Portfolios…it’s a Thing
Portfolios are a part of designer life. If you’re anything like me, the portfolio is a constant source of frustration, because I am never satisfied with it. Over the years it’s turned into a love/hate relationship. I am constantly tweaking my portfolio and redesigning it, so it is very easy to lose sight of what a portfolio should be.
When we pause and think about it, the main purpose of our portfolios is to showcase our work as designers. However, there is another purpose for our portfolios that we may not immediately think about. Our portfolios are about showcasing who we are as designers.
When I speak to designers, I am often answering questions about portfolios and the most common question I ask is what about this portfolio represents you? We commonly have the obligatory “BIO” section of our portfolios, but it rarely gives enough to help someone understand who we are. What motivates us as designers? Why is design something we love? These are the questions I find myself asking as I meet fellow designers or are looking to hire a designer onto my team.
Part of carving your path, as a designer, is embracing who you are. This is the thought that fuels my advice to lean into who we are and don’t be afraid to represent ourselves. All of us have very similar skills as designers, so the best way to differentiate ourselves is to comprehensively share who we are through your portfolio.
While I give this advice, I also share the fear of sharing more about myself through my portfolio. Is there such a thing as sharing too much? Will it seem unprofessional to share more personal things about me? The short answer is to share as much as you feel comfortable with. In other words, be yourself. If you would normally tell someone more about yourself when you first meet them then go ahead and share more. If you normally wouldn’t share a lot about yourself then don’t. When you are communicating who you are the most important thing is to be authentic.
So now let’s expand on what this means for our portfolios. Let’s think about how to infuse your portfolio with who you are. First, I want you to answer the question “what motivates you?” Choose to show the design work that you are truly proud of. Tell me what about those projects motivated you. Why did you love those projects? Then continue by telling us about what motivates you. As an example, instead of using “I am a product designer” as the header of your portfolio site, try “I am a mother, loving daughter, and loyal sister..”. Which one of those statements communicates more? Exactly!
Embrace who you are. Infuse your work with your excellence. There is no greater opportunity to do that than our portfolios. While my portfolio is a source of frustration, it is also the only piece of design that I truly own in every sense. Our portfolios are an opportunity to be ourselves.
