How to Create a Cool Portfolio for a Designer: Step-by-step Instructions
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A well-designed portfolio is one of the most important criteria that increase the chance of getting a job in a professional design agency. When creating a portfolio online, it is necessary to take into account several principles, which we will discuss in this article.
Today you will learn how to choose the right works for the portfolio, what needs to be done for a successful portfolio placement, and where you can post your portfolio. You will be able to create beautifully designed portfolios that increase your attractiveness in the labour market.
In the beginning, it is important to consider several points. First, it should be your best work, ideally performed for customers or in a design studio, with real reviews. Pick some of the best projects and upload them to your portfolio.
You can get practical examples in 3 ways:
In the first case, you independently come up with a project for which you need to create a web design, determine the design theme and all other aspects.
Getting a real order is harder but also possible. Find a project of medium or low complexity and offer the customer some kind of bonus (a discount, free integration, or something like that). This will increase the chances of being selected among hundreds of other designers.
To get a project for your portfolio, you can also apply to a studio that is recruiting interns. This is usually done by large studios like Clay, a leading agency specializing in UX/UI design.
Then, it is time to move on to the next stage: choose the website where you will upload your portfolio.
There are three options to choose from:
Let us consider each option in more detail.
Tip: When looking for a job, you can also arrange a portfolio in PDF. Two or three slides per project are enough to provide basic information to the employer. After choosing a website, make sure that the examples are placed correctly.
Ideally, when building your portfolio, make it a case study of your great talents. Describe for whom the website was created, what is the theme of design, and what techniques you used to achieve great results. Also, indicate the target audience of the project. If you have access to the usability test results, add this information as well.
A great plus would be if you could get feedback from your ex-customers. To make them look real, provide real customer data, and add links to their social networks. Even simple screenshots from correspondence, recommendation letters, and other formats will do. A well-created logical description and real reviews will significantly increase your chances of getting an order or getting a job.
Try to find the best examples of your work to include in your portfolio. They may be real or made for imaginary projects. Showcase them and make them demonstrate your real talents and abilities. Then, choose a platform to host your portfolio. When adding designs, prepare a briefcase for each with a description of your goals and objectives.
Do not forget to include customer feedback. There should be also links to customer contacts (mail, accounts on social networks). This way, you will not go unnoticed and get the job that you want.