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Thread: Lack of portfolio for design firm, does it matter?

  1. #1
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    Lack of portfolio for design firm, does it matter?

    Hi,
    I have just finished doing a qualification in fine art and have been learning and designing graphic projects (personal) for the last four years. However i cant really show proven work - portfolio wise. Does this really matter? will people normally judge by your own site? Should i create some ficticous sites?
    Feedback and advice would be appreciated
    Thanks

  2. #2
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    Templates / examples of what you "could" do are always a good idea , even if uve already got a portfolio.

    But answering the question , Yes a portfolio would make a difference.

  3. #3
    Phantom Flasher... Markp.com's Avatar
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    I've heard of people getting work from their Portfolio alone, never mind their qualifications... my portfolio is mainly print work (I need to update it) but it has gotten me print work in the past.

    People need proof of your skills, so I'd say always always go with the portfolio.

  4. #4
    Under the influence bvgroote's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Markp.com
    I've heard of people getting work from their Portfolio alone, never mind their qualifications... my portfolio is mainly print work (I need to update it) but it has gotten me print work in the past.

    People need proof of your skills, so I'd say always always go with the portfolio.
    Mark, your print section has nothing in it?!

  5. #5
    Spartan Mop Warrior Loyal Rogue's Avatar
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    Bigtime YES to the portfolio.
    It is the only way to show the client your skills.
    Do some charity work and/or mock-ups/templates to start.
    Over half our clients come from people who have seen something they really liked in our portfolio.
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  6. #6
    supervillain gerbick's Avatar
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    even I have a portfolio. so yes... do the portfolio; especially in a field that needs proof of your skill.

    [ Hello ] | [ gerbick ] | [ Ω ]

  7. #7
    Phantom Flasher... Markp.com's Avatar
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    Originally posted by bvgroote
    Mark, your print section has nothing in it?!
    No no... its a REAL portfolio, with pull out plastic covers and so on... but thanks for looking

  8. #8
    Under the influence bvgroote's Avatar
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    Originally posted by Markp.com
    No no... its a REAL portfolio, with pull out plastic covers and so on... but thanks for looking
    Oh I get it, np

  9. #9
    Banned vampstko's Avatar
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    no portfolio ..wouldn't even talk to you...

  10. #10
    Jebus' Desciple connelb's Avatar
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    Your portfolio is your resume, references and experience all rolled into one. Don't go without a book, even if it's all spec work.

  11. #11
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    hi,
    thanks so far for the great response and advice, but to be more precise, i have work of my own that i have done, but none really of the commercial nature.
    Surely everyone has to start with a blank page?

    What i want to know is if poeple have found it hard to get work, by purely showing their personal work/websites

    Thanks

  12. #12
    No I can't do it by tommorow.. 1stbite's Avatar
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    Too be truthful, YES

    IMO your first Jobs are a mixture of being confident in being able to do the job, enthusiastic enough to show your commited but not clinically insane, show prove that you are at least capable of doing the basics and really want the chance to prove with THERE guildance that you are capably or much more.

    Big companies just love possible employees that are shapable to there needs and not already set in there ways.

    Also helps to get an interview with someone with an open mind, coz if there minds set on a pro with donkeys years of experiance then no matter how much you try you not gonna get the job...

    Good C.V.
    Right Attitude
    Knowing Body Language and able to react acordingly (great skill to have)
    and least of all the skill to do the job
    and in a blink of an eye...
    Media and Multimedia Courses in Nottingham - First Diploma | IMedia | HND | Foundation Degrees | BA(Hons) Top Ups.

    Give a Twit a chance!

  13. #13
    Retired Mod aversion's Avatar
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    in my experience a portfolio is 95% of the impression you make with potential clients, certainly people will wonder why you don't have one and will have no idea what you're capable of.

    but for many people, like us, they survive without having an online portfolio because of word of mouth recommendations. I find that to be the most effective way of getting work, but you need at least one client.

  14. #14
    Spartan Mop Warrior Loyal Rogue's Avatar
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    Originally posted by 1stbite
    Big companies just love possible employees that are shapable to there needs and not already set in there ways.
    Hmmm.
    I hadn't thought about along the lines of interviewing.
    I naturally assumed this was about getting clients for your own business.
    My bad.
    If you are interviewing for a position then a portfolio is not as important as if you are trying to win clients.
    It's still an asset but qualifications and how well you interview is probably the key in that situation.
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  15. #15
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    I'd have thought that of all the industries there are, "new media" would very much be one that's based on what you are capable of rather than what you're qualified to do.

    I know of course there is much more to it than simply being a leet 15 year old scripter but that's one end of the scale.

    I know personally if I were in the position to be hiring someone, I wouldn't even consider someone without at least some sort of portfolio. If you're new to the market, do some "fake" sites just to show you're capable, if as mentioned in the original post you've got a formal qualification of some sort, I find it hard to believe you can study for any period of time without at least having some physical or virtual portfolio for show what you've been doing with your time!

  16. #16
    Retired Mod aversion's Avatar
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    If you're just interviewing then there's no excuse for not having work to show them since it doesn't have to be previous client work, I'm sure they would like to see any scripts, experiments, layouts, etc that you've done, anything which will give them a good idea of your abilities. Anyone that's learnt something like flash to the level where you're trying to get someone to pay you for doing it will have all sorts of things like that they can show.

  17. #17
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    If you are interviewing for a position then a portfolio is not as important as if you are trying to win clients.
    I've found the exact opposite to be true. Early in my career, I was turned down for a position specifically because my portfolio was not large enough. Another time, the interviewer was quite impressed with a particular piece until I told her it was a student project, not a published piece. Any interview I've been on, they always look at my portfolio.

    On the other hand, I've found that business clients are not very concerned about a portfolio. Those that do look at it are much more impressed with it than any art director ever is. (They are judging it by a different criteria.) One of my first clients was a photographer that wanted a website because clients wanted to see her portfolio before hiring her. Well, she hired me without even looking at mine! (Good thing; I only had one site to my name at the time.)

    I think that the reason that interviewers are reluctant to hire people with only personal projects to show for is because it's easy to design for yourself. But designing to please a client is an entirely different matter. They want to know that you can work with other people. For example, how will you react when a client or art director tears apart your "beautiful" design? They want to know that you can complete a project under a deadline, not just whenever you got around to it.

    Rather that creating fictitious sites, I'd recommend that you offer "pro bono" (never say "free") sites to some churches or non-profits. Once your portfolio is somewhat built up, no one has to know that you didn't get paid for those sites.

  18. #18
    Part Time Goth TianaKaeSha's Avatar
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    I walked into an interview with just a student folder in hand. that was it.

    I was not skilled in what they wanted me to do. But I proved that I was adaptable and could draw

    My resume was not even read in interview. only about half of my folio was looked out - yet I was hired on the spot.

    A lot of it is how you come across to the person in front of you. You need to be all they want. If you can bend too their needs then you are more likely to be hired, than say the person next to you
    <:8O)~~~ RATS! they ate my footer! ~~(O8:>

  19. #19
    Senior Member dlowe93's Avatar
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    Originally posted by TianaKaeSha
    My resume was not even read in interview. only about half of my folio was looked out - yet I was hired on the spot.

    A lot of it is how you come across to the person in front of you. You need to be all they want. If you can bend too their needs then you are more likely to be hired, than say the person next to you
    I agree somewhat. I barely look at resumes, your portfolio is everything. If i'm hiring for any design position, i need to see a book, period.

    One thing i tell my students is that you need to consider the position that they are trying to get. If i'm hiring a junior designer, i don't expect them to have a top notch book that shows excellence over every discipline. In fact, if i'm hiring for a junior level position, and i'm interviewing someone with an art director-level book, i'm going to question why they want that job. Student work is fine, pro-bono work is fine, mocked up work or comp work is fine, i just want to see the thought behind the work.

    What's also important, no matter what the position, is who you are. Design jobs can be pretty stressful at times, and i want to have people that i enjoy working with around me. It makes a big difference.

    d.
    dlowe93

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