How many of you actually know how to talk about your work?
I’ve interviewed hundreds of designers in New York City, and the harsh truth is that the make-or-break moment of an interview isn’t the work itself. It’s how you present it. Interviews are nerve-wracking, even for me. I’ve had moments when I wanted to light myself on fire, but after mastering how to present my work, the confidence came naturally.
If you’ve watched my latest video, you know the basics. Below, I’m diving deeper into the strategy, curating your portfolio project order, and sharing the exact storytelling angles I look for as a Creative Director. In this guide, I will cover presenting your graphic design portfolio and help you bridge the gap between being “prepped” vs. being prepared.
1. The Power of the Presentation Deck
It’s coming for designers to present using their website. I highly recommend that you create a presentation deck that’s specific for the job you’re applying for. Your site is to get an interview. The deck is for the actual interview.
The deck can be a PDF, a Keynote, or even. Figma file. Unlike a website where a recruiter, or even you, is clicking around, it feels disruptive. A deck allows you to control the sequence, pacing, and the narrative.
2. The Strategic Project Order for Presenting Your Graphic Design Portfolio.
This really depends on what you’re interviewing for and who you’re interviewing with, but don’t include everything.
Your work should feel curated. I recommend preparing 5 core projects, with an additional 3 in an “appendix” if there’s time. Keep the projects well-rounded, but fairly strategic. Perhaps there’s a project that you’re super proud of because of the amount of work that went into it, a project that shows a breadth of different executions, or a passion project.
No matter what, all of the projects should highlight your abilities as a designer. Don’t just show everything. Curate your work strategically.
3. Five Approaches to Talking About Your Work
What you say should be scripted. When I say scripted, I really mean having some talking points. You still want to be human. You just don’t want to go into the meeting cold.
There are a few ways to go about this, and when you talk about each project, consider using a mix of approaches. It will keep the conversation more interesting, and it won’t feel so templated. Here are the 5 approaches:
I. Problem-Solution (The “Meat and Potatoes”)
This is the most clear-cut way to go about a project. What was the problem, and how did you solve it?
Example: “These were sidebars I designed for Chicago magazine. The monthly creative was dependent on sourced images from brands. Since I never knew what was available, I limited the amount of photos used. Running the images in black and white helped keep the images consistent with each other in every issue.”
II. The Concept (For Art Directors)
I mean, seriously… what a concept to have a concept! Designers who talk about concepts are a rare breed, so I highly recommend this angle, in particular for art directors!
Simply explain the concept and how you carried it through. Don’t complicate this. All you want to communicate is that there’s thought behind your design decisions and that you can interpret ideas into execution.
Example: “For this campaign, I used the concept of Hygge, which is the Danish way to live well. We did a takeover at the Edition Hotel in Miami for Art Basel. The goal was to create a space of comfort and calm, which aligns with the hygge lifestyle. We used a warm color palette with knit and cashmere blankets for comfort. We created a reading section, and of course, incorporated [the client’s] products throughout. I produced and directed a photoshoot that was limited to 4 hours, where I shot vignettes of the space. The photos were used to create a branded content story that ran on Travel + Leisure’s Instagram, which drove readers to purchase Nespresso’s holiday collection.”
Now, this has a touch of the problem-solution approach, so consider combining some of them together.
III. Learnings & Obstacles (The Growth Mindset)
Just explain what you learned in the project. It shows your potential for growth as a designer. Nobody’s perfect, so this can actually be angled on how you problem solve. Literally, we’re checking all the boxes here.
Example: “[client] partnered with Real Simple to promote a new line of coffee. The concept was how to elevate your morning routine. This project had some challenges. We had a limited budget, so we had to become more resourceful. We saved on costs by using a parts model, and in post-production, I handled the retouching myself! We did actually go a little over budget, but it’s important to execute at the highest standard. The client was happy and renewed business twice, so it was worth it.”
IV. “Talk the Talk”
The idea here is to use industry terminology to demonstrate that you really know what you’re doing, basically, portfolio keywords.
Example: “For this social execution, we took advantage of the high-impact Canvas unit on Facebook. It allowed TIME magazine to extend the compelling Empathy Suits content in a creative and impactful way. The scroll included the trailer video, a slideshow demonstrating the functionality of the suits, as well as infographics that provided more context. Additionally, we amplified the campaign with a social strategy that ran across Meredith’s O&O.
V. Show some personality
I feel like we sometimes forget that success in this industry requires passion. Whenever people talk about things they love, their faces light up. Their energy changes because they’re excited to talk about the project, and it becomes contagious.
For myself, I genuinely enjoy food. I mean, my Instagram handle is @tirsomisu! I have so many projects that have food.
Example: “This was an editorial series for Food & Wine in partnership with [client]. We featured the stories of 5 first-generation chefs across America. The concept highlighted how they create Thanksgiving celebrations that acknowledge their heritage.
This is very close to me because I’m an immigrant with first-generation siblings, and we celebrated Thanksgiving in similar ways as these chefs by incorporating Filipino cuisine. This is definitely one of the projects I’m most proud of.”
It might be TMI to say that I’m an immigrant, but I’m proud of that. You should say whatever you feel comfortable with, as long as it’s authentic.
4. The Order of Projects & Transitions
Start with your strongest, end with your 2nd strongest. A 360 project is often the strongest because it shows a breadth of work in one project, which is great for almost any job you’re applying for
For the second strongest, it can, but doesn’t have to be a 360 project; perhaps it’s something with multiple executions. If the first project with social, I can transition into a social first project after. It would be nice if it ran across different platforms and also included photo and video.
In these first two projects, you’ve already demonstrated a significant amount of experience and skills. For #3, a project in art direction could be great. Since that’s photo-based, we should end project 2 with photo, not video. Project 4 might be a passion project. This is the part of presenting your graphic design portfolio that is specific to you and shows personality. It should also include other skills not represented in the first 3. From project 4, find a link that transitions nicely into the last project.
This is a solid portfolio going into an interview. Again, work with the projects you have and curate them for your interviews. If you’re looking into a branding agency, have more projects on branding. If you want to work at a magazine, show a breadth of layouts.
Summary Checklist: Are You Interview-Ready?
Before you hop on that Zoom call or head into the office, here is a checklist for presenting your graphic design portfolio:
Do I have a maximum of 5-8 projects?
Are those projects curated towards the job?
Are my two strongest projects first and last in the order?
Are the transitions seamless from project to project?
Is my PDF/Figma prototype saved locally, so you don’t have to rely on strong Wi-Fi)?
Do I have a list of points to talk about for each slide?
Do I have one project that shows who I am as a designer?
Do I have an abbreviated PDF version to send as a follow-up after the interview?
Final Thoughts
I haven’t met a single designer that likes putting their portfolio together, hopefully these approaches provide an easier help you be more confident when doing so. I know it’s a lot of work, but if cauliflower can become a pizza, you can be anything. Good luck, I believe in you!
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