Unique perspective of a seasoned designer and veteran A/E industry recruiter regarding what design industry recruiters actually look for in a Design Portfolio
Design Portfolios: A Recruiter’s View provides a student-friendly guide, written from the perspective of a designer and design industry recruiter, on what recruiters look for as they review a design portfolio. It shows students how to create a professional-quality portfolio that will get them to that all-important next step in the recruiting process - the interview.
Using a unique plan of action, “The Four S’s”, the book presents an organizational mindset focused on the added value of telling your Story, revealing your Style, proclaiming your Substance, and Sharing your uniqueness effectively.
In today’s competitive market, a winning portfolio is much more than a simple accounting of digital skills and volumes of high-resolution graphics. This book shows students what recruiters really value and how to ensure their portfolios make the right impression.
Design Portfolios: A Recruiter’s View explains:
- How to develop a memorable organizational approach around story, style, substance, and sharing and create a winning portfolio
- Answers to the key questions students ask to fill in gaps in their academic instruction
- Real examples of resumes, cover letters, and portfolios that reveal what is needed for success
- Years of “big picture” insight gained from actual portfolio reviews during the author’s time as a designer and recruiter
Aimed at the inexperienced design student rather than the practicing professional, Design Portfolios: A Recruiter’s View is an easy-to-understand and constructive guide that is incredibly helpful to young designers with project histories that consist only of academic and internship work.
Table of Contents
Foreword vii
Allan Shearer
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
Chapter 1: Why Do I Need a Portfolio? 5
Story 8
Style 9
Substance 10
Sharing 11
Chapter 2: Tell Your Story 13
Story: Your Cover Letter 18
Story: Your Résumé 27
Story: Your Portfolio 35
Chapter 3: Define Your Style 85
Style: Your Cover Letter 87
Style: Your Résumé 92
Style: Your Portfolio 102
Chapter 4: Give It Substance 155
Substance: Your Cover Letter 156
Substance: Your Résumé 158
Substance: Your Portfolio 166
Chapter 5: Share Your Work 199
Sharing: Your Cover Letter 200
Sharing: Your Résumé and Portfolio 206
Chapter 6: Bring It All Together 217
Afterword 221
Tim Augustine
About the Author 225
Index 227