Design portfolio tips
In the design field, at least in Finland, a portfolio is pretty much mandatory when looking for a job. It’s especially important when you are only starting out.
I’ve reviewed dozens, if not over a hundred, portfolios over the last three years and read a lot on what makes a good portfolio. I’ve collected some tips I’ve found that would be useful for most designers. They’re aimed at those who are early in your career, but they should be useful for anyone who’s thinking of updating or rebuilding their portfolio.
Your portfolio should reflect you and your skills
UX designer? Make sure you structure your portfolio in a sensible way, it’s easy to find relevant information and that there are no accessibility issues. Make it great to use. And give an executive summary for projects so someone can skim through a case in 5-20 seconds when browsing the portfolio.
Researcher, service designer? How you present your findings and insights is an important part. You can use a slide set or you can write. Just make sure, the process and thought are clear and easy to follow. Have an executive summary for projects.
Generalist? Present the breadth of your skillset, make everything at least pretty good and make sure nothing sucks. Consider rethinking, if you could present yourself more as a specialist in one area who can also do all the other stuff.
UI designer, graphic designer or visual designer? Work your magic, make it shine. Designers like shiny things. Before and after pictures highlight your magician’s skills.
A side note about the visuals: if you’re not strong visually, don’t stress about it too much. Sure, they help, but they’re not mandatory. Focus on the content and make sure it’s easy to read and find. All designers aren’t and shouldn’t be visual superstars.
The format is not that important
It’s important that you can showcase your work enough that you get to present it in person. The portfolio could be a website, slide set, video, Figma prototype, even a Word document (but if you can avoid it, don’t do a Word document). Whatever presents your work in the best way, you have the time and resources to do and is easy to share. Second, when you get to show your work, your portfolio should also work as a presentation tool. But whatever the format, make it good.
Personally, I think a self-coded web-based portfolio is the best solution. The best solution for your portfolio is the one that gets made and presents your work in a good way.
Quality over quantity in cases
Three is better than ten. Is five better than three? If you’re unsure, then no. Everything depends on the quality of the cases.
It’s useful to limit the quantity of projects in a portfolio down. Your portfolio should focus on the best quality work you can bring to the table and present it in the best possible – but honest – light. Have your best case at the top where it catches the attention. Don’t put anything you’re not proud of into your portfolio.
Have at least one case
When you’re early in your career, you might only have school projects or mock concepts. Having them in your portfolio is perfectly fine. Be honest and describe them as they are and not try to cover that they’re conceptual or that they were part of a school assignment. They are a good way to show your skills without real-world experience.
Another issue might be NDAs. Usually, you can work around them by describing the process in general terms and anonymizing a few UI pictures. You can also ask for permission to put your work into the portfolio, even if there is NDA.
Only show work you would like to do again
If you show a poster you made and someone hires you based on it, they’ll expect you to make more of those posters. If you want to switch your focus from posters to usability studies, don’t show posters, show usability studies.
Make it easy to skim
I’m going to spend around 2 minutes in a portfolio browsing around to figure out if I should go into more depth, and I’ve understood that’s generous. Many Medium articles give you 30 seconds. The most important bits should be visible right away.
What did you do?
Group effort is great, you’re a team player and don’t want to take all the credit. Great. But what did you do in the project? We’re trying to figure out if we’re going to hire you, not your project team. Take credit for what you did and give gredit to others, e.g. with copyrights. It show’s professionality and confidence in your work.
Everyone’s embarrassed of their portfolio
Your portfolio is a representation of you and your skills and you’re showing it to people. It’s not going to be perfect and you’re going to find a mistake every time you look at it. People will be judging you based on it. It’s an uncomfortable experience.
It’s the same experience for everyone. I don’t think there’s a designer that doesn’t find fault in their portfolio. It’s ok and normal to feel that way and you should send the portfolio anyway. Your next portfolio will be better.
Summary
Design your portfolio in a way that gets you to the interview stages where you can explain in more detail how do you approach design. It should show you in an honest, but flattering light. Select only the best projects and make sure they’re well built.
Also, remember that expectations for quality rise as you progress in your career. Everyone knows your first portfolio will have some flaws, and that’s OK.