Portfolio Guide

Think of a portfolio as a showcase of your experiences, your design ability, and your technical skills. A successful one depends upon planning, a well organized archive, and a good design. It should always be a “work in progress” with content that evolves as you get more experience and learn what you want to do more of. Like a resume, the portfolio should contain a core information but have elements that are customizable for interviews for a particular position or with a particular company.

Fancy presentation techniques and containers are less important than content. Keep it spotless. The portfolio is not a history book or a scrapbook. Potential employers want to know what your powers are right now.

Managers, directors and vice presidents of design who may not do any hands on design will showcase the work done under their direction, either by a staff, outside vendors, or a combination.

Teachers’ portfolios contain the work of their students as well as their own.

For junior designers, now is the time to use the feedback you got in class to make adjustments and improve the quality of the solution and the presentation. Take new photos, clean up those details, provide any missing information to make your design solution fantastic.

Hard copy and on-line presentations can be combined as a portfolio. The hard copy portion can be either a plastic or leather container holding a spiral binder of acetate leaves or an attaché case containing boards and/or design planning books or sketch books and should be no smaller than 11” x 14.” If using labels, be sure they are in upper and lower case and in at least 10 point type, are spelled correctly and add value. Decide whether hard copy or digital is best for you to present problem statements, research and results, concept sketches, colors