If you're creating your graphic design portfolio, you'll want to do several things to make sure your portfolio stands out from the rest. These suggestions can help you craft a premium portfolio.
1. Showcase Your Ability To Communicate Brand
Most clients are going to look for graphic designers to translate their brand to viewers, meaning you'll need to show you can depict the mood, intention and message desired by various clients. Your graphic design portfolio should contain work done for several distinctly different brands, proving you can design work that will convey formal, informal, family-based, whimsical, artsy, funky, modern and traditional styles. Your client wants to believe you can depict his brand to his clients in a logo, newsletter, marketing materials, materials, book or Web site. Make sure you show you are versatile and capable.
2. Display Real Work Done For Real Clients
While schoolwork is acceptable for your portfolio, you'll want to have pieces done for real clients in your portfolio. How can you get experience when you have no experience? By working for free. Volunteer your services for small businesses, non-profit organizations, your neighborhood, churches and schools.
3. Flood Your Portfolio With Recommendations
Remember that volunteer work you did to get your feet wet? Those relationships are golden. When volunteering, always make sure your work is top-notch quality, and then ask for an endorsement for your portfolio to display along with the work you've done.
4. Show Off Your Geek Side
Yes, you're an artist, but you also need to be technically savvy to succeed in this field. Highlight your technical capabilities in your resume, portfolio and online. Have examples of work you've done in every software program and technical medium you have mastered.
5. Funk It Up
Show off your creative graphic design capabilities with a few truly unique and artsy pieces, even if you think you want to work primarily with corporate clients in a more traditional environment. You need to prove you can be flexible and artistic.
6. Play It Straight
Likewise, you'll want to show you can do the standard, boring stuff. You might not have enjoyed the standard assignments in class, but many clients will want to hire you for standard page layouts, formal projects and corporate communication. While these types of projects may not excite you, the paychecks attached to them will. Make sure you show off your ability to do the boring, standard work, as well as the artsy pieces.
7. Play Up Several Mediums
You should have both a hard copy portfolio and an online portfolio. Use the advantages of each medium to showcase your various capabilities. Remember that clients will be looking for flexibility in mediums; it's advantageous to showcase photography, drawing, painting and technical skills in addition to computer skills. Use the online portfolio to show all of your technical capabilities. If you need to hire a Web page designer to help you create a Web site for your work, consider it an investment in your future.
8. Highlight Your Education
Did you receive any scholarships or awards for work done in school? Did you go above and beyond in learning types of software or mastering a particular artistry? Make sure you demonstrate your education with pieces and mention these accomplishments in your resume.
9. Turn Your Resume and Portfolio Into An Advertisement For Your Services
Pretend you're working for a client-in this case, you-as you write your resume and cover letter. Let your resume declare your brand and style. Clients should get an indication of who you are and what services you can provide from a quick glance at your resume and portfolio.
 | If you want to start a graphic designer career, you'll have to evaluate your experience and education to see if you are prepared. These simple steps can get your graphic design career going. |
 | What is a graphic designer? Graphic designers are the artists of the world who help communicate visual information through a variety of media. |
 | If you'd like to become a graphic designer, you'll want to get started on preparations as soon as you can. The competition in graphic design careers can be somewhat stiff, so the more you prepare, the better. |
The history of graphic design goes back to drawings on cave walls and decorations on pottery. However, the formal history of graphic design-and the profession that has since ensued-came about in the early 20th century. |
If you're crafting your graphic design resume, celebrate the fact that you have some of the most flexibility in design of all the resumes out there. These seven tips will help your resume rise to the top of the pile. |
