Importance of a Strong Portfolio for Designers & Creators

By: Creonow

Did you just get stuck looking at a striking creative portfolio? If you haven’t tapped the countless potential of having an awesome portfolio, this blog definitely helps to change your perspective! For having a flourishing career in today’s creative industry, a stunning portfolio is enough to make or break your interview! So, what makes a portfolio so important in the lives of graphic designers and creators? How can you make such a strong portfolio that makes a cracking impact on the hiring managers across the table? Can someone share some tips on what to do and not to do while creating one – grab a cup of coffee as we unfurl all these and many more answers from the industry!
 
Understanding a Portfolio
 
In a nutshell, a portfolio is a collection of all the best works that you have done in the past. The visual or audio expression makes it easier for the employees to make their decision. A portfolio comes in diverse forms and sizes! It can be a website, video, playlist, a physical folder, mixed-format – depending upon the type of job you looking for! In simple terms, a portfolio gives a brief idea about your creative journey while highlighting the milestones. It should exhibit the right pieces of skills, processes, and knowledge of the designer.  

How Does a Stunning Portfolio Make a Difference?  

Did you know that in the US alone, there are around 266,300 graphic designer professionals? It is projected that every year, on average, over the decade, the US needs over 23,900 designers to fill up the vacancies. With such stiff competition, making an eye-catching portfolio that showcases your talent, and expertise is a wise decision. Be it a freelance graphic designer or a design company, both can create their portfolios to stand ahead in the market.

• Exhibit your skills, knowledge, project, and experience
• A proven method of self-discovery
• Multi-faceted way to showcase goals, accomplishment
• Tangible proof of prior learning experiences   

Now that you have a fair understanding of the impact of an attractive portfolio, below are some key guiding factors.  

Showcase the Design Process: A portfolio isn’t only about highlighting the best creativity; it should also explain the design process. The concept should be self-explanatory and every design step should be relevant. Prepare the portfolio in a way that you would actually design a presentation to a client. Convey a clear message without meeting your employer and let the design process speak for you.

Build Your Brand: A portfolio with scattered or diverse creatives is only going to hamper your chances of unlocking an opportunity! Work towards curating a personal brand that gives a professional impression. Devoting the maximum time & energy in Designing websites, flyers, brand identities, creatives help to maximise the value of your brand.  

Work on Live Projects: What if you are a freelance graphic designer or a starter in the industry who doesn’t have much to showcase? Well, try to give your best shot in executing live project designs that attracts the eyeballs at various platforms. As you continue to evolve with every design, clients keep a track of the progress that generates new opportunities for you!  

Tips to Create an Immaculate Portfolio  

 When you start collating the pieces of your portfolio, the objective should be crystal clear! Creating impressions are crucial as highlighting the entire spectrum of your talent is quite challenging. Read below to know the top ideas to create a perfect portfolio.  

Things to Include in Your Portfolio: A good portfolio ranks higher on quality rather than quantity! Ensure to showcase minimal work that is truly exceptional and can earn you rich dividends. The key is to hold the interest of the employer rather than making the portfolio look messy & heavy. Additionally, segregating your work as per clientele is a smart way to make sure the client sees what you want them to see!  

Online VS Offline Portfolio: While designers opt for a responsive graphic designer website to keep an online presence, following a classical approach is still appreciated. If you are a print designer and have a face-to-face interview, having a hard copy is the best approach. If you are a UI/UX designer, having a graphic designer website is the best thing possible. As an add-on, you can include graphics and videos to make it visually appealing.  

Keep your Portfolio Updated: As per research done before the pandemic, around 80% of professionals ignored their portfolio after having a full-time job! So, this rule is quite simple but still effective! As design trends and technology are transforming with each passing day, remove anything that is above 2 years old. Try to add creatives with skillsets that are trending or have a huge demand in the market. The best part is – an updated portfolio reflects that you care about your work and career!  

Dos and Don’ts for your Graphics Design Portfolio  

Let’s uncover the top dos & don’ts you should keep in mind while creating a portfolio.  

DO: Create a storyline within your portfolio
DON’T: Never fill the portfolio with an archive of your entire work  

Be it online or offline – create a roadmap for the users that highlights your evolution as a designer! Unchecked navigation leads to nowhere and the      employer might get confused.

DO: Highlight your professional goal through creatives
DON’T: Never add your personal interests or include your hobbies  

Be consistent by showcasing your work as well as a glimpse of your professional aspirations to the employer. If you are a starter, add up sections like beginner and more.

DO: A well-balanced Portfolio
DON’T: Only images or videos will not to the wonders  

Keeping only images can sometimes hamper your fortunes if the user is unable to relate to the design! A short description can do wonders as you allow the user to have the same perspective.  

DO: Enhance the UI/UX of the online portfolio
DON’T: A complicated website won’t work  

Don’t let users get distracted from the carefully curated and annotated designs in the portfolio. Enhance the visual appeal with supported templates that complements the designs.  

If you have read this blog till now, you must have got a fair understanding of the importance of a strong portfolio for designers & creators. Now that you have access to all the tricks of the trade, make a stunning portfolio that makes a positive impression.