Lighting Designer Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Lighting Designer resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Lighting designers are responsible for the overall look and feel of a space, using light to create an atmosphere or add drama. They’re also responsible for selecting and placing light fixtures, selecting light bulbs, and managing the electrical work required to get them up and running.
If you’re a creative thinker who enjoys problem solving and working collaboratively with others, then you might make a great lighting designer. Here are some tips to help you write a stellar resume to land your dream job.
How to Write a Lighting Designer Resume
Here’s how to write a lighting designer resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When you’re writing bullet points, it can be tempting to simply list your responsibilities. But rather than just listing what you did, you can make your resume more interesting by describing the results of your work.
For example, rather than saying you “designed lighting for theater productions,” you could say that you “designed lighting for 10 productions, resulting in a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in 2018.”
The second bullet point is much more interesting because it provides specific details about what you did and the outcome of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume online, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords related to the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not even make it to a human recruiter.
One way to make sure your resume includes the right keywords is to read through job postings and take note of the terms that are used most frequently. Then, when you’re writing your resume, try to use those same words in your work experience, skills, and education sections.
Here are some common lighting designer keywords:
- Lighting Design
- Theatre Lighting
- Live Events
- Stage Lighting
- Concert Lighting
- Audio Engineering
- Audio Mixing
- Photography
- Video Production
- Video Editing
- Sound Design
- Theatre
- Video
- Adobe Premiere Pro
- Lighting
- Video Post-Production
- Musical Theatre
- Video Lighting
- After Effects
- Art Direction
- Media Production
- Film
- Final Cut Pro
- Television
- Adobe Photoshop
- SketchUp
- AutoCAD
- Interior Design
- 3D Modeling
- Architectural Design
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a lighting designer, you rely on specific software programs and systems to create and execute your designs. That’s why it’s important to list your technical skills prominently on your resume. By doing so, you’ll show that you’re a valuable candidate who is familiar with the essential tools and systems used in your field.
Recruiters are looking for lighting designers who are proficient in specific software programs, such as AutoCAD and Vectorworks. They also want to see that you have experience with specific systems and methodologies, such as the IESNA Lighting Handbook. So be sure to list all of your relevant technical skills prominently on your resume.