01. Be careful about what you include.

Don’t put in your portfolio everything you’ve ever created! A clean, simple and beautiful portfolio needs some serious TLC to be created. Dedicate some time to go through all of your work, exclude anything you’re not proud of or don’t think is your best work.

02. Select only your strongest pieces.

And show your best work first! These are, of course, all the projects that highlight your best skills, got rave reviews and had good results. Don’t forget to showcase unique and creative work samples as well. You know, the ones that make people go “Wow!”.

03. Don’t be boring.

Include multiple and different design formats such as websites, posters or illustrations. Make sure everything works together and flow nicely. How many pieces to include? Go for quality not quantity. Keep it between 10 and 20. Don’t be overwhelming!

04. Online or physical portfolio?

Online portfolios are the way to go for most designers, but you should think about creating a physical one for those in-person interviews – it changes everything! Always have high-resolution photos of all your pieces whether you’re producing a portfolio or not to share on social!

05. Stay in the moment.

Don’t include anything older than three years. In an ever-evolving industry, trends, techniques and technology change quickly. You don’t want to look outdated or traditional.

06. Be open and share non-client work as well.

Self-starters rejoice! What you include doesn’t always have to be paid client projects. You can include dream projects, ideation, or works of art if you’re an illustrator for example.

07. Give some credit to your partner/team/client!

Add some notes about each project, who the client was, what skills were used, and how the project was marketed, what were the results and how it was applied on different media. Results count!

08. Get a second opinion.

You reviewed, added, removed, and all over again maybe a thousand times! Time to share your portfolio with someone you trust – your partner, recruiter, mentor or creative communities like Behance and dribble. And ask a copywriter or wordsmith to help you proof your content – typos or errors could make a portfolio look sloppy and unprofessional.

09. It’s all about you.

Keep in mind that your portfolio is the backbone of your creativity, expertise and experience as it shows what you’re capable of – make sure it flows, looks professional, and it’s easy to browse if it’s online or explore when in person.

10. Discover the tools of the trade.

there are so many tools and resources to use which can help you create an amazing portfolio - Square Space, Behance or Dribbble.

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