This summer, we launched the first edition of our Portfolio Showcase series, featuring the online portfolios of writers, editors, and designers. Today we’ll take a quick look back at the visual inspiration, design processes, and creative advice they shared. Click on the respective thumbnail to read the complete showcase.
Sacha Greif, web designer | sachagreif.com
[Set] your goals first. Do you want to get new clients? Raise your profile by writing witty blog posts? Target a special niche? Get hired? If you’re not sure, the easiest and safest route is always to put your work forward. [...] potential clients want to see your work, not become your best friend or comment on your blog.
Matthew Allard, fiction writer | matthewallard.com
Start sending people to your portfolio site! Business cards are an affordable take-away. Super easy. I know they seem like something reserved for a company man. But you are the CEO of yourself. You are the product/brand to someone who may want your work or expertise.
Joe Sak, web developer | joesak.com
For me, the writing is the centerpiece of my portfolio. It aims to communicate effectively and comprehensively my contribution to the teams and clients I have had the pleasure of working with. [...] Pick your favorite work, write about it freely, don’t nitpick yourself to death, and just start sharing with others.
Sarah Jackson, designer & illustrator | sarahjackson.ca
[...] more than anything else, I needed my site to reflect me: my personality, my quirks, my uniqueness! Opposed to what some people may believe, I think that clients hire people, not just skills. Generally they hire someone that they know can do the job AND that they will like to work with.
Victoria Pater, graphic designer | victoriapater.com
[...] find a platform that works for you (whether if be WordPress, Indexhibit, Cargo, or Squarespace), then customize it. They have all the main elements you need, plus the social and community aspects are already built in.
Kristen Byers, designer & writer | kristenbyers.net
Remember that your digital portfolio is an ongoing process — it’s never really “done”. I have found that the best time to work on my portfolio (and resume, for that matter) is when I’m not actively seeking employment. That way the pressure is off and I feel much more relaxed about my design and content decisions.
Grace Smith, freelance web designer | postscript5.co.uk
If you’re not giving an overview of each piece of work in your portfolio, you are missing a valuable opportunity to showcase your skills and expertise on each particular project. You don’t need to write an essay, but it’s your chance to shine by giving some details that will allow each potential client to appreciate each piece not just on an aesthetic level, but on a practical client project level too.
Thank you to all the featured professionals for sharing with us! We will be featuring more portfolios this fall, so if you would like to share your portfolio or one that has inspired you, please share links in the comments or email us.
Tags: Portfolio Showcase, portfolios
Those are all great portfolios!
Thanks for doing these portfolio showcases. It’s really nice to be able to come here and see how other people designed their own portfolios.