Introduction
In my latest portfolio review, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Allie, a talented art director exploring her next career move after 5 years of growing her skills. During our discussion, I provided strategic advice on how Allie can update her portfolio website to better demonstrate her experience level and skills to stand out when applying for more senior creative positions.
I suggested leading with her top 3 robust campaign projects that align closely with the type of creative work she wants to continue doing. Building out rich descriptions articulating her specific contributions, objectives, processes and results allows her portfolio viewers a window into all she can offer. I advised researching those niche creative shops beyond just major players like Patagonia to uncover potential dream opportunities. Companies with under 100 employees are often seeking senior creative talent to lead projects start to finish. I encouraged Allie to imagine herself already working her dream job, then identify what compelling website projects and skill descriptions got her there. With a focus on showcasing her expertise through targeted career-aligned projects and articulate oversight details, Allie's portfolio makeover will exhibit the value a senior creative brings to move her career to exciting new levels.
Key Points
- Positioning your portfolio to demonstrate your experience level.
- Telling the story behind your projects through detailed descriptions.
- Curating your best 3-4 projects to align with your career goals.
To Think On
- What are those smaller niche companies you'd actually want to work for?
- How did your contributions specifically lead to the success of each project?
- What are some PR style headlines you could use to grab attention for your projects?
Actionable
- Write detailed overviews and articulate specific contributions for each project.
- Research dream companies besides the major players and tailor projects to them.
- Prioritize top 3 meaty campaigns over smaller projects with less material
References
- My Free Adobe Portfolio Mini Course: In case you want to switch to an easier portfolio platform
- PixelMart: Where I upload all of my portfolio website templates.
