As an illustrator, provide a link to your online portfolio. Employers look at your work samples first.

Include 4-5 of your best pieces in the portfolio.

For illustrators, list software skills like Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. These are essential for the job.

Highlight any experience with digital drawing tools too.

When you apply for roles as an entry-level illustrator, show skills that match what the job asks for. I look for clear proof that you can do the job well. Make it easy for me to see your skills.

• Show art software you use. Example: Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, primarily Photoshop and Illustrator.
• List any drawing techniques you're good at. Concrete example: Skilled in digital painting, vector art, and character design.
• If you're moving from another field, link past job duties with illustrator tasks. Example: Applied knowledge of color and composition from photography background to create engaging illustrations.

When crafting your resume as an entry-level illustrator, it's important to highlight specific skills that showcase your abilities. Here are some key skills you should consider including:

• Digital illustration
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Vector graphics
• Color theory
• Sketching
• Character design
• Storyboarding
• Typography
• 3D modeling
• Graphic tablet proficiency

You don't need to list every skill, but focus on those that are most relevant to the jobs you want. For instance, if you're aiming for a role in book illustration, emphasize character design and storyboarding. If your goal is in animation, 3D modeling and digital illustration might be more applicable.

Place these skills in a dedicated section for clarity and to help with Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). The ATS scans for keywords that match the job description, so including the right skills can help your resume get noticed. Make sure they are easy to find and read. By focusing on these hard skills, you're telling potential employers that you have the technical foundation for an illustration career.

When crafting your resume, it's important to show any leadership roles or promotions you've had. These details can make a strong impact, even for entry-level positions. Here's how you can highlight this experience:

• Include any formal titles like 'team lead' or 'head designer' for group projects or internships. If you managed others or led a project, make sure to list that.
• Mention any freelance work where you directed a project, communicated with clients, or managed deadlines. This shows leadership and organization skills.

Think about times you took the lead in school projects or clubs. Did you coordinate an art show or lead a workshop? These are great examples of leadership. Remember, any experience where you guided others or took charge can show potential employers that you're ready for more responsibility.

When you put together your resume as an entry-level illustrator, it's key to show any past leadership roles or promotions. This tells hiring managers that you have the potential to take on responsibility and lead projects. Think through your past experiences to find examples that show your leadership skills.

• Lead a team project in a college course, like guiding peers in a group art project or exhibition.
• Earned a promotion at a part-time job or within an internship, moving from a general team member to a team lead or supervisor role.

If you have these experiences, list them clearly. For instance, you might have guided fellow students in a design project or been chosen to oversee a section of a school art show. Perhaps you were promoted from an intern to a junior illustrator at a small studio. Even if these roles were short-term or informal, they matter. They show you are ready to take on more as you grow in your career. Be sure to describe the role and what you did, focusing on any positive outcomes that happened under your leadership.

When you create your resume, showing the impact of your work with numbers can make a big difference. Numbers help hiring managers see the real value you could bring to their team. For entry-level illustrators, think about the times you have made a project better or helped save time.

Consider these ideas:

• Did you complete a project that got a lot of views or shares? Mention the number of views or percentage increase in shares.
• If you worked on a team, can you estimate how much faster the project was completed? Try to quantify the time savings in percentage or hours saved.

Even if you're not sure about the exact numbers, you can estimate. Think about:

• The number of illustrations you contributed to a project and how they might have improved client satisfaction or user engagement.
• Any reduction in customer support issues because your illustrations made a product or service easier to understand.
• The growth in social media followers or engagement rate after you created a series of posts.
• The number of clients you worked with or the diversity of projects you handled, showing your versatility.

Use these numbers to make a strong case for why you'd be a valuable addition to a team. Remember, even small numbers can show big impact if presented well.