UX Designer CV Keywords: Skills & ATS Terms to Include

UX CVs need to pass ATS and then persuade a design lead in seconds. Keep the CV plain and parseable, link your portfolio, and describe the research and outcomes behind your designs.

Not sure which of these your CV is missing? Upload it with a ux designer job description and get your ATS score and missing keywords free.

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UX Designer hard skills

Core competencies recruiters and ATS filters search for.

User researchUsability testingWireframingPrototypingInformation architectureUser journey mappingInteraction designDesign systemsAccessibility (WCAG)PersonasA/B testingStakeholder workshops

UX Designer tools & software

Use the exact product names from the job ad.

FigmaFigJamMiroMazeHotjarUserTestingOptimal WorkshopDovetailAdobe XDJira

UX Designer certifications & qualifications

Write the full name and the acronym, with the year.

Google UX Design CertificateNN/g UX CertificationInteraction Design Foundation coursesIAAP accessibility certification

UX Designer soft skills

Show these through achievements rather than listing them alone.

EmpathyFacilitationPresenting design rationaleCollaboration with engineersHandling feedbackCuriosity

UX Designer action verbs

Start each bullet with one of these instead of "Responsible for".

DesignedResearchedTestedPrototypedRedesignedSimplifiedValidatedFacilitatedImprovedLaunched

Weak vs strong ux designer CV bullets

Redesigned the checkout.

Redesigned a 5-step mobile checkout into 3 steps after 12 usability tests, raising completion from 58% to 71%.

Did user research.

Ran 20 customer interviews and a card sort that restructured navigation, cutting "can't find it" support tickets by 40%.

Examples are illustrative. Only use figures you can back up in an interview.

ATS tip for ux designer CVs

Use both "UX" and "user experience" once, and name your tools. Keep portfolio visuals out of the CV itself — ATS can't read them.

How to use these keywords

  1. Start from the job description, not this list. Keywords that appear in the ad matter most — paste it into the job description keyword extractor to pull them out.
  2. Only include skills you genuinely have. You will be asked about them.
  3. Put the most important keywords in both your Skills section and your experience bullets.
  4. Use the employer's exact wording (e.g. "Figma", not a synonym).
  5. Keep formatting simple: single column, standard headings, no text inside images.

See exactly which keywords your CV is missing

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