Building a Winning Design Portfolio: Essential Tips for Students

Shrikant S. Ashtankar

In the world of design, your portfolio is your most powerful tool. It’s not just a collection of your work; it’s a reflection of your skills, creativity, and personality. SSPAD students, especially those looking to secure internships, placements, or freelance opportunities, a well-crafted portfolio can make all the difference. Here are essential tips for building a design portfolio that stands out and lands you your dream opportunities.

1. Curate, Don’t Accumulate

One of the most common mistakes students make when building a portfolio is trying to include every piece of work they’ve ever done. While it may be tempting to showcase the breadth of your skills, it’s more effective to focus on quality rather than quantity. A strong portfolio is about curation—selecting your best work and pieces that align with the type of job or placement you’re aiming for.

If you’re applying for a UX/UI role, include case studies that emphasize user-centered design and interface solutions. For those seeking graphic design opportunities, in SSPAD I focus on projects that demonstrate your ability to create cohesive visual identities, branding, and layout design. Remember, your portfolio is a reflection of your potential to employers, so ensure every piece adds value.

2. Tell a Story through Your Work

A design portfolio isn’t just about showing finished products; it’s about demonstrating your creative process. Employers want to see how you approach problems, develop solutions, and iterate based on feedback. Each project should tell a story—from the initial brief, through the ideation and sketching phases, to the final result.

Including sketches, wireframes, or even failed iterations shows that you understand design is a process of experimentation and problem-solving. By telling the story behind each project, you give context to your work and allow potential employers to understand how you think as a designer.

3. Show Diversity in Skills and Mediums

Designers are often required to wear many hats, especially in today’s digital-first world. A well-rounded portfolio showcases your versatility and ability to work across different mediums. Include a variety of projects that highlight different skill sets, such as branding, typography, web design, print work, or motion graphics. This not only shows that you’re adaptable but also signals to employers that you have the range to handle different types of design challenges.

4. Tailor Your Portfolio to Your Audience

Your portfolio should be flexible enough to adapt to the specific job or client you’re targeting. Before sending your portfolio to a potential employer or client, take time to research the company or individual. Tailor your portfolio to align with their needs and industry.

If you’re applying to a minimalistic design studio, highlight clean, simple designs with strong concepts. For agencies that focus on innovative or experimental work, include projects that showcase your bold and creative side. Personalizing your portfolio for each opportunity shows that you’ve put thought into the application and increases your chances of standing out from other candidates.

5. Present Your Work Professionally

Presentation is key. Your portfolio is a visual document, so how it’s presented says a lot about your attention to detail and professionalism. Invest time in designing a layout that’s both easy to navigate and aesthetically pleasing. Whether your portfolio is online or printed, it should feel cohesive and well-organized. Avoid clutter and ensure that each piece of work is given the space it needs to shine.

For online portfolios, use personal website. Make sure it’s mobile-friendly, fast to load, and easy for employers to navigate. If you’re submitting a physical portfolio or PDF, keep the format clean, and ensure high-quality images of your work.

6. Update Regularly and Seek Feedback

A portfolio should be a living document. As you complete new projects or develop new skills, be sure to update your portfolio to reflect your growth as a designer. Regularly reviewing and refining your portfolio ensures that it always represents your best and most relevant work.

Shrikant S. Ashtankar

Crafting the Perfect Resume for a Design Job

Here are five things to do before you start writing a resume:

Prepare to make a resume

Gather career details: Make sure you have current and accurate company information, start and end dates, job titles, and your tangible achievements and skills. Take note of schools attended, degrees earned, and all certifications. If you're a recent graduate, include courses studied, relevant accolades, your GPA, or outstanding projects. Make a list of up-to-date, relevant online profiles, including LinkedIn, personal websites, or portfolio links.‍

Organize information: Create dedicated folders for each resume section, e.g., Certifications, Work Experience, Education, etc.. (If you have hard-copy credentials like certificates, organize them in a file for easy access.)‍

Adopt the right mindset: Revisit your past roles, not just for the details but to understand the value you brought. This will help you position each experience as you add them to your resume.‍

Find inspiration: Look at resume examples from your industry. Understand trends and take note of compelling ways to present similar information.‍

Set the stage for tools: If you're considering intuitive tools like Teal's resume maker, familiarize yourself with what it can do. Know what information it needs and how it can best showcase your experience.

Prepare to make a resume

The layout of your resume is its foundation. The format plays a critical role in shaping the presentation of your credentials.

• The most widely recognized format is the reverse chronological resume. It presents your work experience in a clear, linear progression, making it easier for hiring managers to follow. This format is straightforward, clear, and direct.
• If you're just starting out, pivoting careers, or working in an industry where tools and software reign supreme, a hybrid resume might be more appropriate. This format starts with a professional summary, followed by a Skills section that immediately spotlights hard skills.
• In choosing the perfect format, consider where you are in your career, the nature of the roles you're applying for, and which design best conveys your strengths and achievements.

Best practices for creating a clean and professional resume

Resume structure

Your resume should have a logical flow—starting with your header and contact details, followed by a professional summary, then detailing experience, education, and other relevant information.

Resume length

How long a resume should be depends on your career span and depth of experience. New graduates or those in the first ten years of their career might be best off with a one-page resume, while seasoned professionals may require up to two or three pages. The key is to prioritize relevance and clarity over length.

Resume header and headings

Your resume header should prominently feature your name, making it the focal point. Essential contact details are directly below. Remember to keep it minimalistic, avoiding decorative elements.

Your resume headings should be used to identify each section. They stand out from the rest of your resume in bold and with slightly larger text than the rest of your content.

Resume aesthetics

• Margins: Consistent resume margins give structure to your resume. Typically, one-inch to one-half-inch margins on all sides is best practice.
• White space: Use enough white space to break up your text to improve readability and prevent the document from feeling cluttered.
• Bullets: Use resume bullet points to break down information—especially in your work experience achievements.
• Fonts: Stick to professional and legible resume fonts regardless of industry or field. Arial, Times New Roman, Poppins, and Calibri are timeless choices.
• Colors: While using colors for emphasis is okay, keeping them subtle and legible is essential.