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Custom designer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen Ph.D.,

Carmita Sanchez-Fong

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical custom designer skills. We ranked the top skills for custom designers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 13.0% of custom designer resumes contained sketch as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a custom designer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 custom designer skills for your resume and career

1. Sketch

Here's how custom designers use sketch:

Initiated and oversaw development from initial concept sketch to final production, working closely with Chinese engineering and manufacturing vendors.
Developed handbags from initial sketch through final product including material sourcing, development of prototypes, sampling and technical specifications.

2. Customer Orders

Here's how custom designers use customer orders:

Maintain and prepare customer orders, give estimates, and prepare files for varying media.
Manage the studio and train other associates to take customer orders and operate studio equipment.

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 custom designers use customer service:

Increase credibility and client awareness by maintaining up-to-date confidential client files while providing great customer service.
Extended customer service interactions, including suggestive sales-Design and construction of custom framing orders-Data entry-Merchandise sales

4. Customer Specifications

A Customer Specification is a document that describes the general requirement of an expected service from a contractor. It outlines the key requirements of the customer. Customer specifications should be written in simple and general language so that the contractor clearly understands the expectations of the customer. It is also known as a User Specification.

Here's how custom designers use customer specifications:

Design signs to customer specifications, email proofs and make adjustments as requested.
Modified and refined designs to conform to customer specifications, productionlimitations or building plan modifications.

5. CAD

Here's how custom designers use cad:

Input customer information into a customer account database to manage/store their CAD file information.
Communicate with the customer via email or phone when issues are found with CAD design and/or file and advise of/recommend solutions.

6. 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 custom designers use graphic design:

Order entry and graphic design were the pillar duties with employee training and management to follow.
Embraced new challenges by using graphic design to market promotions and increase sales.

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7. Project Management

Here's how custom designers use project management:

Handle project management both before and after project implementation.
Project management and custom equipment design.

8. 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 custom designers use product knowledge:

Provide exceptional product knowledge, demonstrations and one-on-one interaction with customers.
Educate customers on product knowledge and assist with their salon and service needs.

9. Prototyping

Here's how custom designers use prototyping:

Designed and developed Wireframe prototyping, while maintaining adherence to ADA & JAWS standards.
Developed customized user interaction models using object-oriented prototyping.

10. User Experience

Here's how custom designers use user experience:

Led User Experience innovations of Microsoft Dynamics CRM application.
Redesigned existing user interfaces of mobile division applications, resulting in the increase of functionality and an overall satisfying user experience.

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 custom designers use design process:

Analyzed design processes, redesigned manufacturing parameters and implemented new production protocols for major wheelchair fabricator.
Performed live demonstration during client meetings in addition to consulting directly with customers on all aspects of the design process.

12. Custom Design

Here's how custom designers use custom design:

Hold personal accountability for custom design of turnkey automated systems.
Procured new sales while serving an existing client base in providing custom designed men's clothing and accessories.

13. 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 custom designers use product development:

Created and executed marketing campaigns, including new product introductions and existing product development.
Developed understanding of Costume Jewelry market trends, product development lead times, and the working components- of production.

14. Trade Shows

Here's how custom designers use trade shows:

Company representative at national trade shows.
Attend Trade Shows developing relationships with vendors for purchase of wholesale materials.

15. 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 custom designers use design projects:

Generated in-store revenues for design projects totaling $500,000 of delivered sales each.
Managed and tracked design projects from concept through print production.

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What skills help Custom Designers find jobs?

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

What skills stand out on custom designer resumes?

Dr. Jennifer Jorgensen Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

The retail industry is robust and requires many skills. Content and industry-related knowledge are essential, including comfort with computer applications like Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Excel. Beyond knowledge of the industry, job candidates need excellent communication skills in written and oral forms. It's also highly recommended that job candidates have work experience in their area of interest, which could include an internship, job shadow, or part-time position.

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

Carmita Sanchez-Fong

Professor and Chairperson, Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY

Sketch, sketch, sketch, and work on your portfolio. Use the many resources at FIT to stay current with technology, including 3d printing, laser cutting, and virtual reality. Volunteer with one of the professional organizations, attend virtual conferences, enter a competition, develop your personal/professional profile, and become familiar with digital material resources. Work on your research and presentation skills. Create a well-organized digital library of your 2d and 3d assets. Prepare yourself to go back. Take some masterclasses. Volunteer as a virtual artist-in-residence at a local school. Be creative, remain engaged.

What type of skills will young custom designers need?

Bennie F. Johnson

Executive Director, AIGA, the professional association for design

Our Design Futures research from 2018 covered this topic in some detail. Some highlights of needed skills include an understanding of business models, complex systems, and data. One of the seven Design Futures trends is "Bridging Physical and Digital Experiences," which has become even more important in a COVID world. Of course, mastering craft and specific tools remain important, especially for entry-level work, but so is a general ability to "learn how to learn," as the rate of technical change (and obsolescence) is only getting faster.

In May of 2020, AIGA conducted an industry pulse check survey around the impact of COVID-19 on the design community and found, not surprisingly, that adaptability skills continue to be the most critical for design professionals, and collaboration made the list of top five skills for the first time.

What soft skills should all custom designers possess?

Diana Boyd

Faculty, Highline College

-Collaboration/Teamwork

-Interpersonal

-Reliability

-Ethical behavior

-Self-starter

What hard/technical skills are most important for custom 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.

Do you want to know more?

List of custom designer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a custom designer resume and required skills for a custom designer to have include:

Sketch
Customer Orders
Customer Service
Customer Specifications
CAD
Graphic Design
Project Management
Product Knowledge
Prototyping
User Experience
Design Process
Custom Design
Product Development
Trade Shows
Design Projects
Adobe Creative Suite

CSS
Customer Care
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Indesign
HTML
Customer Interaction
Web Design
User Interface
Industrial Design
Design Software
Business Cards
Customer Inquiries
Account Management
Embroidery
PowerPoint
Sales Floor

Order Entry
POS
Mac
Computer Software
Customer Support
Customer Relations
Facebook
Typesetting
QuickBooks
Promotional Materials
Corel Draw
T-Shirts
Phone Orders
Window Treatments

Updated January 8, 2025

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.

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