Post job
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippia

Upload your resume to get started.

Associate designer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
Quoted experts
Lorrie Ivas,
Lorrie Ivas
Associate designer example skills
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical associate designer skills. We ranked the top skills for associate designers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 10.4% of associate designer resumes contained sketch as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills an associate designer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 associate designer skills for your resume and career

1. Sketch

Here's how associate designers use sketch:
  • Updated tech packs to stay on top of Design sketch revision, construction details and specs following Concept line review.
  • Designed a Contemporary line for Missy, from initial sketch and color stories, to fabric selection/sourcing.

2. CAD

Here's how associate designers use cad:
  • Developed and implemented CAD guidelines.
  • Conducted in-depth trend research to design current, market-driven CAD sketches and oversee production of samples and related marketing materials.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how associate designers use customer service:
  • Assisted management with coaching and cross training customer service representatives to implement new promotional offers on a consistent basis.
  • Provide exceptional customer service to existing and potential guest.

4. Design Projects

Design projects are used to create a product or service to serve a specific customer or client need. They may entail thinking about the ideas, materials necessary for the idea and the steps that will be followed to realize the idea.

Here's how associate designers use design projects:
  • Design and supervise interior design projects and supervised day-to-day progress to completion.
  • Assisted in preparation of presentation materials for various interior design projects.

5. PowerPoint

Here's how associate designers use powerpoint:
  • Scheduled meetings and created PowerPoint presentations.
  • Organized and maintained spreadsheets and databases, using Microsoft Office, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint applications.

6. Space Planning

Space Planning is one of the most important elements of interior decorating. The interior designer takes the space available within a building, an apartment, a house, or another type of structure which is being renovated or otherwise altered, and then they begin to play around with the space, creating visions and revisions of the space on paper or in a specialised design program, according to the necessities of the project and clients at hand.

Here's how associate designers use space planning:
  • Work included space planning, design development, construction documents and construction administration.
  • Advise clients on design factors including space planning, layout, and utilization of furnishings and equipment, and color coordination.

Choose from 10+ customizable associate designer resume templates

Build a professional associate designer resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your associate designer resume.

7. Product Development

Product development is the complete procedure of creating a product from concept until release of the final product. Product development has many stages after which a product is released into the market. Identifying the need, creating the opportunity, conceptualizing a product, and providing a solution, all are different stages of product development.

Here's how associate designers use product development:
  • Communicated daily and directly with international factories, agents, and tanneries regarding product development instructions and inquiries.
  • Traveled and shopped market for inspiration and directional samples for product development and trend presentations.

8. Design Concepts

Here's how associate designers use design concepts:
  • Contributed to creating story ideas and overall visual/design concepts including the cover.
  • Co-Designed items for Lord & Taylor Cashmere, Context and Grant Thomas programs; creating original, trend appropriate design concepts.

9. Adobe Illustrator

Here's how associate designers use adobe illustrator:
  • Set up technical packages using adobe illustrator to make flats to be sent to China and India to produce fine garments.
  • Make fit comments and corrections and send to overseas vendors, utilizing illustrations created with Adobe Illustrator.

10. Tech Packs

A tech pack is an informative sheet that designers create to communicate with a manufacturer all the details and components necessary to turn a product into a finished product. It also serves as a "product contract" between a person and the manufacturer throughout the sampling and production process. Typically, designers include dimensions, materials, sketches, size specifications, colors, illustrations, hardware, grading, labels/tags, construction information, and legends. The tech pack is essential for quality control and also ensures that the submitted samples meet ones specifications exactly and that one does not waste time and money reproducing them if they are incorrect.

Here's how associate designers use tech packs:
  • Create tech packs and communicated directly with vendors domestically/ internationally regarding development.
  • Create detailed sheets with all specifications to be used by technical designers to create tech packs for costing teams and factories.

11. Design Process

The process by which a product is formed is referred to as the design process. It requires the conceptualization of what the product may look like in terms of aesthetics, what it will be made of and most importantly, what it will do. A design process puts this process in order so that the creation of the product is seamless and has the least amount of errors and slack while it is being made.

Here's how associate designers use design process:
  • Participated fully in design process from concept inspiration boards to material and hardware development to prototype/sample production.
  • Expedited design process by providing complete and accurate technical packages to overseas vendors.

12. Graphic Design

Graphic design is the art of making visual content to communicate messages. Designers apply different page layout methods and visual hierarchy by using letters and pictures to meet the need of end-users. Most companies use graphic design to sell their product or services and to convey complicated information by using infographics.

Here's how associate designers use graphic design:
  • Collaborated with Creative Director and Graphic Designer in the re-branding of an established clothing company.
  • Worked in partnership with graphic designer to approve graphic placement and communicate instructions clearly.

13. Apparel

Apparel is anything worn especially formal clothes; outerwear; garments; attire; raiment worn on an important occasion to protect, wrap, adorn or beautify the body. Apparel also refers to clothing of a specific type that is sold in stores. Product categories include everything from basic items like underwear, badges, jewelry to luxury items. The general classification of clothing is as follows: men's wear, women's wear, children's wear, and others.

Here's how associate designers use apparel:
  • Learned technical aspects of construction techniques and fabrications for intimate apparel and supported Technical Designer in all aspects of technical design.
  • Worked with cross functional partners, executing apparel business strategy.

14. Product Knowledge

Product knowledge is the skill of having better information and knowledge about the product you are selling. Product knowledge is essential for the employees of the companies so they can communicate and inform the customers about the product. Having great product knowledge is essential for a better sales pitch and to give the customer a better and complete idea of the product that will influence him to buy the product eventually.

Here's how associate designers use product knowledge:
  • Collaborate with Sales Managers by providing feedback to ensure account executives product knowledge and sales management or opportunity management accountability.
  • Used product knowledge and design skills to help create beautiful spaces that worked well for their needs.

15. Technical Design

Technical design is a blueprint or prototype design that explains the technical nature of an intended design and serves as a guide to engineers during the implementation process. It's a preliminary stage before the implementation of designs where engineers take out the time to study the sketch, and be guided on what to do as regards implementation and project delivery.

Here's how associate designers use technical design:
  • Evaluated pilot run samples and communicated potential challenges with Technical Designer.
  • Communicated with overseas production and preparation of Technical Design packages.
top-skills

What skills help Associate Designers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on associate designer resumes?

Lorrie Ivas

Full-time Faculty, Santa Monica College

Knowledge of the "entire" design process - from hand sketch to drape, draft, construction, digital skills in pattern drafting and design (i.e., Tukatech, Clo or similar), Adobe Creative Suite - Photoshop/Illustrator for presentation (look books, colorways, etc.) - is a standout, even though the actual position applying for may not require seasoned skills in every single step. The employer likes to know that the designer "gets" the process.

Companies like to see versatility... so even if a designer shows amazing swimwear in their portfolio, it is always important to show versatility in other design categories (and obviously whatever category the hiring company sells). Companies like to see what you can do for them and what they didn't realize you can do for them - i.e., new ideas in product collaborations, your genuine sustainability commitment, social media skills, etc.

What soft skills should all associate designers possess?

Lorrie Ivas

Full-time Faculty, Santa Monica College

Love the actual definition of "soft skills": personal attributes that enable someone to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.


What is often overlooked is communicating professionally via email, text, phone, and/or personal interactions. Basic business etiquette is very important. Fashion is a creative field, yet it is also a business ... and professionalism always stands out... Attention to detail will set one apart from the others. So many resumes come in with spelling errors! It is often just one page! Not proofing once - and then proofing again, and then having someone else's fresh eyes proof it one more time - shows a lack of attention to detail.

Design is a collaborative proposition, so the ability to share ideas with a team is vital.

And again, knowledge of social media platforms, where professional and creative communication/writing skills are as important as the photographs, represents someone who will be a valuable addition to a design firm.

What hard/technical skills are most important for associate designers?

Lorrie Ivas

Full-time Faculty, Santa Monica College

The ability to communicate your design concepts to the team (or future boss/interviewer) is vital. Hand and digital fashion sketching and illustration skills are necessary at every step. Scholarships, competitions, or internships often request a sample portfolio, so it doesn't go any further if the illustrations don't "wow" the judging viewer. One can sew/tailor beautifully, but knowing how to "show" that skillset to the judge or employer is vital - i.e., photographing the step-by-step process with close-up details of tailoring skills and presenting it digitally... will win. One may not show actual garments... so knowing how to "sell" your skills is crucial.

What associate designer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gina Pisut Ph.D.Gina Pisut Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Chair, Department of Human Sciences

In addition to being well versed in computer design software for Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising graduates, students need to truly be open to learning, have strong communication skills, and be able to work well in a team. The most common feedback we get from fashion and retail companies is students must be willing to do the work, be open to learning and doing different aspects of the business, and be adaptable and able to pivot when changes come within this fast-paced industry.

What type of skills will young associate designers need?

Barbara AndersonBarbara Anderson LinkedIn profile

Professor and Head, Kansas State University

Technology in buildings and using technology to design buildings and communicate with teams and clients will be more critical than ever.

List of associate designer skills to add to your resume

Associate designer skills

The most important skills for an associate designer resume and required skills for an associate designer to have include:

  • Sketch
  • CAD
  • Customer Service
  • Design Projects
  • PowerPoint
  • Space Planning
  • Product Development
  • Design Concepts
  • Adobe Illustrator
  • Tech Packs
  • Design Process
  • Graphic Design
  • Apparel
  • Product Knowledge
  • Technical Design
  • PLM
  • Project Management
  • Design Presentations
  • Fine Arts
  • Garment Construction
  • Trend Research
  • Design Development
  • Design Solutions
  • Development Process
  • Market Trends
  • Line Sheets
  • Market Research
  • Presentation Boards
  • UI
  • Concept Boards
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • Design Details
  • Conceptual Development
  • Prototyping
  • Fabric Development
  • Facebook
  • Design Ideas
  • Lab Dips
  • Color Palettes
  • Industrial Design
  • Good Design
  • BOM
  • Mood Boards
  • Aided Design
  • Patternmaking
  • Embroidery
  • Technical Sketches

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs