Designing a design portfolio

from the lens of a recruiter

MANN U AM R IT | SR D E SIG NE R, ATL A S S IA N | @ M A N N UAM R I T

DISCLAIMERS

Designed for students, Applicable for all

relevant for all streams of design
 Let’s keep
this
interactive.
 Approach mindset 10 mins

Practical hacks
Agenda
20 mins

Future proofing 5 mins

QnA 25 mins
 Approach mindset

Practical hacks
Agenda
Future proofing

QnA
Designing a portfolio is tough.

Creating a robust portfolio to win over

recruiters and hiring managers is itself
a full-time job.

https://medium.com/designing-atlassian/portfolio-reviews-in-the-time-of-quarantine-c8fa7a933bdf
🌶

A design portfolio is a known

solution to a not so known
problem space.
Known Proof of work
Showcase your craft, how you think

solution..
Personal brand
Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story
Known Proof of work
Showcase your craft, how you think

solution..
Personal brand
Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story
Known Proof of work
Showcase your craft, how you think

solution..
Personal brand
Self expression, perceived identity, YOUR story
Not so known Who are my users?
Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer,
Researcher) vs yourself

problem
space.. What are their pain points?
Time scarcity, Scale

What do they really need?

Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion,
Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft
Not so known Who are my users?
Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer,
Researcher) vs yourself

problem
space.. What are their pain points?
Time scarcity, Scale

What do they really need?

Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion,
Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft
Not so known Who are my users?
Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer,
Researcher) vs yourself

problem
space.. What are their pain points?
Time scarcity, Scale

What do they really need?

Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion,
Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft
Not so known Who are my users?
Recruiter (HR) vs hiring manager (Designer,
Researcher) vs yourself

problem
space.. What are their pain points?
Time scarcity, Scale

What do they really need?

Signals - Eagerness to learn, Passion,
Storytelling, Problem Solving, Craft
What’s preventing you from getting that
gig is that the hiring managers can’t see
your vector of growth. It's about how
you learn, not how you work today.

JARED SPOOL, @JMSPOOL

 How good are you at learning?

Navigating unknowns Mistakes are a turn on Vector of growth

Talking about how you've Do you own your mistakes & Can you show the distance
learned & grown in your failures on the way? What did you've come and the direction
design journey is the most you learn from trying to your education / experience
important part of your story correct them? has taken you?

CREDITS: JARED SPOOL, @JMSPOOL

APPROACH MINDSET

DESIGNING A PORTFOLIO IS
A DESIGN PROJECT.
 Approach mindset

Practical hacks
Agenda
Future proofing

QnA
HACK 1

Be intentional about the

journey you want your
audience to take
Intentional 🔢 Sequence of projects
First two projects are likely to be decision makers

journey
🌟 Information hierarchy
Highlight key points + provide additional details
for those who are curious

⏱ Time to consume
For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be
consumed in 7-10 mins?
Intentional 🔢 Sequence of projects
First two projects are likely to be decision makers

journey
🌟 Information hierarchy
Highlight key points + provide additional details
for those who are curious

⏱ Time to consume
For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be
consumed in 7-10 mins?
Intentional 🔢 Sequence of projects
First two projects are likely to be decision makers

journey
🌟 Information hierarchy
Highlight key points + provide additional details
for those who are curious

⏱ Time to consume
For a 1st time user, what all info is likely to be
consumed in 7-10 mins?
HACK 2

Design methods are great only

if you understand why you’re
using them
Why of 🔗 Highlight the connections
Did the persona really help you? Does the

design
solution solve the original issue? Why is this
solution the strongest one?

methods 🙅 Don’t enforce the process

Design process is messy and complex, and rarely
linear. Be cautious about what your project
needs.
Why of 🔗 Highlight the connections
Did the persona really help you? Does the

design
solution solve the original issue? Why is this
solution the strongest one?

methods 🙅 Don’t enforce the process

Design process is messy and complex, and rarely
linear. Be cautious about what your project
needs.
HACK 3

Group projects are hard for

recruiters to assess an
individual on. Unless..
Smart group 📅 Plan your portfolio
Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group

projects
projects with different roles & responsibilities?

🔦 Highlight your contribution

Specify your role, your contribution

👁 Same project, different story

Tell the story of your project from your perspective
Smart group 📅 Plan your portfolio
Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group

projects
with clear roles and responsibilities?

🔦 Highlight your contribution

Specify your role, your contribution

👁 Same project, different story

Tell the story of your project from your perspective
Smart group 📅 Plan your portfolio
Internships? Thesis? Exploratory projects? Group

projects
with clear roles and responsibilities?

🔦 Highlight your contribution

Specify your role, your contribution

👁 Same project, different story

Tell the story of your project from your perspective
HACK 4

User research is not the same

as talking to your users
Empathy ❓Process, Hypothesis
Number of users, unknowns, questions asked

via user
research 🧠 Insight creation
Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight

🤔 Choice of domain
Avoid biases, build empathy
Empathy ❓Process, Hypothesis
Number of users, unknowns, questions asked

via user
research 🧠 Insight creation
Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight

🤔 Choice of domain
Avoid biases, build empathy
Empathy ❓Process, Hypothesis
Number of users, unknowns, questions asked

via user
research 🧠 Insight creation
Journey of a user statement to an actionable insight

🤔 Choice of domain
Avoid biases, build empathy
HACK 5

Design documentation +
storytelling = portfolio*
Unblock 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations
Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration

storytelling
to another

🔍 Zoom in on decisions
Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs,
if you had more time, if this was shipped..

🎨 Visual vs verbose
Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they
help narrate the story better
Unblock 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations
Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration

storytelling
to another

🔍 Zoom in on decisions
Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs,
if you had more time, if this was shipped..

🎨 Visual vs verbose
Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they
help narrate the story better
Unblock 🖼 Problem framing, Iterations
Set the stage, relatability, journey from one iteration

storytelling
to another

🔍 Zoom in on decisions
Be candid about why’s, learnings, hypothesis, tradeoffs,
if you had more time, if this was shipped..

🎨 Visual vs verbose
Don’t shy from creating additional assets if they
help narrate the story better
🌟 🔗 👁
Be intentional about the Design methods are great only if Group projects are hard for
journey you want your you understand why you’re recruiters to assess an
audience to take using them individual on. Unless..

🧠 🎨
User research is not the same Difference between design
as talking to your users documentation & portfolio =
storytelling*
 Some other talking points..

Hosting platform Medium of presentation Liberty of academic proj.

Behance / Notion vs Personal Sharing a link vs presenting in Constraints are in your control -
website person - differences where are the crazy ideas?
Fail fast, grow faster
 Can you
show me
some
examples?
https://bestfolios.com https://bit.ly/3tqgVP0 https://bit.ly/3atvoBf
Credits: Brian, Github (@brian_lovin) Credits: Ivy, Bumble (@JellyIvy)
Thin line between
inspiration &
plagiarism

Be aware of your
biases
🌶2

Avoid going overboard with personal branding.

Unless you’re applying for a brand position, a strong
personal brand / visual identity can overshadow
your actual case studies.

Stay true to yourself, own your strengths and share

your shining moments 🌟
 Approach mindset

Practical hacks
Agenda
Future proofing

QnA
Designing a portfolio is tough.

Creating a robust portfolio to win over

recruiters and hiring managers is itself
a full-time job / project.
It’s totally okay to feel
overwhelmed.
Future Embrace it
Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay

proofing your
portfolio Familiarise problem space
Needs, pain points - sound familiar?

Leverage your privilege

Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again.

Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours.

Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble.
Future Embrace it
Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay

proofing your
portfolio Familiarise problem space
Needs, pain points - sound familiar?

Leverage your privilege

Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again.

Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours.

Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble.
Future Embrace it
Portfolio is a lifelong design project and is here to stay

proofing your
portfolio Familiarise problem space
Needs, pain points - sound familiar?

Leverage your privilege

Get feedback. Iterate. Get feedback again.

Professors. Peers. Seniors. Alumni. Coffee hours.

Youtube. Medium. Twitter. Discord. Clubhouse. Bumble.
FUTURE PROOFING

Design documentation +
storytelling = portfolio*
FUTURE PROOFING

There is not a lot of difference

between design
documentation & portfolio 🌟
 🌶 🍫

A design portfolio A design portfolio

is a known is a known
solution to a not solution to a
so known familiar problem
problem space. space.
BE SPONGEBOB.
DON’T BE AN IMPOSTOR.
 @mannuamrit

🌟 🔗 👁
Be intentional about the Design methods are great only if Group projects are hard for
journey you want your you understand why you’re recruiters to assess an
audience to take using them individual on. Unless..

🧠 🎨 ✌
User research is not the same Difference between design Don’t go overboard with personal
as talking to your users documentation & portfolio = branding
storytelling*