» Design Students: An Online Portfolio is a Necessity

Recently I read the article The Future of the Creative Industry by Samantha Warren. This article has raised a point that I have been aware of for a while now. I know a number of recent grads or soon-to-be grads that are lacking an online portfolio. These individuals are both extremely talented and qualified for a position, however I am worried that they may go overlooked amongst their competition because of their lack of a portfolio. Most of these fledgling designers have been convinced that PDF samples are adequate, and that is exactly what they are. However the current trends in our industry demand more than just the status quo.

GET AN ONLINE PORTFOLIO NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES

I believe that no matter what it takes to get an online portfolio, every design professional should have one. It is a complete misconception that only web designers need an online portfolio. No matter what medium you choose to design for whether it is print, web, fashion, or industrial. Every designer has something to gain from the convenience of an online portfolio. Many designers place a self imposed limitation on themselves in order to avoid the creation of a portfolio. They say, that they are waiting to learn web design before they make an online portfolio, but I highly suggest against this way of thinking because it is nothing more than a bad rationalization. Designing your own portfolio may be ideal however it is not the only solution.

Don’t fight the idea because it’s outside your comfort

Just because you may not be used to designing for the web doesn’t mean that having an online portfolio has to be a hard thing to do. Samantha has listed created a list of great resources that can help you along on your way. In addition to her list, I have an alternate suggestion. Flashden.net has a number of portfolio templates that can be purchased very inexpensively and allow the designer to install them on their own domain with very little web experience.

Most of these templates are relatively simple to modify by simply reading a couple of help documents and editing an XML file in a text editor. Where this option really shines is the ability to host it on your own domain with a custom email address. This email address will make you appear more professional than the average hotmail account. Also if at some point down the road you decide to design your own portfolio you have the hosting plan and domain all ready to go.

Finding a job is tough take all the help you can get

In addition to the commercial options available, don’t forget that being a professional also entails networking. Chances are that you may know someone that graduated before you or possibly a classmate who enjoys web design. You should utilize these contacts to help you achieve your goal.

On top of all, the differences between print and web designers is rapidly blurring. Simple economics is rapidly increasing the need for multidiscipline designers what better chance do you have to jump into web design than your own portfolio? Ooh yeah, once you finish your portfolio try not to let it get outdated like mine…

05/22

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7 Responses to “Design Students: An Online Portfolio is a Necessity”

Samantha Warren
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:00 pm

Thanks for writing this post, I think your advice for job seekers to “Get an online portfolio no matter what it takes” hits the nail right on the head. The first few months right after graduation can be really exciting and stressful, but taking the time to start off on the right foot can really make all the difference. Thanks for pointing out Flashden.net, I will add it to the list… as well as your feed to my feed-reader.
Richard
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:25 am

I’d like to recommend Indexhibit (http://www.indexhibit.org/). I use it for my own portfolio, and am a huge fan. A fantastic way to get a portfolio online, easy to set-up, and if you look through the ‘participants’ on their website, a bit of CSS can go a long way to make it look unique.
Phil Thompson
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:02 am

A design student without an online portfolio is like a wannabe hairdresser with a bad haircut - whose going to hire them? The analogy fails when you realise you can’t actually cut your own hair (not well anyway) but I think the point works!

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Patrick
May 23rd, 2008 at 7:16 am

I think Richard has it right - indexhibit is probably the best small CMS that fits every graphic and print artists needs.

WordPress with some sort of theme can also help too, but often times that takes some tweaking to work perfectly - I don’t think I have seen a portfolio theme, although I have had some thoughts on developing something like that in the near future.

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Zinni
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:07 pm

Samantha,

Thank you for the great article, I have observed a while ago the same situation that your article described. I however would take it one step further to say that all designers should strive to learn web design in school, as it makes them a ton more competitive in the work force once they get out. I made this assumption when I was in school, and it ended up paying off for me. I also have added you to your blog to my favorites
Dale Cruse
May 24th, 2008 at 4:03 pm

Good read, except for the Flash advice. Flash is a great tool for animation - not a crutch when you don’t care to know HTML. We shouldn’t recommend using tools other than what they’re meant for - especially to impressionable students trying to make their way in the online job market.

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Zinni
May 25th, 2008 at 6:06 am

Dale,

I think you can agree that Flash has its purposes and the medium fits certain projects better than others, however that is not the reason I have suggested a flash solution. I recommended it because the offering meets a number of qualifiers for students who have recently graduated or are in school.

1. The templates are cheap and even students can afford them on their budgets.
2. It is a quick way to get their work online (during which they can work on their own design)
3. It gets their work online…

Also, this is advice for designers in general and could apply to someone specializing in say packaging design where knowing HTML is probably not a top priority of theirs.