Portfolio Content?

ajpeacockdesign

ajpeacockdesign

Member
Hi everyone,

Me again!

So I'm working on content for my portfolio. I have a list of things I'm working through:

3x Social Media Banner
10x Logo
3x Branding Project
1x Brochure
1x Magazine
5x Posters
Several Digital Illustrations
8x Typography Examples
3x Ad Campaign

Is there anything else important that I should be including?

I thought about an infographic (they bore me to tears but I know in most design jobs, I will encounter them eventually)

Redesigning already famous logos? What's your opinion on this?

Redesigning an already existing book cover? Or is this a waste of time?
 
Only put in actual work that you did - I couldn't care less about concept logos/designs that didn't go anywhere. Or redesigning famous logos.
Maybe if you want to include them as an appendix or something.

Vary your portfolio for the job application. If it's a magazine job, then put those first. If the job spec mentions logos, then put them in near the start etc.

Make your portfolio simple, easily interchangeable and look at your job specs and what is asked of you and make sure those are front and foremost.
 
Thanks for the reply, Hank.
What do you mean by 'concepts that didn't go anywhere?'

Also, I'm adding as much varying stuff to my portfolio as I can. It isn't often a Graphic Design position is advertised in my area, so I'm not creating a body of work for a specific role; more an 'all rounder' portfolio, on the off chance a job comes up that might be slightly relatated to the Graphic Desigb field, if that makes sense?
 
Concepts that don't go anywhere are basically designs that didn't get printed.

I've done tonnes of concept work but I can never put them in a portfolio as they were never in the public.
 
hankscorpio said:
Concepts that don't go anywhere are basically designs that didn't get printed.

I've done tonnes of concept work but I can never put them in a portfolio as they were never in the public.
Click to expand...

The logos/concepts that go into my portfolio will be finished projects; as if it was actual client work, and will be printed as such. Everything I'm doing at the moment is purely to showcase my capabilities and all businesses are fictional.
 
Prospective employers want to see relevant content.

If they are an advertising agency then they won't neccessarily want to see infographics or posters. They will want to see adverts you have created.

Your portfolio needs to be dynamic and adapt to the job you are applying for.

I needed someone a while back to create an icon set. I posted an advert and got a whole load of replies from people showing me book covers, posters, cartoon and other irrelevancies. The one who got the job just sent me examples of icons. But what clinched the deal was the descriptions she wrote to supplement the icons. She had taken care to sell herself properly.
 
ajpeacockdesign said:
The logos/concepts that go into my portfolio will be finished projects; as if it was actual client work, and will be printed as such. Everything I'm doing at the moment is purely to showcase my capabilities and all businesses are fictional.
Click to expand...

If that's the case there's nothing wrong with including them - just make sure you title the page that way to make it clear what it is.

My first job I applied for in design/prepress I had a good background, and some really bad design pieces that I thought were brilliant. But what I brought to the table was a booklet I had printed myself, and imposed, I had some clever photoshop work and examples, and good working knowledge of Illustrator.

The fact that I knew impositions applying for a prepress job clinched it for me. Little did I know how little I knew about impositions!

Certainly - showcase your skillsets - and as before adapt your portfolio like @fisicx also echos.

You'll be already 1 step ahead of all other applicants.

And don't just apply for jobs that are advertised.
Look up places you want to work and send them your stuff anyway.

That's literally what I did when I got my first job (talked about here) - I sent over 50 companies my CV and portfolio (printed out and stuffed in a envelope and hand written cover letters specific to the company and manager there!)

When I got the job at the first place that hired me, years later I found a letter in a folder about my application - they were thinking of hiring a junior and were setting about advertising for it, but the letters I found between the manager and owner simply said that they had already received a CV and portfolio and advertising wasn't necessary - that CV and portfolio was mine!

Got lucky, I know. But send your stuff anyway. Even follow up for feedback etc. (make sure you do!)
 
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