From my understanding, once you start work many interviewers expect to see more professional pages in your portfolio. I've been working for a couple years, have some projects under my belt to showcase. However most of them aren't cutting edge design, due to constraints of the project. My question is, any ideas to jazz up your professional portfolio when it is clear the designs are very practical and straightforward? I don't want to cling to old academic projects in my portoflio too much. I wonder if employers expect the creative aspects within a portfolio to taper off? Any suggestions on what other elements I can put in my portfolio to reintroduce a degree of my own creativity. I know many employers, if they see too much academic work, they're cautioned that you may be too wet behind the ears.
Most people stop including student work by the time they have about 2 years of experience post graduation. Some people decide to keep their thesis project, or an award-winning project, or something about which they can speak more theoretically.
Often you'll find that after you have a few years of experience the interviews will start being more about your role in the projects, whether you usually took projects from start to finish or had a more specialized role, whether you seem to be able to talk about the construction of the building... so it's usually helpful to have photos of built work, at least one half-size CD set, and anything else you've worked on - from schematic sketches to feasibility studies. If you have a range of work that takes one or two projects from start to finish this is ideal.
Employers don't necessarily expect your creativity to "taper off" - but they'll expect to see how you applied your design skills to practical issues. Examples of design in the sense of problem-solving - such as unique details, even space planning studies will usually be welcomed.
If you've been working in a more "practical" firm and are trying to move toward a more innovative design firm, or if you're interviewing for a position as a dedicated designer when you've always been more of a production department guy in the past then you may need to supplement with other work: have you done any personal projects on the side, any other types of design work recently? If not then perhaps you will end up wanting to keep one or two academic projects in your portfolio for a little while longer.
As Al said. although my portfolio is about half and half built and unbuilt, and i still keep March grad project from school (wun a few awards, though it is gettin time to take it out)...
I have been doing about 2-3 competitions a year since undergrad and never stopped. the better work from that lot stays in my portfolio along with the sexier built stuff. I include a few drawings from CD's, special details that affect the appearance of the building a lot; but don't usually carry a full set around and have never bothered showing standard details.
When looking for a project architect job in London I shopped round the above, and only larger firms were particularly interested in the CD's. Smaller offices assumed I could do the job based on my experience and (in my view ) seemed to be interested in all round abilities rather than proof that I could be slotted into a specific place in their hierarchy. the competition work and other unbuilt stuff was good to have for interviewing with these firms, and they seemed to weigh the unbuilt as much as the built. [As an aside, smaller firms tend to offer more responsibility and more interesting work but there is always the risk of losing your job if a few projects fall through.]
anyway, do a competition or two. it ain't academic and it shows you haven't forgotten how to think for yourself.
I look back, after almost 10 years out of undergrad, at my portfolio and both smile and laugh. In my case, my portfolio did not help me get my first job, nor did it help me in any other opportunities. My first job, I took it with me - photos of my projects in school as well as a terrible set (I say with great pride now) of Construction Documents I developed in a CD class in school... none of that was necessary in this small two-man firm. My willingness to work unpaid for two weeks to get my foot in the door was what got me hired. A year later, I moved and took samples of the previous 12 months of office work, and that was what my hiring was based on - not my portfolio.
Now, I maintain half-size CD sets of my better projects if I were to ever leave my current employer. Not all of my projects are award-winners, or even would be submitted for such accolades, but if you are a good designer, you can sneak in elements in the design to be proud of. I keep lots of millwork photos in my portfolio because that is the easiest area to explore for design in an otherwise "square" project.
I am now in the position of hiring, and recommending for hire, candidates who walk through the door. What I look for in someone walking through the door straight out of school is 1) a technical understanding of the elements of architecture (can they understand how to develop a set of working drawings); 2) design creativity. I make it a point to not make too much of a graphic-filled portfolio. Pretty pictures are one thing, but I like to see that there is a bit of grounded realism in the architecture the candidate designed, too. I also like to keep the candidate grounded in their responsibility to the firm - they will NOT be designing from day one once they get hired. Well, not designing in the way most schools promote as architectural design. As for candidates who have work experience, I concur with Aluminate - it's all about the role the candidate had in projects at their previous firms, and how well they understood the project and how the working drawings look in final form. It also helps to see budget information, change order information on the project (if it got that far)...
Don't get me wrong, I love design and I love everything that keeps pushing the edge. I wish schools would focus more efforts on training students for the BUSINESS side of architecture in addition to 6-8 studios for design.
i am beginning to believe it makes a big difference what country you are working in ( the design climate of the office too, of course).
in my first office (about 10 years ago, Japan) they didn't want to see my portfolio either and didn't care about experience at all. Not for the reasons lobo talks about though. Rather it was entirely personal. I was introduced by someone they trusted and we got along well.
In canada I was just a slot to be filled and again portfolio was unimportant. i am convinced that is a North American thing though I assume there are exceptions...
In London the portfolio was fairly important, though the decision was based more on experience than anything. Still if I didn't have a good design portfolio to back up the experience i wouldn't have gotten jack.
Now I work for myself (again in Japan) and the portfolio seldom sees the light of day. I still maintain it, but my focus now is on getting work published (and doign work worhty of publication!). Magazines and books have such a nice effect on clients...
Thanks to everyone who responded, these are great suggestions! The suggestion to feature unique details which I had a hand in is good. I'm not worried in speaking about my roles in each project and my experience, however I still find many employers still expect you to impress them with some visuals (not as a means to slot you into work categories but to see if you fit into the creativeness of the firm) and to send a sample portfolio alongside with your resume. I guess this is my focus or concern.
Jul 10, 05 9:32 am ·
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Snazzy professional portfolio...
From my understanding, once you start work many interviewers expect to see more professional pages in your portfolio. I've been working for a couple years, have some projects under my belt to showcase. However most of them aren't cutting edge design, due to constraints of the project. My question is, any ideas to jazz up your professional portfolio when it is clear the designs are very practical and straightforward? I don't want to cling to old academic projects in my portoflio too much. I wonder if employers expect the creative aspects within a portfolio to taper off? Any suggestions on what other elements I can put in my portfolio to reintroduce a degree of my own creativity. I know many employers, if they see too much academic work, they're cautioned that you may be too wet behind the ears.
Most people stop including student work by the time they have about 2 years of experience post graduation. Some people decide to keep their thesis project, or an award-winning project, or something about which they can speak more theoretically.
Often you'll find that after you have a few years of experience the interviews will start being more about your role in the projects, whether you usually took projects from start to finish or had a more specialized role, whether you seem to be able to talk about the construction of the building... so it's usually helpful to have photos of built work, at least one half-size CD set, and anything else you've worked on - from schematic sketches to feasibility studies. If you have a range of work that takes one or two projects from start to finish this is ideal.
Employers don't necessarily expect your creativity to "taper off" - but they'll expect to see how you applied your design skills to practical issues. Examples of design in the sense of problem-solving - such as unique details, even space planning studies will usually be welcomed.
If you've been working in a more "practical" firm and are trying to move toward a more innovative design firm, or if you're interviewing for a position as a dedicated designer when you've always been more of a production department guy in the past then you may need to supplement with other work: have you done any personal projects on the side, any other types of design work recently? If not then perhaps you will end up wanting to keep one or two academic projects in your portfolio for a little while longer.
As Al said. although my portfolio is about half and half built and unbuilt, and i still keep March grad project from school (wun a few awards, though it is gettin time to take it out)...
I have been doing about 2-3 competitions a year since undergrad and never stopped. the better work from that lot stays in my portfolio along with the sexier built stuff. I include a few drawings from CD's, special details that affect the appearance of the building a lot; but don't usually carry a full set around and have never bothered showing standard details.
When looking for a project architect job in London I shopped round the above, and only larger firms were particularly interested in the CD's. Smaller offices assumed I could do the job based on my experience and (in my view ) seemed to be interested in all round abilities rather than proof that I could be slotted into a specific place in their hierarchy. the competition work and other unbuilt stuff was good to have for interviewing with these firms, and they seemed to weigh the unbuilt as much as the built. [As an aside, smaller firms tend to offer more responsibility and more interesting work but there is always the risk of losing your job if a few projects fall through.]
anyway, do a competition or two. it ain't academic and it shows you haven't forgotten how to think for yourself.
I look back, after almost 10 years out of undergrad, at my portfolio and both smile and laugh. In my case, my portfolio did not help me get my first job, nor did it help me in any other opportunities. My first job, I took it with me - photos of my projects in school as well as a terrible set (I say with great pride now) of Construction Documents I developed in a CD class in school... none of that was necessary in this small two-man firm. My willingness to work unpaid for two weeks to get my foot in the door was what got me hired. A year later, I moved and took samples of the previous 12 months of office work, and that was what my hiring was based on - not my portfolio.
Now, I maintain half-size CD sets of my better projects if I were to ever leave my current employer. Not all of my projects are award-winners, or even would be submitted for such accolades, but if you are a good designer, you can sneak in elements in the design to be proud of. I keep lots of millwork photos in my portfolio because that is the easiest area to explore for design in an otherwise "square" project.
I am now in the position of hiring, and recommending for hire, candidates who walk through the door. What I look for in someone walking through the door straight out of school is 1) a technical understanding of the elements of architecture (can they understand how to develop a set of working drawings); 2) design creativity. I make it a point to not make too much of a graphic-filled portfolio. Pretty pictures are one thing, but I like to see that there is a bit of grounded realism in the architecture the candidate designed, too. I also like to keep the candidate grounded in their responsibility to the firm - they will NOT be designing from day one once they get hired. Well, not designing in the way most schools promote as architectural design. As for candidates who have work experience, I concur with Aluminate - it's all about the role the candidate had in projects at their previous firms, and how well they understood the project and how the working drawings look in final form. It also helps to see budget information, change order information on the project (if it got that far)...
Don't get me wrong, I love design and I love everything that keeps pushing the edge. I wish schools would focus more efforts on training students for the BUSINESS side of architecture in addition to 6-8 studios for design.
funny you should say that.
i am beginning to believe it makes a big difference what country you are working in ( the design climate of the office too, of course).
in my first office (about 10 years ago, Japan) they didn't want to see my portfolio either and didn't care about experience at all. Not for the reasons lobo talks about though. Rather it was entirely personal. I was introduced by someone they trusted and we got along well.
In canada I was just a slot to be filled and again portfolio was unimportant. i am convinced that is a North American thing though I assume there are exceptions...
In London the portfolio was fairly important, though the decision was based more on experience than anything. Still if I didn't have a good design portfolio to back up the experience i wouldn't have gotten jack.
Now I work for myself (again in Japan) and the portfolio seldom sees the light of day. I still maintain it, but my focus now is on getting work published (and doign work worhty of publication!). Magazines and books have such a nice effect on clients...
Thanks to everyone who responded, these are great suggestions! The suggestion to feature unique details which I had a hand in is good. I'm not worried in speaking about my roles in each project and my experience, however I still find many employers still expect you to impress them with some visuals (not as a means to slot you into work categories but to see if you fit into the creativeness of the firm) and to send a sample portfolio alongside with your resume. I guess this is my focus or concern.
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