5 Tips for Making Your Design Portfolio Stand Out

Only show your very best work

You are proud of all of your work and want to show it off. Showing off everything you have ever done could be a mistake. Most people have a limited attention span and may stop paying attention after a few designs or have already made a decision. If you are like most designers, you have a lot of work in your portfolio going back to when you were in school. That does not mean it should all be put on display. You want potential clients to see variety in your work, but you must choose carefully.

When you give a client too much, it is overwhelming, and they will not be able to take it all in. With online portfolios, if you have too many designs, it makes your website slow and frustrating. You can also turn off clients when your website does not load quickly.

Marco Marino presents his work clearly and leaves a wonderful impression. He only presents four designs but still shows the variety and allows clients to see what he can really do. These design projects are vastly different, and they stand out and make potential clients take notice.

Leave the very best for the beginning and end

The way you present your graphic design portfolio can be the difference between whether you get the job or not. No matter the job you want, from creative assistant to design manager, your portfolio is critical. You want to bookend your work by putting your best work at the beginning and the end.

When you have great work upfront, you leave an impression that prompts the reviewer to keep going. When you have great work at the end, you leave a good impression on the reviewer. Think of it as the taste you leave in their mouth. You want your personal branding to stand out in a good way.

You also want to consider the structure of each page and the menu. Every aspect of your portfolio must be considered and well thought out. You want your design projects to stand out. No matter what you design, even a logo design, you will face design challenges. You may want to highlight how you overcome those challenges. Malika Favre puts her best work on display with this colorful layout.

Don’t put everything you’ve ever done

When you are deciding what to put in your creative portfolio, pick the work you are most proud of doing. It does not matter how large or well-known the client is. It should go in your portfolio if you think it is some of your best work. You want to select work that is similar to what you want to do.

Freelancers often have to take work sometimes, even if it is not what they enjoy. If you worked on a project that did not bring you joy or is an area where you no longer want to work, do not include it in your portfolio. No matter how much work you have, only include the top few in your portfolio. You want your work to stand out. You want to create your brand identity with your portfolio. You must be selective to do this.

Violeta Noy keeps her work simple and allows it to speak for her. As a result, you get a clear understanding of who she is. You do not spend much time on her website before you see her signature work.

Make it digital

There is a strong pull for design portfolios to be digital. There are many strong reasons why you want to create digital content. There are numerous portfolio sites that help you build your portfolio digitally. They have templates that make it simple to showcase your work. When you have a digital portfolio, it is simple to update. When you have a presence in the digital world, you want your work to be current. You can make your work full screen, so it leaves an impression.

A digital portfolio is easy to send or share with potential clients. When your work is digital, you can move it easily across all social media platforms. Your work is more accessible to others when it is in digital format. You can save a lot of money when you have a digital portfolio because you do not have to pay for printing. Quality printing is expensive. Many designers have a digital presence today, and there are a tremendous amount of examples. Shelby Hipol showcases her work on a website that she keeps clean and simple while presenting her work in a unique and eye-catching way.

Tailor to the job you want

While a graphic design portfolio should display the best work that you are most proud of, you also want to consider the work you want. When putting your portfolio together, think about the job you are trying to get. You want to provide examples that prove you can do that job. There are several people that might review your portfolio. Recruiters, design managers, art directors, creative directors, and potential clients.

You want to layer in the content of your portfolio so you can appeal to all of them. You want a portfolio that has dimensions. When a recruiter looks at your work, they are going to scan quickly, so you want your best work upfront. A client goes slightly deeper but will still scan quickly. Everyone else is going to want to see case studies. They want to know more about your work and what thinking went into it. You do not have to be excessive with your case studies. Emily Yeh keeps her case studies short but still answers the questions that managers want to know.

Go in with confidence

When you are creating your design portfolio, you want to be thoughtful. Keep in mind the purpose is to showcase your work and talent to get more work. You want people to see your skills. This requires a portfolio that is well-structured. It does not matter if you are focused on product photography or logos or you have a full design studio; your portfolio can make or break you.

Do not forget to include your name, contact information, and a little about yourself. Inject your personality into your portfolio but keep it clean and organized. You want to draw people in with your portfolio, not turn them away. When you have a strong portfolio, it helps you feel confident about the quality of your work. It also helps clients and design managers feel confident about your work and skill. This can inspire them to hire you. So remain confident in your skills and your portfolio.