DEVELOPING AND ASSEMBLING YOUR PORTFOLIO

Your portfolio is your number one career tool. It is the key marketing tool in getting a job and/or clients. It should represent your strengths, range of talent and level of professionalism. It needs to include strong examples of the following items: logo development, page layout; single and multi-page, photography, illustration, typography, a sophisticated use of color and a great understanding of design principles. A portfolio is consists of only your best pieces while your body of work consists of all of your design and fine art projects you created during your class assignments as well as any outside professional work.

It is also a work in progress. Keep it up to date.

Selecting your work
Creativity is key. Every item chosen should reveal your creative style and demonstrate your technical and industry expertise. Each piece should be clean – no smudges, folds or extraneous markings. Select pieces that are relevant to the prospective client/interviewer's project. Your portfolio should include the following: cross-platform work, use of multiple software applications, be in physical and digital formats. If including web work, create a list of the URLs along with high-resolution color printouts of each sample.

Organizing your work
10 - 12 pieces
Industry-specific, media specialty, chronological.
Do not use the encylopedia approach, give a history lesson, be a pack rat, be a no-show, give a blank stare, have inappropriate material in your book, or be totally digital.

Items to include
The 10 - 12 pieces should come from the following categories:

• PERSONAL
  Logo, Stationery Set, Self Promotional Piece, Resume, Cover Letter
  
• MARKETING
  Logos, Identity Package, Brochure, Newsletter, Menu, Annual report, Magazine spread, Catalog, Magazine, Sell Sheet, Direct Mail, Posters, etc...
  
• PACKAGING
  CD Jewel Case, Video Box, DVD Case, Point of Purchase Display, Consumer Product Package, etc...
  
• ADVERTISING
  Ads, Billboards, Commercials, Story Boards, etc...
  
• OTHER AREAS
  Environmental, Gaming, Animation, Web, etc...

Displaying your work online
After selecting only your best work that shows a consistant level of quality, save those pieces for the web. There are many ways have your work appear online such as at www.aquent.com, www.commarts.com, etc. You can upload the files as if they were images to sites like www.shuttlefly.com amd www. snapfish.com. The best way to showcase your talents is to do it yourself. Create you very own website that is customized to your needs. Free sites for hosting are your internet provider, www.tripod.com and www.angelfire.com, which will place ads at the top of every page. Low cost hosting which include domain names are www.godaddy.com, www.networksolutions.com, www.yahoo.com, etc...

Displaying your work in a portfolio case
Use high a quality professional portfolio that allows you to mount individual pieces on a firm mat or backing. The best size for your portfolio is 16" x 20" or 11" x 14."
Include extra copies of your resume and a client list.
Arrange one sample per page to avoid a cluttered look.
Laminating is an option but expensive.
Include disks or CDs in the pocket.
Photograph bulky or odd shaped items.

Presenting your work
Target your portfolio. Research prospective companies. Know how much time will be available for portfolio review, what types of equipment will be available for viewing digital files, and what types of skills and abilities are most important. Develop a compelling pitch that promotes your talents and experience. Create a "top five" presentation, Rehearse your delivery, Don't make an extended speech, Choose at least one sample to leave behind, Don't make excuses.

Objective
You are expected to present a portfolio that consists of the following:
The work is neat, with no smudges, erasures, etc...
The sequence of the work is logical.
Photographed work is of professional quality.
Work exhibits a broad range of abilities.
Work shows proficiency in a specialized are.
Labeling is neat and descriptive.
Work is self-explanatory and needs no verbal clarification.
Work includes a development piece which shows a project from conception to completion.
Work is assembled and mounted in a professional manner.
Work shows competency in a variety of media.
Work show imaginative concept development