The Basics
At long last you’ve landed a job interview at a design firm. You’re excited, nervous, and worried all at the same time. You realize that part of the interview process hinges on presenting a strong portfolio. But where do you begin?
You’ve got lots of examples from projects while going to your graphic design college and some other pieces of work from paid assignments. Which examples are appropriate and which ones are not?
In this article we’ll present some “do’s and don’ts” advice on how to assemble a portfolio that will catch the attention of prospective employers.
Don’t Throw In the Kitchen Sink
One of the most common mistakes in assembling a portfolio is trying to include too many examples — or in other words, throwing in the kitchen sink.
Your job interviewer wants to see a professional and concise portfolio that will highlight your talent, skills, and abilities and show what you are capable of. The interviewer doesn’t want to sift through tons of your work to get to the relevant examples.
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Do Gear Your Portfolio to the Design Firm’s Area of Expertise
Don’t think of your portfolio as being static. Of course it’s easier to put together a generic one that can be presented to any employer, but you’ll be losing a valuable edge by not gearing your portfolio specifically to the needs of your possible employer.
If the hiring design firm is heavily focused on corporate design, your portfolio should try to represent more of this type of design work. If the company you are applying for is involved in packaging design, your work should emphasize this aspect of your work.
If you can’t get a bead on what the company’s main emphasis is, do your best to put together a well-balanced portfolio that displays your creativity and flexibility. Don’t forget about your completed assignments from graphic design school; they should provide many examples for your portfolio.
Don’t Show Mediocre Work
There is a tendency by some job seekers to stuff their portfolios with work that is obviously not up-to-par. Why is this? They may have a lack of material to show so they reason that including anything is better than having a small representation of what they are capable of.
This could not be farther from the truth.
By including mediocre examples of your work you are advertising your lack of skills. You may not have a lot of examples to show, but displaying any work that is less than excellent isn’t the way to win the job interviewer over.
Do Display Your Best Work
This is where you have to be brutally honest about your work. There will be projects that have great sentimental value to you. Perhaps it was the challenge that made a particular project a favorite of yours or maybe there is a great story in how you came up with the design idea. This all may be true, but if the design or artwork isn’t topnotch, it doesn’t’ belong in your portfolio.
Next Time…
We’ll continue with more hints, tips, and advice on assembling a successful portfolio. Until then, keep on designing!
Presentation and Eye Appeal
What would your reaction be if you were served a plate of food at a restaurant that had dust, lint, or smudges on the dish? Now let’s switch this scenario around and put this in the context of a job seeker presenting a portfolio that has dust, lint, and smudges on the artwork to his/her prospective employer.
See the point?
If you are presenting your portfolio to the hiring manager or interviewer for a position at their design studio, an immaculate and professional looking portfolio case is essential. Make sure you purchase a high quality portfolio case that can take abuse and still look as fresh as the day you bought it. If your portfolio is tattered and worn, it’s time to buy a new one.
Don’t Be Too Busy In Your Online Presentations
In some cases the job interviewer will ask you for a link to your website that displays examples of your work. What and how should it look like? One thing that should be noted is that a poorly designed website will detract from the online images no matter how good they are.
Your website should be tasteful, simple, and easy to navigate around. If you are doing the website design yourself, take note in presenting your site with the same care and detail that you would afford to a paying client. In saying this, don’t try to be “cute” or crass in your design. Using bright colors will definitely draw attention to your site, but what does it say about your professionalism and ability to choose the right motif from a color palette?
Do Use Your Personality in Your Portfolio
While your portfolio should be simple, concise, and tasteful you aren’t prevented from displaying projects or examples that are outside the box.
The pieces that display individualism and creativity can help get the attention of the job interviewer. Your online portfolio can also display your character and originality in some way without going over the top.
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Don’t Say How Great You Are
There is an old proverb that states “Let another praise you and not your own mouth.” There’s a lot of wisdom here. Have you ever had an acquaintance or friend that seems to talk about nothing except their own accomplishments and how talented they are? No doubt, you wished you were somewhere else when that person continued on his monologue.
In the same way, be aware that if you go too heavily in praising your own work, the listener just may be as bored as you were when you were in a similar situation.
Do Let Your Work Speak for Itself
If certain pieces of your portfolio catch the interest of your interviewer, you’ll be asked about it.
When the time comes, you can embellish on how you arrived at the final design, what it took to produce it, and other details related to the piece. A running commentary on your portfolio by you is rarely needed,
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Do Present a Varied Overall Presentation
A successful portfolio should be a window into who you are as a designer and showcase the various facets of your talent.
While a thematic portfolio can be a strong point, having too many pieces that are similar in nature does nothing to advance your cause.
When assembling your portfolio, try to select examples that while varied, are still cohesive to an overall theme in your portfolio.
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