Dear Designer,
If there is one thing I know that almost every designer dislikes, it is The Portfolio.
I’m in the process of redoing my own portfolio (for the sixth time probably) and it’s a horrendous job. Every time I create a new portfolio for myself, it feels more and more difficult.
The Dreaded Portfolio represents everything we detest about being in this profession. The sick self-promotion of our work. The act of finding past projects that we actually like enough to present publicly. The asking of others (clients, colleagues, agencies, etc.) whether we can use “their” work in our portfolio. The endless self-questioning about how to show the work — screenshots, mockups, sizing, placement, colour correction — when we know that the presentation will look old in six months’ time.
Let’s talk branding. Do I really need a “personal brand”? My little (or big) name in the form of a visual object? And a tagline that sounds like “Design is my passion” or “Visual solutions for a digital world”?
What about positioning? Should all of my work look the same or is it better to mix it up? Do prospective employers want to see strength in diversity (lots of work across areas of practice) or expertise by focus (a few case studies that present us as limited beings)?
Then there is the writing. That’s horrible, too. The very thought of writing about what you did long, long ago. First person or third person? Giving credit to others — or not? How much do I say? 100 brief words or 1,000 barfy ones? Do potential employers or clients really care at all about “strategy”? Is the old formula of “Challenge”, “Solution”, “Outcome” just plain stupid?
Do you need captions? What would a caption on a homepage screenshot even say to make it meaningful? Can I use AI?
Lord, and then there is what projects to feature. Do I showcase my recent work or my best work? Where can I show my very favourite projects? What do I put on the Home page? The Work page? Do I seriously need a Contact page? What goes there without it looking bare?
G-d forbid, then there is the choice of platforms. I have known people who stick to InDesign/PDFs for years simply to avoid having to choose a platform. And I’ve tried them all. Squarespace, wherein every template looks like… Squarespace. Cargo is for the cool kids but it's impossible to master. Readymag is nice but… oh, what about Framer? Anyone care for Carbonmade? Is WordPress decent for a small site? Should there be a blog? Can’t I just use AI?
Oy, and there is even more technical stuff. What about site performance and page speed? Do images need to be compressed? Is anyone really going to look at my site on a smartphone? Does accessibility matter? How do I even know what to write for alt text? Can I use AI?
After the site launches, what about promotion? LinkedIn is nice but does a portfolio show up there? Do I send mass emails to my past clients, friends, lovers and distant family members? Does Instagram make any difference? Is SEO even a thing anymore? What about GEO and AEO?
Every designer brings the full brunt of their imposter syndrome, indecision, idealism, and insistence to their own portfolio-making. Including me.
As I’m working on my new portfolio, all of this swirls in my poor head. I have probably reviewed thousands of designers’ portfolios and helped dozens of people create their own. And I still d-r-e-a-d, dread working on my portfolio.
I would honestly rather chew carpet.
So what are we supposed to do, dear designer?
Welp.
We take a beat. We drink something strong. And we do it anyway. We create the best-worst portfolio that we can.
Your portfolio is one thing that you have total freaking control over.
We start with goals. Personal goals and professional ones. We work from aspirations and with a little bit of attitude.
We aim a little higher.
Who do you want to be? What are your values? What does your portfolio mean to you? What is the one thing your portfolio will say about you?
Then we pour our finest projects into near-magical form. We take typography seriously, choosing typefaces that softly sing. We type out text and tell our tale. We make it real and start with small. Maybe it’s just five projects on a clean homepage that looks absolutely beautiful.
In a few weeks, I should be launching my new portfolio site. When it goes live, you’ll be the first to know.
I’m also planning on offering portfolio mentorship as part of my professional coaching packages.
In the questions, there are answers.
Wishing you a good week ahead.
Yours,
