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Creative Portfolio: What do Employers Want to See?
You love to design Websites, but you know that the field is so competitive that you don’t stand a chance to make anything more than a mediocre income. If you want to get a job with an agency or as a highly-paid freelance designer you need to diversify your portfolio. This is where Linda comes in, with the first in a series about how to develop a creative and diverse portfolio that exemplifies your skills and knowledge. In this article, she explains portfolio diversification, examines portfolio requirements, and offers ideas about how to flesh out your current offerings.
Portfolio Diversification
If you attended a graphic design school, you know how many different classes you took at that school. You had to learn the basics first, like typography, basic Web design, colour, and composition or layout. You then could proceed to classes where you utilized software like Photoshop, Quark, Flash, and Dreamweaver. You were expected to produce print as well as Web design projects to create a well-rounded and diversified graphic design portfolio for graduation.
Above: A student portfolio example shown online through the Art Institute of Toronto.
Linda Goin
Linda Goin carries an A.A. in graphic design, a B.F.A. in visual communications with a minor in business and marketing and an M.A. in American History with a minor in the Reformation. While the latter degree doesn't seem to fit with the first two educational experiences, Linda used her 25-year design expertise on archaeological digs and in the study of material culture. Now she uses her education and experiences in social media experiments.
Accolades for her work include fifteen first-place Colorado Press Association awards, numerous fine art and graphic design awards, and interviews about content development with The Wall St. Journal, Chicago Tribune, Psychology Today, and L.A. Times.