As recruiters we meet many candidates who have the skills, project experience and the background to succeed however some candidates let themselves down during the interview process with regards to the presentation of their portfolio. At Glue Recruitment we know that if you take the following portfolio tips on board, that you will put yourself in good stead and a great position to succeed.
1. Turn up on time with a prepared applicable portfolio. Its always a good idea if you plan to present a digital portfolio that you ensure you have a hard copy back up with you as well! You’d be surprised of the ‘technical challenge’ stories we have heard of over the years.
2. For your portfolio we generally recommend no more than 10 MB in size and no more than a dozen pages. Your portfolio should be a representation of your ‘best related work’, not all your work. Arrange your portfolio in chronological order with your most recent and applicable project samples first.
3. Have detail in the portfolio as to what your role was on projects, explain the size of the team, the dollar value and size of projects. Too many times we hear back from clients that the candidate was presenting an overall body of work of the practice/s that they worked for, and not enough about their ‘actual role’ on each project.
4. Have a very clear picture of what you can bring to the firm. Ensure that you demonstrate through your relevant projects how you will value add and what you will bring to the practice/studio.
5. Think about using your portfolio to demonstrate your career progression. Analyse your experience, and be able to talk about relevant projects and how they have added to your experience.
The key is do not let your Portfolio talk for itself. Don’t just place your portfolio on the table or if presenting a digital portfolio simply pass the mouse to the client. You lead, confidently talk to the client about your relevant projects, your responsibilities and link them to the projects/role you are seeking with the studio.
I hope this helps and remember that here at Glue Recruitment we are happy to assist and provide you professional guidance. An interview is usually a two-way get-to-know-you session. Be sure to put your best foot forward, remain positive and be well prepared. A good night’s rest will also help calm your nerves. Good luck!