How to build a killer portfolio as a junior designer.

6 Steps to help you stand out from the crowd.

After spending the last four weeks pouring through well over 200 portfolios and applications for our latest opening at New Lion, I came across some really great portfolios — as well as some not so great.

If this process has taught me anything, it’s that many designers are falling into the same pot holes, some of which take a quick fix to avoid. If you’re currently searching for your first position, I’d recommend giving this post a read.

Photo by Mia Baker on Unsplash

1) Case studies are important.

With any work you’re presenting in your portfolio, it’s important for you to give context around the project and discuss it at a high level. Was it a personal development piece? Is this product live and something that I can try out? Who was the client? Were you the sole designer, or one of 50?

These are all questions that I want to know the answers to when viewing a project, and will definitely have a big impact on how your work is viewed. The biggest thing, is that it shows you’re able to talk about and discuss your work — as well as that you understand the value behind this. Design isn’t all about pretty front page dribbble shots, it’s about understanding and justification. Providing case studies on your portfolio are the best way to show this.

This can definitely be pretty daunting for a lot of people — especially those (like me) who really struggle with writing. Just know, that even if the person viewing your portfolio has to stumble through a page of rambling, it’s going to be better than no context at all.

But what about dribbble portfolios?

Dribbble is an awesome platform for sharing your work, getting your face out there, and even finding clients — but the truth is, as a junior designer fresh out of college (or maybe with limited experience) a dribbble portfolio alone probably isn’t going to cut it. As a platform it doesn’t lend itself to showcasing entire projects very well, nor does it allow for showing your process nor a great deal of thinking.

I’m not saying don’t use dribbble — in fact quite the opposite. Maintaining a dribbble portfolio can be an awesome way to…