8 Game Design Resume Examples for 2024

In this article, we share top resume examples for aspiring game designers. We provide tips on showcasing your skills, such as coding and level design, to catch a studio's eye. Learn the best ways to present your game projects and work experience to land that dream job.

  Compiled and approved by Liz Bowen
  Last updated on See history of changes

  Next update scheduled for

At a Glance

Here's what we see in strong game design resumes.

  • Show Impact With Numbers: The best resumes show effect with clear numbers. For game design, they include user engagement increase, revenue growth percentages, player retention improvements, and bug reduction counts.

  • Skills Matching The Job Description: Include skills on your resume that you have and are listed in the job description. Popular ones include Unity or Unreal Engine, level design, game mechanics, scripting languages, and user interface design.

  • Highlight Personal Game Projects: Include any personal game projects you have worked on. Use phrases like independent game project, personal game portfolio, and self-published title to show practical experience.

Education placement guide

For game design positions, if you are new to the field or a recent graduate, place your education at the top. This shows your most relevant qualifications first. Dress up your degree with specific courses or projects that relate to game development. If you have industry experience, your work history should lead, with education following.

If you've recently completed a specialized program or advanced degree, such as in game design or interactive entertainment, also put this first. This alerts the employer to your updated skills and dedication to the field.

Highlight technical skills

In game design, it's crucial to list technical skills like programming languages, game engines, or design software. Include these in a dedicated section or woven into your experience. For instance, mention how you used a specific engine to develop a game feature. It’s good to link projects or portfolios that showcase these skills.

Also, stress your understanding of game mechanics and storytelling. These are unique to the field and show your ability to create engaging player experiences.

Ideal length of resume

Keep your resume to one page if you have less than 10 years of experience in game design or related fields. This helps the reader see your highlights without getting lost in details. Focus on your strongest work that shows your skills in design, programming, or team projects.

For those with over 10 years of experience or in a senior position, two pages are suitable. Use the extra space to detail significant projects and leadership roles. Ensure every point you include shows your impact and contribution to the field.

Showcase team collaboration

Game development is a team effort. Show your experience with cross-functional teams, whether with artists, programmers, or testers. Highlight any roles where you coordinated with others to achieve a goal, delivered a project on time, or improved a process.

Being able to communicate your ideas clearly is also critical. In your resume, include instances where your communication made a difference in the game design process, like leading a brainstorm session or resolving a design challenge.

Understanding resume screeners

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) can make or break your chance at getting noticed for a game design job. These systems scan resumes to see if you are a good fit for the role. Here is how you can improve your odds:

  • Use keywords from the job posting in your resume. For game design, words like 'level design,' 'game mechanics,' and 'user experience' are often important.
  • Make sure your resume is clear and well-organized. Use headings like 'Experience,' 'Education,' and 'Skills' to help the ATS find the right information.

Showcase your game design skills

When you apply for game design jobs, make sure your resume shows you're good at this work. Use clear examples. Talk about your skills and the results you got in past jobs. This will help employers see how you can help them.

  • Point out how you made games better. For example, explain how you improved a game's level design to make it more fun to play.
  • For senior jobs, share how you led other people. Say the number of people in your team and how you guided them to meet deadlines.
  • If you want to work in game design after doing other jobs, show what you can bring. Maybe you organized a big event. Say how this shows you can deal with big projects.

Game design skills to highlight

When you create your resume, showing your technical skills is key. Think about the tasks you will do in game design. What tools and techniques will you need? Here are some skills to consider:

  • Game development frameworks
  • Programming languages like C++ and Java
  • 3D modeling software such as Blender or Maya
  • Graphics programming
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • User Interface (UI) design
  • User Experience (UX) research
  • Level design
  • Scripting
  • Audio production tools like Audacity or FMOD

Choose skills that match the job you want. If you want to be a level designer, show your strength in level design and 3D modeling. If you want to code, focus on programming languages and AI. You do not need to list every skill. Pick the ones that show you can do the job.

Put your skills in a clear section on your resume. This helps your resume pass the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that many companies use. ATS looks for keywords from the job ad. So, use the same words they use when you list your skills. This makes it easier for the system to see that you have the right skills for the job.

Show impact with numbers

When you apply for a game design job, you need to show your impact. Numbers help you do this. They make your achievements clear and easy to understand. Here are ways you can use numbers to show your value:

  • Include the number of projects you've worked on. This shows your experience. For example, 'Worked on 5 multi-platform game titles.'
  • Mention the size of the teams you have led or been a part of. For example, 'Collaborated with a team of 20 developers.'

Think about the results of your work. Use numbers to show this:

  • If your game design improved player retention, you could say, 'Increased player retention by 30% over six months.'
  • If you helped reduce the time to troubleshoot game issues, mention 'Cut down customer support tickets by 25% through effective design.'
  • When you made a game level, did more people play it? Say 'Designed a game level that attracted 10,000 more daily players.'
  • If you saved money on a project, include that. For example, 'Reduced art asset costs by 15% without losing quality.'

Remember, even if you're not sure of the exact numbers, estimate. Think about the changes before and after your work. Was there more player engagement? Were there fewer problems? Your estimates can show your impact. If you helped improve something, it's important to say how much.

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