12 ways to make your portfolio stand out and be noticed.

January 24, 2023

PouyaSadri

Stand out from the competition with these 12 tips for making your portfolio unique, as shared by Coroflot in their repost for creative career advice for the ARTS THREAD community.

Tips

Portfolio

Uncover the secret ingredients for success in job hunting with my expert tips for showcasing your work, projecting a professional image, and creating a killer portfolio that demonstrates your skills and abilities. Elevate your job search and land your dream role.

1. Choose wisely.

Maximize the impact of your portfolio by carefully curating your best projects and showcasing them in a manner that immediately captures the viewer's attention. As potential employers frequently review numerous portfolios, it is crucial to present your work in a concise and effective manner. Select the most impactful and relevant projects, and highlight the key design skills demonstrated in each. Avoid repetition and redundancy by limiting the number of projects and sketches presented, and focus on presenting the most compelling and effective examples of your work.

2. Keep it relevant.

Your portfolio is a crucial tool for showcasing your qualifications and abilities to potential employers. It should not only feature your best work, but also demonstrate your relevance to the position you are applying for. Avoid including irrelevant projects, such as drawings of horses and landscapes, as they do not effectively communicate your design thinking and abilities. Instead, focus on presenting work that is relevant and tailored to the position, as this will leave a lasting impression and effectively communicate your qualifications.

3. Use your portfolio to tell a story.

An effective portfolio should not only showcase your best work, but also tell a story about your design abilities and qualifications. By highlighting a specific skill or aspect of the design process in each project, your portfolio becomes more than just a collection of work, it conveys a narrative about your design thinking, technical abilities, and how you approach problem-solving. This approach not only makes for a more engaging and impactful portfolio, but also effectively communicates your qualifications and makes you a stand-out candidate for the job.

4.Keep it simple.

Avoid detracting from the quality of your work by overusing flashy or unnecessary graphics in your portfolio layout. A simple, elegant, and consistent design allows your work to speak for itself and makes for a more effective and impactful presentation. Remember that the focus should be on showcasing your work and abilities, not on the design elements of the portfolio itself.

5. Show me you can think.

As a recent graduate, it can be challenging to effectively communicate your design process and thinking. When discussing your projects, it is important to highlight your ability to:

• a. Clearly define the design problem and objective.
• b. Gather, analyze, and synthesize information, identifying opportunities and insights that inform your work. This includes researching users, their behaviors, motivations, interactions, and the social and cultural context of the project.
• c. Create a compelling and resolved design solution through iterative design process, testing and refinement.
• d. Utilize appropriate design tools, such as sketching, model making, and CAD.
• e. Communicate your results effectively by clearly showing how the design solution addresses the problem and is informed by your research and insights. This is a critical component in showcasing your abilities as a designer.

6. Show me the basics.

As an entry or mid-level designer, it is important to demonstrate a mastery of the fundamental principles of form in your portfolio. Simply claiming an intuitive sense of form resolution is not enough, it is important to be able to articulate the reasoning behind your design decisions. Through the design process, designs are always in flux and require new directions, development, and refinement. As a designer, you need to be able to explain why and how something needs to be changed. To gain a deeper understanding of this principle, consider studying a resource like "Elements of Design" which discusses Rowena Reed Kostellow's methods for analyzing visual relationships.

7. Get inspired and get feedback.

Improve your portfolio and presentation by seeking feedback and input from your colleagues, peers, and industry professionals. Look at other portfolios online, engage in discussions about your work, and actively listen to others as they discuss their own projects. These interactions and feedback can provide valuable insights and perspectives that can help you refine your portfolio and showcase your abilities more effectively.

8. Meet the criteria.

To effectively present yourself and your qualifications, it is important to understand the requirements of the position you are applying for and the company you are applying to. Research the company's needs and tailor your portfolio and resume to demonstrate how your skills and experience align with those needs. Additionally, know your own abilities and limitations in order to accurately position yourself in the job market.

• For entry-level positions, employers typically expect applicants to have a well-rounded set of skills, a strong grasp of design fundamentals, the ability to sketch and make models, proficiency in Adobe Suite and knowledge of 3D CAD.
• For mid-level positions, employers also expect the above skills as well as the ability to help develop the vision for a project.
• For senior-level positions, employers expect applicants to have all the skills above, the ability to lead the vision for a project and manage teams and clients.

9. Get to the point.

In my experience, a lengthy cover letter can often be a hindrance to your application. To avoid this, keep your cover letter short and to the point. Introduce yourself, explain why you are applying for the position, and include a sentence or two about what makes you an interesting candidate. Avoid adding any unnecessary details or information that may distract from your qualifications and skills. Anything more than a short paragraph or a few sentences is likely to be excessive and may discourage the employer from reviewing your portfolio and resume.

10. Send a summary of your work.

In today's job market, most job inquiries are made through email. When submitting your application, be sure to include a summary of your portfolio or a link to your work along with your cover letter and resume. Do not make the employer request to view your work, as this may result in your application being overlooked. It is important to remember that employers typically review your work first before considering your resume, so make sure your portfolio is easily accessible. Always include a link or summary of your portfolio as a part of your initial application.

11. Understand the medium.

When presenting your work, it is important to consider the format and layout depending on how the work is being shown. Whether it is on screen, an animated web page, or printed on glossy paper, you should adapt your portfolio to best suit the medium. For example, when presenting a printed portfolio, avoid using lengthy paragraphs as they may not be easily readable. Instead, use images and minimal text to communicate your ideas. Similarly, when presenting your work online, consider the format that will showcase your work the best, for example, an animated graphic may not present well on a static webpage. Always think about the audience and the best way to make a lasting impression.

12. Be confident and positive.

As an employer, I sometimes encounter candidates who display a poor attitude or are overly confident in their abilities. Even if your work is exceptional, a negative attitude can be a major deterrent in the hiring process. Additionally, speaking negatively about past employers is not a good idea, as it reflects poorly on your professional demeanor. Instead, focus on highlighting the positive things you accomplished during your time at your previous employer.

I am looking for candidates who are self-starters with a curiosity to learn, who are able to work independently as well as within a team. Strong communication skills, ability to engage in spirited debate and foster insightful thinking, and the ability to bring creativity to the office culture are important qualities that I look for in a candidate.

Let my expertise as a freelancer help you create a professional portfolio that effectively showcases your skills and qualifications, helping you stand out in the competitive job market.