Graphic Design Portfolio: 5 Things to Include for Entry-Level Jobs

There are many ways to approach building your graphic design portfolio. It may depend on what type of designer you are and where you are in your career. If you are a graphic designer at the beginning of your career and are seeking an entry-level job in graphic design, this post is for you. These 5 essentials to include in your portfolio will help you land your first graphic design job.

Before you create your portfolio

• Double check if there are requirements or a specific format that the potential employer would like to view your work.
• Consider the format in which you want to present your work. The most common ways are in a digital format–either a PDF or a personal website.
• You are applying for a graphic design role, which means the design of your portfolio will be considered. It won’t necessarily need to be a huge branded project, but consider basic design principles. Think hierarchy, balance, legibility, etc. before sending it.

5 Essentials

1. Your full name and contact information

While you will likely include this information on a résumé, it is very important to include it in your portfolio too. Put it on the first page of your portfolio. You don’t have to put your home address but definitely include your email, phone number, and website or LinkedIn (if you have them).

You essentially want to make it as easy as possible for recruiters or other hiring point people to find you and get in contact with you. Basically, you don’t want any difficulty in attaching a name to your work or in figuring out how to reach you. Recruiters will move on to other candidates that they can identify with great work and easy ways to contact them.

2. Photos of your work

Obviously, you can’t build a portfolio without graphic design work. If you don’t have any projects that display any of your skills, make new work. You don’t have to have professional work when you apply for an entry-level graphic design job. But you should still have projects that show your skills and your ability to ideate, design, and talk about your work. If you have a lot of work to choose from, use your best work. Not your favorite work–your best work.

Choose things that show what skills you have–this will give you an opportunity to talk about said skills in an interview. And choose projects that show the type of work that you would like to do–this will give you an opportunity to show future employers what type of work you are interested in doing or how you see yourself growing as a designer within their company. There’s also no harm in asking recruiters what work they would like to see before your interview.

3. SIMPLE DESIGN

While it may be tempting to design your portfolio with a lot of individuality and boldness, it is best practice to let your actual design work speak for itself. Keep the design simple and easy to read and navigate. Be mindful of the fact that recruiters and creative directors want to look at the work, not necessarily the design of your portfolio itself.

4. DIVIDER PAGES

This may not seem important but divider pages make a big difference when it comes to presenting your work. They make your work more digestible and add a level of organization and pacing to the presentation. Without dividers, the work blends into each other and it is overwhelming to view. Between each project, add a divider page that includes the title of the project and what type of project it is (branding, packaging, logo design, etc.). You may also include a very brief summary of what the project is–this may be particularly useful if you will not be walking anyone through your portfolio page-by-page–and a hero image.

5. LINK TO YOUR WEBSITE OR LINKEDIN

Aside from adding these to your contact information, include an embedded link to your website or LinkedIn in your portfolio. You likely have more information on your website or LinkedIn that will be useful for recruiters to pass along and to reference later. Embedding the link in your actual portfolio makes it as easy as possible to find out more about you, to stay in contact with you, and to be aware of your digital presence. It is a small detail that goes a long way.

Other tips

• You don’t need fancy (read: expensive and professional) photography for your work. Find a black or white background and use your phone to photograph your work. Phone cameras are great these days!
• While you don’t need a website or a LinkedIn to become a graphic designer per se, they definitely help. Having a website gives you a digital location for recruiters and creative professionals to see more of your work. And LinkedIn is a really useful tool to expand your network as well as showcase your professional history.
• Think about your audience. Your portfolio will be viewed by all types of people including recruiters, creative directors, other designers, company founders, HR or hiring managers. It is meant to provide a view of your work as a candidate for a role. Make sure to keep it professional, readable, and representative of you.
• For the love of all things design, proofread. Ask your friends to do it for you too. And your neighbor. And then proofread it yourself 3 more times. You don’t want to lose out on opportunities because you spelled “receive” wrong. It also might be worth it to look out for these common mistakes too.

Creating a graphic design portfolio for an entry-level job is not an easy feat. As a graphic designer that is just beginning their career, it is important to consider how you want to present your work to future employers. With these 5 essentials to include in your portfolio as well as a few extra tips and tricks, you are now equipped with a better sense of how to get started.