, showcase a project where you prototyped an app or created a product mock-up using Figma.
Showcase your portfolio: It can compensate for lack of job history. Include case studies that outline your design process from research and ideation to prototyping and testing.
Highlight transferable skills: Even part-time jobs or volunteer work can demonstrate communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.
Include technical skills: List software tools to show you have hands-on knowledge.
Use achievements, not duties: Even if limited, frame your experiences with outcomes. For example, “Developed a prototype for a university project that won recognition in a design showcase.”
Pro tip
If you’re a graduate or apprentice, your CV should emphasise potential and creativity rather than years of experience. Employers want to see your thinking process and enthusiasm for user-centred design.
CV example for non-experienced product designers
Download this free product designer CV sample in PDF.
Keywords for a product designer CV
To outsmart applicant tracking systems (ATS), it’s essential to incorporate relevant industry terms naturally throughout your CV. Focus on including these CV keywords within your personal profile, work experience, education, and skills sections. Typically drawn directly from the job description, these phrases and concepts are crucial for making your CV both searchable and easy to scan.
Recommended industry terms
Essentials for a product designer CV
Place contact information at the top, including a link to your portfolio website.
Write a strong personal profile that highlights creativity, user-first principles, and collaboration with cross-functional teams.
Present your work experience in reverse chronological order, focusing on achievements.
Tailor your CV to the job description, pulling in relevant CV keywords like “design systems,” “user experience,” and “collaboration with developers.”
Avoid cluttered layouts, inconsistent CV fonts, or vague role descriptions.
Mistakes to avoid when writing a product designer CV
Do’s
Research the company and tailor your CV to the job description and product designer role.
Showcase both technical skills and soft skills.
Keep your CV format clean and professional, applying good CV design basics such as whitespace, consistent fonts, and readable letterspacing.
Don’ts
Don’t include irrelevant work history without showing how the skills transfer to design.
Avoid making your CV look like a graphic design experiment.
Don’t neglect accessibility. If your CV design is difficult to read, it reflects poorly on your understanding of user experience principles.
Next steps?
Looking to secure your next role as a product designer? Boost your application with a professional CV complemented by a matching cover letter, created using our Cover Letter Templates. Stay organised by tracking your job applications and master the art of emailing your CV to recruiters. If you’re entering the job market for the first time, explore the top in-demand skills for 2025 and strengthen your candidacy by practising common interview questions.
FAQs
What is a Product Designer salary in the UK?
Salaries for Product Designers in the UK vary depending on factors such as seniority, location, and the company. On average, a Product Designer earns between £37,000 and £61,000, with a base salary of approximately £47,000. As designers advance in their careers and transition into senior or lead roles, their earning potential increases significantly, often exceeding £80,000 in larger companies or tech-focused organisations.
For more insights, explore our article on the highest-paying jobs in the UK.
Is product design in demand in the UK?
Yes, product design remains a high demand job across the UK, particularly in fast-growing sectors such as technology, e-commerce, fintech, healthcare, and government services. Businesses are increasingly focused on delivering consumer-grade experiences and competitive user interfaces, which places skilled Product Designers at the core of product development.
How to become a Product Designer in the UK?
There are two common routes into product design: through university education or via an apprenticeship. Many employers look for candidates with a degree in Product Design, Industrial Design, Engineering, or a related creative discipline, as these provide strong foundations in design thinking, prototyping, and digital tools. Apprenticeships are also a popular entry point, allowing you to earn while you learn by combining work placements with part-time study.
Alongside formal education, developing a strong portfolio of projects is crucial to demonstrate your creativity, problem-solving abilities, and understanding of user-centred design principles.
Do I need a degree to be a Product Designer?
While a degree in Product or Industrial Design is the most common entry route, it is not always essential. Some employers value practical skills and a strong portfolio over formal qualifications, especially in digital product and UX design.
Alternative pathways include bootcamps, online courses, or hands-on apprenticeships where you can build technical skills and real-world project experience. For senior positions, however, a degree can still provide an advantage.
Explore more tips in our article on career opportunities for school leavers.
