Caveat: it must be noted that my portfolio and résumé are in a horrid state of disrepair, lacking proof of process, scattered and generally outdated and ill-reflective of my current abilities or work. But I’m also not looking for a job.
Still, pretty pathetic. Something about a cobbler… shoes… children… etc.
Great post, bro! Thanks for taking the time to put out some solid advice for those of us looking for work at the moment. I’ve been using Krop.com for my porfolio/online resume, but I think after reading this I’m going to use tumblr instead. With tumblr I can post a lot more of my work, plus sketches, and other pre-production stuff that can give a better picture of my work flow. (also, it’s mobile friendly)
Thanks again!
Very helpful, thanks for sharing this. I need to work on updating my online work portfolio and definitely think about showing more detailed problem solving work.
My pet peeve when hiring designers/developers as a Creative Director was portfolios that just listed images of work.
What did you do on the project? You were a junior designer and you have a screenshot of Nike.com? Oh, you just design one button. Yeah, that’s kind of misrepresenting yourself.I’d rather read about how you solved a client’s issue with your work then looking at nice decoration.
I guess I differ with you on wanting to see tons of work. I think the minimum should be about 6 pieces with full disclosure on what you were responsible for and a paragraph on how you solved a client issue. I’d rather see 6 good pieces with thought out case study then 30 pieces of just stuff. Your portfolio is not a link to your Dribbble/Flickr account. If I call you for an interview then I may want to see your whole kit and kaboodle.
Especially for a Junior Designer position, I do not care so much about your experience as much as I want to see that you have talent, can write and think about your work and are eager and able to learn on the fly. The reason why I’m hiring a Junior Designer is that I can’t afford to hire an experienced designer and are expecting some holes in your game. Hopefully those holes can be filled with talent, smarts and eagerness to learn.
When you find a Junior Designer-type with in-depth case studies, I want to see it.
Solid write-up. Renaud’s comments are a great addition.
One quibble: you’ve misspelled “resumé”. If you want to use the French spelling, fine — but there’s only one accent. You could also just write “resume”, which is perfectly acceptable.
:)
Nevermind the quibble. I should have looked it up … ”resume”, “resumé”, and “résumé” are all acceptable alternatives.
* wipes egg from face *
This is more of a creativity guide, presenting the best approaches for being a great profession in the webdesign domain. It seems that you have put a lot of feelings in writing this article.
Amen. Something even those of us not looking for work need to consider (though a client will look at different things than a would-be employer/designer would).
I don’t mean in-depth case studies that would be boring as hell, but I mean something like:
————–
| Image of work |
————–
Responsibilities: Wireframe, Visual Design
About: This is a student project where the professor challenged us to think of typography as a layout device.
I just remember getting portfolios with imaginary designs for Nike and I was like, what is the context here? Is this a class project?
Thanks for the shout. Hope all’s good w ya.
I just stumbled on here earlier today. I’m really interested in Christians improving their skills in the arts. This blog looks like it’ll be a great resource for that. Are there any others that any of you would recommend to help fill out my rss feeds?
Thanks,
David
Maybe we’re a little more casual here in New Zealand, but having been charged with filtering through CV’s myself, I would add:
- Don’t clutter your resume. Keep it to a list of your skills and experience with a few case studies. Don’t put up every little job you’ve ever worked on, select the best and be prepared to talk about them and others in an interview.
- Lay it out nicely! There is nothing worse than having to work hard to understand or read the information in a resume. Have a consistent style and choose a plain legible font spaced well. Especially if you are applying for a design role, of course.
- Don’t lie, try and stay away from clichés. “Hard working self-starter with a hunger for learning” sounds great, but whoever is reading your CV is likely to have read that gumf before – describe yourself in a new way, conversationally so the reviewer gets to know you.
- Give the reviewer a reason to want to meet you in person, make sure there’s more to discover.
Now I feel like redoing my own resume!
Interesting artice. May need to rethink my portfolio for the future.
About The Author
I'm a graphic designer and sometimes writer living in Anderson, South Carolina. I serve as the Design Director for NewSpring Church. I love Jesus, my wife, Levi's Jeans, good Tex-Mex, and 8oz glass bottle Coca-Cola Classic. On good days I love them roughly in that order. Email me.
What People Like Me are Looking For in Designer/Developer Portfolios
Mon 08/02/10
My team currently has two openings, a Web Developer and
Junior Designer, and we just hired a Project Manager. I’ve been spending ~15% of my workdays lately sorting through portfolios, reading and sending emails, and following up with potential applicants. I think most people in Director/Principle/HR-type roles are too busy to explain why an applicant gets rejected, but I want to throw some ideas out there that I think might help you if you’re a design/developer on the job hunt.1. Show Lots of Work…
Actual, Honest-To-God, well-thought-out, proof-that-you-can-problem-solve WORK. There are 12 year olds with a copy of Photoshop who can set some cool type on an image. Your grandma could learn basic HTML/CSS (hyperbole, maybe—but also probably true). Where’s the proof that you can turn complex thinking into seemingly simple solutions? Proof that you can take a client’s needs and translate them into real work?
If you’re a designer, show a variety of design solutions (include sketches and failed attempts, too—process is important). If you’re a developer, show live code examples (not just “I worked on this website” statements). If you don’t have real clients yet, try your hand at unsolicited redesigns. Just get out there, find problems and solve them. Do it on your own time and show a potential employer/client that A) you can hustle and B) you’re capable of solving problems for them.
2. …in an Easy-To-Browse Portfolio*…
I had a wonderful client/friend (amazing combo if you can make it happen) who once told me he typically browsed through dozens of portfolios looking for the right talent for new projects. “Don’t make me click a lot,” he’d say, “just show me big pictures of great work.” Word to the wise from a guy who hires talent for huge clients.
*Bonus points if I can look at your portfolio on my phone. I’m not a super-busy guy, but I’m also not always at my desk in front of a 30″ monitor. Mobile is the future of how we interact with the internet—if you aren’t thinking about it now, you’ve got catching up to do.
3. …with A Stellar Cover Letter
Make me look twice. Being a vital part of a team is about more than a skillset, so your résumé is only the price of entry. Who you are determines whether you get to stick around for coffee. Is there a person behind the portfolio? How is that person different from rest of the stack of emails I’m getting? Standouts get hired, not résumés—have a voice. Articulate why you’re different.
4. Sweat the Details
Proofread your damn résumé. Make sure your website works. Spell the company’s name right. The care you put into the details of presenting yourself to a potential employer/client is a good measure of the care you will put into the work you do for that employer/client.
I once got a cover letter that led with, “My objective is to obtain a Junior Designer position at [local advertising agency's name].” Since I received this letter and résumé for a job opening on my team, I replied, “I wish you luck in your objective to obtain a Junior Designer position at [local advertising agency's name].” Details matter, always.
5. Follow the Instructions
Be as creative as you want to be, but make sure you follow the instructions in the job posting while you’re doing it. See #4.
6. Be Passionate
Please love what you do. If you’re not energized and excited about the job you’re pursuing, stop, reassess and pursue something else. In a typical week, you’re going to spend 35–45 hours a week with your coworkers—no one wants to work with passionless people. Find something you love to do and run after it.
Homework
Read Kevin Fanning’s Let’s All Find Awesome Jobs. It’s full of great, practical advice.