i was browsing a few portfolios the other day and saw one portfolio that inspired this blog post. if i was an employer, i would’ve given this guy a call immediately. his portfolio was a brand of his skill, style and attitude.
my portfolio has been down for quite some time now but i’ve been fortunate enough to have excellent sample work that my clients have thrown around to other clients. i know i’m pretty behind on not getting the new portfolio up, but i promise to make this next one count.
the portfolio site is key. i’m not talking about the work within the portfolio. i’m talking about the portfolio itself. if done right, a crazy portfolio with a small amount of work is something i would look at more than a generic “portfolio social” site containing links to works. you know the type: you sign up at these sites to create your portfolio showcase. i don’t care how great and awesome the work is. if you don’t have a crazy or well-designed portfolio to showcase your work, i’m not looking at it. i’m sure other employers feel the same. focus on quality over quantity.
be true to yourself with branding
- don’t pretend you’re a huge company. be honest. make it clear who you are and what you can provide.
flash it up
- if you’re a flash guy, your portfolio should be flash. take this guy’s work for example. sure it’s crazy and lets you navigate with the keyboard or mouse, but he’s included instructions. he’s also proven to me he knows how to code up something complex that requires a keyboard. his portfolio has an impressive body of work. his portfolio has incredible transitions and animations between his bodies of work. he’s impressed me. his portfolio did the job.
- if you’re a flash guy, prove it to me. don’t do something boring for your portfolio. if you’re going for minimalistic, fine. i’d better see a portfolio that is designed well-enough and wasn’t developed from a flash tutorial. i’ve seen plenty of scattered-polaroids-on-a-wooden-desk portfolios. i’ve seen plenty of click-the-thumbnail-for-a-demo portfolios. don’t bore me. the “x” button isn’t that far away.
wrap it up
- sum up your skills and services in the fewest words possible. everyone is a designer. everyone is a developer. sum up what you are about so that i can move on to your work.
re-invent yourself
- don’t do the usual portfolio. throw your best ideas together and keep modifying until you’re happy. your site is your identity and should represent you perfectly. if you are one of those cookie-cutter designers out there, go with the usual tabbed portfolio design with static content. that’s completely fine with me and every other hungry developer out there looking to prove why they are better than you.
make it clever and simple
- clean and effortless. don’t look like you’re trying too hard. simple front-end, complex back-end. the manner in which the user browses and interacts with your site should have a good amount of intelligence mixed within it. make me feel good when i browse your site and i will feel good when giving you my money.
- have some interesting work to display? interactive installation? touchscreen development? make a browser-version of your interface and let me browse it. show a video of your installation. impress me not by words, but by your work.
you only need 3 sections
- home page. showcase your latest project or demo reel. or reserve this space for updates and news if you have a combined blog/portfolio.
- portfolio/works page. this is your body of work. make it easy and fun to browse.
- about page. give me a clever way of getting to know you.
if you can nail these three, potential clients will spend less time clicking and more time interacting and appreciating.
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Nice article. Very clear and well-written.