What are some approaches to this issue? As a recent graduate about to apply for jobs, I want to invest in a high-quality portfolio showcasing my work. However, I hate knowing that within a year, after (hopefully) completing some more professional work and maybe a competition entry, this portfolio will already be outdated. Do I suck it up if necessary and fork out another $80-100 for a reprint?
I am also building a website to accompany my portfolio, which can obviously be more comprehensive. But, *sigh*, I wish there was an easy way to add pages to a bound booklet. Does anyone ever print new projects separately, and then just show those alongside a slightly-outdated portfolio?
A whole $80? I can only imagine the torture you put yourself through when it comes time for real decision.
Pushing the obvious aside, after a few years working in the real world, your school projects become exponentially less relevant so I would not worry about having to keep an updated physical portfolio. Eventually, you can just list address and tell your future employer to go visit your work in person.
In my first few years after graduation I used a box format, where each of my 4 to 8 projects was on loose boards in the box. At most they were two pages of images and writing, so either a single one-sided board, or a 2-page layout that folded in the middle. That format let me easily reorder the projects and pull them out to fit whichever direction the interview seemed headed.
Later I had a format with punched card stock and some ring hardware that could be unscrewed to rearrange and switch out projects.
For the last 10 years or so I've focused more on the digital versions of my portfolio, and have several different versions, for different purposes: for job interviews I have a few different versions focusing on different sectors of work; for private client interviews I have one with a residential focus, another for small commercial; for teaching I have one that is about half professional work and half academic. I have a standard format for projects, very basic so as not to distract from the photos, but with some formatting rules to create uniformity of presenation. When I need a hard copy I just print on decent photo paper but usually presented in nothing more complicated than a report cover. This way they can be leave-behinds.
If you decide to go with something more elaborate, or an inflexible bound format, consider that some firms will have specific requests. I've been asked to bring only one of my best projects to focus on in depth, or to bring work of a particular type. For that reason you should think about a format that will let you print one or two projects and let them stand on their own.
I agree with Alphabits on using digital portfolio. When I went searching for a new job last year, I either carried my iPad or a laptop with USB powered monitor, so I could show multiple people my works. I think went through fast but my portfolio included about 200 pgs, which I didn't feel like printing.. Digital portfolio is also easy to edit and customize based on the position and the company that you are applying.
Though I did have one embarrassing moment when I started my laptop, it performed windows update, so I could not start the presentation right away... I guess it is good to have both.
Jul 6, 15 9:22 pm ·
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The Problem of Adding Projects to a Portfolio
What are some approaches to this issue? As a recent graduate about to apply for jobs, I want to invest in a high-quality portfolio showcasing my work. However, I hate knowing that within a year, after (hopefully) completing some more professional work and maybe a competition entry, this portfolio will already be outdated. Do I suck it up if necessary and fork out another $80-100 for a reprint?
I am also building a website to accompany my portfolio, which can obviously be more comprehensive. But, *sigh*, I wish there was an easy way to add pages to a bound booklet. Does anyone ever print new projects separately, and then just show those alongside a slightly-outdated portfolio?
Any tips? Preferences? Thanks!
A whole $80? I can only imagine the torture you put yourself through when it comes time for real decision.
Pushing the obvious aside, after a few years working in the real world, your school projects become exponentially less relevant so I would not worry about having to keep an updated physical portfolio. Eventually, you can just list address and tell your future employer to go visit your work in person.
There a few ways to deal with it:
In my first few years after graduation I used a box format, where each of my 4 to 8 projects was on loose boards in the box. At most they were two pages of images and writing, so either a single one-sided board, or a 2-page layout that folded in the middle. That format let me easily reorder the projects and pull them out to fit whichever direction the interview seemed headed.
Later I had a format with punched card stock and some ring hardware that could be unscrewed to rearrange and switch out projects.
For the last 10 years or so I've focused more on the digital versions of my portfolio, and have several different versions, for different purposes: for job interviews I have a few different versions focusing on different sectors of work; for private client interviews I have one with a residential focus, another for small commercial; for teaching I have one that is about half professional work and half academic. I have a standard format for projects, very basic so as not to distract from the photos, but with some formatting rules to create uniformity of presenation. When I need a hard copy I just print on decent photo paper but usually presented in nothing more complicated than a report cover. This way they can be leave-behinds.
If you decide to go with something more elaborate, or an inflexible bound format, consider that some firms will have specific requests. I've been asked to bring only one of my best projects to focus on in depth, or to bring work of a particular type. For that reason you should think about a format that will let you print one or two projects and let them stand on their own.
I agree with Alphabits on using digital portfolio. When I went searching for a new job last year, I either carried my iPad or a laptop with USB powered monitor, so I could show multiple people my works. I think went through fast but my portfolio included about 200 pgs, which I didn't feel like printing.. Digital portfolio is also easy to edit and customize based on the position and the company that you are applying.
Though I did have one embarrassing moment when I started my laptop, it performed windows update, so I could not start the presentation right away... I guess it is good to have both.
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