If you have read the part 1 of this how to make a perfect resume series, you have literally put yourself in HR’s position. You understood why there is no response from HR on your job application mail and resume. He/she is flooded with email box, which keeps on increasing with new mails on a daily basis. So, if you want to get that job, the first thing is to get out of the clutter. Get the practical tips and tricks regarding how to get an attention of the hiring department and secure your interview process.

Check out our sample resume format of animation artist. Learn how to send job application mail to HR.

Even if you are qualified and possess all the skill sets for the said job position, you can’t do anything if your job application mail is not even opened.

In this series, we have discussed the two major topics so far – ‘Mail subject line’ and ‘Mail body text’ earlier. Now, let’s solve the other problem that you might be doing.

How to make a perfect resume?

Always tailor your resume to the specific 3D Animation and VFX job you are applying for. Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills and experience they are looking for. Highlight these skills and experiences throughout your resume using keywords from the job description. It helps to ensure your resume gets past applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by many Animation and VFX studios.

To make a perfect resume, use the given below pointers.

• Resume must be crisp, not overlay long. 
• It must be easy to read. 
• Use clear headings, bullet points, and white spaces.
• If you don’t have a huge experience, your resume should be one pager.
• Highlight your major skills in bullet point format.
• If you are an experienced artist, start with the latest job details.
• For each job details, do mention these in a concise manner – studio name, your designation, tenure at the studio, roles and responsibilities, titles of the major projects you have worked on (movies, web series, commercials, documentaries, music video etc.).
• An award or accolade you received.
• Any kind of fame you received (winner of 3D and VFX competitions, part of a jury member, publication of your R&D, publication of your interview etc.).
• Name of the software / skill (you can also show your proficiency level with them).
• Academic qualifications. If applicable, mention relevant courses or certifications that showcase your skills.
• If you have an online portfolio or a LinkedIn profile, include the link in your resume to provide additional information about your work.
• Personal details including address, contact details, date of birth.
• Do proofreading multiple times.

Mistakes to avoid in professional resume

• Use of multiple, stylized and unprofessional fonts
• Bad alignment of contents
• False claims, self bragging and exaggeration
• Wrong spelling and grammar
• Taking credits of other’s works
• Hobbies overcoming your professional skills
• Overdose of buzzwords
• Text generated from AI based tools 
• Sharing irrelevant personal data

Naming convention of resume (what to name your resume file)

Resume file names must not be like these. These are highly unprofessional.

• final resume
• new (1)(2)
• new word document
• final corrected resume [year]
• Resume 1
• [your name]_CV_V2
• Updated CV_[month]_[year]
• [your name]

The correct naming conventions of resume file names is given below.

File extension / format of resume

Don’t use these file extensions to save your resume.

• jpg/ png (HR cannot copy anything from it easily, without using some third party applications)
• rtf (rich text format)
• doc (Microsoft Word file format)
• Any format of Google Drive tools (sheet, docs, slides etc.)

The most recommended file extension is pdf, by Adobe Acrobat. You may create your resume in MS Word or Google Docs, but finally you must save it in pdf format.

Always mail the pdf file as your resume. It maintains quality and takes minimum file size. Pdf format is by default supported in all mobile and desktop devices, which makes it easily accessible. Also make sure that the size of your resume is under 100 kb. So, any hiring manager can easily open it even if he/she is on the go.

A good / professional email id

Professional email ids

Make an email address under 10 to 15 characters to avoid typos and ensure clarity. Ideally, your email id should include your full name or a variation of it. This makes it easy for others to recognize and remember.

Choose an email ID that is simple, easy to spell, and easy to pronounce. This helps in effective communication and avoids confusion. Use the same email address across all professional platforms.

What to do if your name is already taken?

If you can’t take any of the above professional id formats, do try following variations.

If your full name is common and already taken, consider adding professional elements such as your profession or industry. Example: rakesh.sharma.3D@gmail.com, rakesh.sharma.vfx@gmail.com. As per availability, do alter the sequence.

One thing to remember.

Don’t put job title in your email id. Example: rakesh.sharma.animator@gmail.com. When in future, you become Team lead / Animation Director / Producer; such email id will be improper. 

Unprofessional email ids

Try to avoid using numbers, nick names or special characters in your email ID as they can make it look unprofessional. Some examples of unprofessional email ids are as follows.

• iamsuperman@gmail.com
• rockstartdude@gmail.com
• rakesh1234_sharma@gmail.com
• rakesh_king77@gmail.com
• rakesh4u@gmail.com

Till now, you had worked on many professionally intrinsic details. All your fundamental details are polished to get a response from HR.

Part 3 of this series is the most important one. It gives you so many examples, list of do’s and don’ts any many more tips of a sample resume format for 3D Animation and Visual Effects artists. 

Follow the given guidelines and make a winning resume to get your dream job.