If you’re applying for UX design jobs outside the United States — especially in the UK, Europe, India, or Australia — chances are you’ll be asked to submit a CV rather than a resume. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, especially in digital design fields, they serve slightly different purposes in different job markets.
A UX Design CV (short for curriculum vitae) is a comprehensive document that outlines your professional history, education, skills, and projects in more detail than a typical one-page resume. It’s often longer, more formal, and tailored to specific regional expectations.
In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to create a UX design CV that stands out — with tips, formatting advice, examples, and the key differences from a resume.
What Is a UX Design CV?
A UX Design CV is a professional document that gives a complete overview of your design experience, education, technical and soft skills, and project accomplishments. It’s commonly used in:
- Europe
- India and Southeast Asia
- Academic institutions and public-sector design roles
While a resume is a short, targeted summary of your most relevant experience (usually one page), a CV allows you to present your full design journey, so it’s ideal for roles that require broader context, detailed research experience, or long-term project cycles.
UX Design CV vs. Resume: What’s the Difference?
If you’re applying globally, you may want to have both a resume and a CV ready, or tailor your application depending on the company and country.
What to Include in a UX Design CV
Here are the essential sections every UX designer should consider:
1. Contact Information
- Full name, phone number, professional email
- LinkedIn profile and portfolio link (mandatory)
2. Professional Summary
- 2–3 sentence overview of your skills, specialties, and career focus
- Example: “UX designer with 4+ years of experience in SaaS product design, specializing in user research and prototyping. Driven by the belief that great design can untangle complexity and bring clarity to people’s lives, I approach every project with empathy, curiosity, and a deep commitment to purposeful design.”
3. Portfolio Link
- Include a clickable link to your UXfolio portfolio, and optionally a brief explanation:
“Full case studies available at [yourname].uxfol.io”
4. Work Experience
- In reverse-chronological order
- For each job:
- Job title, company, location, dates
- 2–5 bullet points of your contributions and results, not just duties
- Focus on design process, collaboration, and impact
5. Education
- Degrees, bootcamps, certifications
- Include relevant coursework or UX-specific study (e.g. HCI, psychology, usability)
6. Skills
- Separate them into categories (e.g. Design Tools, UX Research, Prototyping, Accessibility)
- Avoid tool-dumping, focus on your proficiency and how you use them
7. Side Projects & Freelance Work (optional)
- Highlight client projects, hackathons, personal UX challenges, and open-source contributions
8. Publications, Speaking Engagements, or Conferences (optional)
- Great for senior roles, academia, or high-visibility companies
9. Awards & Certifications
- UX awards, Google UX certs, Nielsen Norman credentials, etc.
10. Languages & International Experience (optional)
- Especially useful for EU roles or multinational teams
Tips for Writing a Strong UX Design CV
Here are a few examples of good practices you should keep in mind when writing your UX design CV.
Keep it scannable
Hiring managers spend just seconds skimming CVs. Use clear headings, short paragraphs, bullet points, and plenty of white space to make it easy for them to find key information at a glance.
Tailor it by role and region
Even a CV benefits from customization. Use language and emphasis that match the job posting and company culture — especially when applying internationally, where expectations around tone, layout, and formality can vary.
Write in a clear, professional tone
Aim for confident, neutral language. Avoid buzzwords, fluff, or exaggerated claims. Focus on what you did and how it helped, not how amazing you are.
Emphasize results
Go beyond “what you did” — highlight the impact of your work. Include metrics, improvements, or outcomes wherever possible: “Reduced form drop-off rate by 32% through usability testing and streamlined layout.”
Always link to your portfolio
Your CV is your story, your portfolio is your proof. Include a direct, working link near the top. If your portfolio includes a password, make sure to provide that too (or remove it when applying).
Use consistent, accessible formatting
Stick to one or two professional fonts, ensure logical reading order, and avoid relying on color alone to convey meaning. Bonus: accessible formatting shows you care about usability even in your own materials.
Update regularly
Don’t wait until you need to job hunt to update your CV. Document your wins, new tools, and relevant projects while they’re fresh — it makes maintaining your CV faster and keeps you ready for opportunities.
Formatting & Layout Guidelines
- Use A4 layout, especially for European submissions
- Choose clean, professional fonts (e.g. Inter, Lato, Roboto)
- Stick to black/gray text with one accent color
- Save and submit as PDF
- Double-check that links work (especially your portfolio)
Real UX Design CV Examples
Example 1: Junior UX Designer
Example 2: UX Designer
Example 3: Senior UX Designer
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Here are a few mistakes you definitely should try to avoid when coming up with a new UX design CV.
Using a one-size-fits-all resume for international UX roles
Different countries and industries have different expectations for CVs. What works in the U.S. might seem too informal in Europe, or too vague for academic/public sector roles. Tailoring your CV to the region shows cultural awareness — and gives you a better shot at making it through filters or ATS (applicant tracking systems).
Listing responsibilities instead of impact
Recruiters already know what a “UX designer” or “product researcher” typically does. What they want to see is how you did it, why it mattered, and what changed because of your work. Saying “Conducted usability tests” is fine — but “Conducted usability tests that reduced task completion time by 40%” tells a far stronger story.
Skipping the portfolio link
Your CV is only half the picture. In UX, your portfolio proves your process, thinking, and visual communication. If a recruiter or hiring manager can’t find your portfolio easily, you risk being passed over, no matter how impressive your CV is.
Burying your UX tools and methods in a sea of text
Wall-of-text resumes don’t get read. If your skills (like Figma, user flows, or usability testing) are hidden in paragraphs or buried too far down, hiring managers may miss them entirely. Make your skills section scannable and structured, try to group them logically and give them visual breathing room.
Letting it run too long without substance
A longer CV isn’t automatically better. If your document stretches past 2-3 pages without adding value, it signals poor editing and lack of focus. Stick to what’s relevant, recent, and clearly tied to UX. Every section should earn its place by supporting your story or showing your strengths.
Use UXfolio to Pair Your CV with a Standout Portfolio
Your CV tells people what you’ve done. Your portfolio shows them how you think.
With UXfolio, you can:
- Build clean, case-study-driven UX portfolios
- Use our AI assistant to draft your first case study
- Add UX-specific sections like research, interviews, iterations, and impact
- Publish a link you can confidently place on your CV
In addition to this, you can upload your CV to UXfolio whenever you’re building your portfolio. All you have to do is go to Pages / Add new / Resume, and you’ll be able to upload your CV, easily accessible for recruiters when they’re looking at your portfolio.
Conclusion
Having a strong UX design CV is essential for standing out in international job markets. By structuring your CV thoughtfully and pairing it with a strong portfolio, you’ll set yourself up for success, no matter where you’re applying.
Want to take it further? Read our full guide to UX designer resumes, and use both documents to dominate your job hunt.
Ready to build a portfolio that goes along with your CV, and host them together? Head over to UXfolio.com today, and get started for free.
