Getting started with yourportfolio effectively.

• What is a portfolio?
• Finding your story
• Finding your plan
• Choosing your tool

Find your brand, domain,business name, and email.

• Using your personal name
• Using a company name
• Finding a good domain name
• Having a proper email address

The real four sections ofevery portfolio.

• Section 1: The Introduction
• Section 2: The Work & Plan
• Section 3: The Summary, aka the “About”
• Section 4: The Connection

Some solutions to problemsyou may face.

• Problem: Not allowed to share your work
• Problem: Showing non-visual work

Understanding the qualitiesof an effective portfolio.

• Have a clear, scannable portfolio
• Have work up front, not hidden
• Have proper thumbnails, titles, and descriptions
• Have a captivating display of the work
• Have diversity of work
• Build trust and a good reputation
• Have your own personality
• Show some process
• Extra credit: Show results
• Extra credit: Show your failures and what you’ve learned
• Extra credit: Have a table of contents or allow for filtering and sorting

How to standout in the seaof other portfolios.

• Tell your story through passion projects/side projects
• Show you’re focused
• Be authentic
• Connect on Social Media
• Go to a conference or meet-up
• Go old school—send something to the company
• Don’t be afraid to pitch
• Sell, but don’t sell out

Common portfolio mistakeseveryone gets wrong.

• Not launching it
• Hiding your work!
• Showing too many words
• Showing too much range/variety
• Being too flashy and over-designed
• Starting your process/case study with sketches
• Showing rushed, incomplete projects
• Using an outdated portfolio
• Pretending to be a large studio, agency, or company
• Having long load times
• Forgetting to optimize for mobile and high-resolution displays
• Not crediting others on projects
• Not adapting your portfolio to the role you’re applying for
• Emailing a PDF over 10MB
• Using stock photography
• Don’t just sit there

How to choose the projects youput in your portfolio.

• Only show the work you want to get
• Only show your best work
• If you don’t have work to show, create it
• Watch out for spec work and challenges.
• Never work for “free,” unless…
• Prepare for take home tests

Common misconceptions ofportfolios: True or False?

• Don’t use a template—false
• You need full case studies—false
• Don’t show unsolicited redesigns—false (but conditional)
• Always show a picture of yourself—false
• Only as good as your last project—false
• You need a contact page—false

How to handle yourconnection section better.

• If you use a form, have proper input fields and structure.
• Make sure confirmations are sent
• Stop the questionnaires!

Plus 3 very special interviewsfrom hiring directors.

• Katie Dill, VP of Design at Lyft
• Audrey Liu, Director of Product at Lyft
• Jenny Arden, Director of Design Nike