As a creative person, your livelihood depends on your design portfolio. It summarizes your work and this is the first point of contact should anyone want to hire you. It should exude your strengths, experience, skills, and past work you have done.
There are several opinions out there about what your design portfolio should look like. However, there are some golden rules that should not be ignored. Your aim should be to impress your potential employer and demonstrate all your working skills.
Without wasting much of your time, here are some of the tips to help you create a killer design portfolio. Continue reading to learn how to make a portfolio that will set you apart from the competition and get you the gig!
Let Your Work Speak For Itself
You might be tempted to over-embellish your portfolio, but this is wrong. Instead, work on your projects that are easy to view in big formats so that they speak for themselves.
If possible, put all your work on one page. This will give your potential client an easy way to clearly see your capabilities.
Keep The Job In Mind
Whereas it’s easy for people to get tempted to include all the work they have done for so many years, sometimes this does not help. Instead, keep the job you are applying for in mind. Include samples for the work you want to be hired or commissioned for.
Be Authentic
There is nothing as attractive as showing your own creative work. Every employer looks for people who have their own voice. People who can stand out from the crowd and express their individual voice are important, especially in design.
This will help your employers know exactly what your passions are.
Use The Right Format
There is still debate about whether to print your portfolio or not, but it is safe to go with both formats. Whether print, iPad, or PDF is best depends on what you are comfortable with and the job at hand.
Some people like to feel the copies. However, if you are being hired for website design, showing your portfolio digitally would be more appropriate.
Always Tell Your Story
The key to an amazing portfolio is the ability to be confident enough to tell your story. Imagine someone going through your story when there is nothing to say about your work. Be proud of your work, and show it.
If you are called in a meeting or interview, make sure you are proud of your work and talk about it enthusiastically. Carefully explain the journey you went through and the behind scenes of it.
Avoid Fluff
This is another tip to ace your designer portfolio. Avoid being too wordy or including unnecessary details. Always get straight to the point.
Avoid attaching irrelevant clips or works. This will only waste people’s time. Instead, focus on the job at hand and implement your work accordingly.
Select Only Your Strong Pieces
Perhaps you have several projects you have completed in the past. However, this does not mean that you need to include everything you have done. Instead, select your best pieces, ones that can never be ignored, and include them in your portfolio.
Make It Interesting
The last thing anyone wants is to go through a boring portfolio. Whatever pieces you choose to include, make sure they are interesting and eye-catching. Use your imaginative senses to figure out how to do this. It is not easy to ignore a vibrant portfolio.
Bottom Line
There you have folks, if you have been struggling to create a designer portfolio, hopefully, these tips will help you get started. Overall, it is important to let your creativity shine in your designer portfolio! Good luck!
