CV and LinkedIn keywords for a UX/UI Designer
The skills, tools, standards and professional registrations South African recruiters search for when they fill ux/ui designer roles (also advertised as Product Designer, UX Designer, UI Designer). Copy what is true for you, then check your CV against the list below.
Professional registration
| Body | Designation recruiters look for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| None statutory | Portfolio; optional certifications such as NN/g UX Certification or Google UX Design Certificate | Portfolio is the credential |
Write the category and status exactly, for example "Candidate" or "Professional". A registration body on its own, with no category, tells a recruiter very little. Never list a registration you do not currently hold.
Core skills
Tools and software
Standards, legislation and contracts
Check your CV or LinkedIn profile against this list
Headline examples
The pattern: role, registration, sector or speciality, one proof point. Keep it under 220 characters so it shows in full on mobile.
How to use these keywords
- Link your portfolio in the headline area and on your CV.
- Show a result: conversion lifted, drop-off cut, tasks completed faster.
- Accessibility (WCAG) is a growing filter keyword.
- Mirror the advert. If it says "WCAG 2.2", write "WCAG 2.2", not a shortened version. Applicant tracking systems match words, not meaning.
- Only use keywords your experience backs up. An interviewer will ask about every one of them.
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Audit my profile as a UX/UI DesignerQuestions
Which keywords should a UX/UI Designer put on a CV in South Africa?
Start with the skills recruiters filter on: user research, wireframing, prototyping, usability testing, design systems, interaction design. Add the tools you use (Figma, FigJam, Adobe XD, Miro) and the standards or laws you work under (WCAG 2.2, POPIA). Use the advert's exact wording wherever your experience matches.
Does a UX/UI Designer need professional registration?
None statutory registration as Portfolio; optional certifications such as NN/g UX Certification or Google UX Design Certificate is what South African recruiters most often look for in this field. Portfolio is the credential. Put the category and status in your headline, for example "Candidate" or "Professional".
Where do the keywords go on LinkedIn?
Headline first, then the first two lines of your About section, then the Skills section and the first bullet of each recent role. Recruiter search weights the headline and current job title most.
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