Hiring a web designer is like sorting packages. Hundreds of applications filter in. Before you can even get to the good stuff, you have to sort through all the ones that might not be a good fit.

And even though you may not judge a book by its cover, hiring managers most certainly judge potential applicants by their résumé. And if you’re looking for a job as a web designer, there’s even more pressure to make your résumé stand out among the cardboard boxes.

At our company, we have a step-by-step process when we’re hiring a new designer. We’ll sort through résumés to find someone that meets some basic qualifications. We’re not picky: We really just want to get the applicant on the phone. Then, we’ll have an initial call screening. We ask questions about their work experience, life and the process they use to design. We ask some questions that will make them think quickly.

The goal is to determine if this person is what they represent on the résumé, how dynamic they are and what their personality is like. If all checks out, they then would talk to some more members of the team where coding and design are the main topic.

All in all, it is a pretty quick process, but it all starts with the résumé. But if your web design résumé falls trap to any of these fives flaws, you won’t be making it past the hundreds of others floating along that conveyer belt. Read more