5 Common Mistakes Designers Make in their Portfolio
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You don’t need an expensive degree or a fancy certification to be a successful graphic designer, but you do need a strong portfolio to attract quality, high-paying clients!
As a creative, your portfolio acts as your resume, and 90% of the time it plays the biggest role in whether or not you get hired for a job. So today I want to walk you through 5 of the most common mistakes I see designers make in their portfolio — and show you how to fix them!
1. Showcasing Projects That Aren’t Relevant to Your Ideal Client
The key to putting together a great portfolio is first identifying your ideal client. Once you know exactly the types of brands you want to work for and the projects you want to create, you should fill your portfolio with pieces that align with those desires.
For example, if you want to work with fashion or skincare brands, you shouldn’t display projects for tech companies or startups.
Instead, make sure that all of the pieces in your portfolio are relevant to the audience that you ideally want to work with. This way, that audience will be naturally drawn to your work and will be more likely to see you as a good fit for their project.
2. Displaying All Your Work Instead of Your Best Work
You know what they say — quality over quantity. Even if you only have 3-5 projects to display in your portfolio, you’re better off displaying your 3 pieces of your best work than 10 pieces of mediocre work.
Focus on including the projects that you feel the most confident about and that you feel really represent you as a designer.
3. Not Including Project Writeups
One of the most common mistakes I see designers make is displaying projects in their portfolio without any context.
If you’re not including a brief project writeup or description alongside the pieces in your portfolio, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity to show potential clients why they should work with you. Your writeup should include details on the project and the client’s wants, as well as insight into your creative process.
And if you have client testimonials, this is a great place to include them!
4. Not Using Mockups to Display Your Work
Mockups are pre-made design files that allow you to easily upload your work and place it in a lifelike scene.
For example, if you designed a brochure for your client’s business, you might drop it into a Photoshop file that displays a brochure open on a desk, carefully arranged to look professional and high-end. Mockups are the best way to display your work because they give your clients a tangible look at what your work will look like in the real world.
Click here to check out my favorite Design Cuts* mockups — they're cheap, affordable and easy-to-use!
5. Not Having a Portfolio at All
And finally, the biggest mistake you can make is not having a portfolio at all! Your clients don’t care about your degree or your GPA, they care about your skills and your work experience.
Every designer needs a portfolio, even if you’re just starting out and haven’t yet landed your first client! You can still put together a portfolio based on fake projects or volunteer work. (Read more about this in my post 4 Ways to Build a Graphic Design Portfolio Without Any Design Experience!)
Ready to get started? Click here to take a short quiz to find out where you are in your design journey and get a personalized roadmap to building your best portfolio!
