Entering a new creative role can be invigorating for professionals of any experience level. There is an excitement that comes with new relationships, responsibilities and the feedback that follows. This rush of new challenges can keep you on your toes for a while – but can quickly grow monotonous. How do you maintain that initial level of enthusiasm as your role goes on to develop?
Whether you have been in the creative industry for four weeks or forty years, it is important to remember this: there is always more to learn. Trends change like the weather. New technology develops seemingly overnight. And new clients will present you with unique branding opportunities. Continued learning can look like keeping up with admired artists on social media, listening to industry news, reading articles about design trends, attending conferences, and reading books about developing your design skills.
Any recent creative grad will tell you that they live and breathe their updated portfolio. But in the professional world, you would be hard-pressed to find a designer who has recently worked on their personal portfolio. Between client projects, emails, and other daily tasks, a portfolio falls to the bottom of your priorities list. Do not let it!
A strong case of work can be useful to you even if you are not on the hunt for your next position. Keeping an updated portfolio can help you stand out in proposals for bigger clients and serve as a reminder to your current company of your professional accomplishments.
As simple as it would be to list out your accomplished projects, it does not tell your viewer anything. Taking the time to write the purpose and process behind your work will help your interviewers or managers understand the value you bring. Keeping that in mind, here are some portfolio prompts to get started:
It’s not fun to hear you are doing something wrong. Instead of letting criticism stunt your career, treat those critiques as growing pains. Take the time to refine your work and truly ask yourself if this is the best it can be. If it isn’t, take the time to do more research and pinpoint where you fell short.
As designers, our job is to translate our client’s vision for their brand into reality. It is important to remember that as you build up your clients, you build up yourself as well. Yes, it is more work. But work that will make you a better, stronger creative professional and push you forward into a higher role.
Creative Strategist
With a background in Visual Communications, Kiersten is well-rounded in all things advertising and graphic design. She thrives at discovering creative solutions that bridge the gap between visual interest and information. Her goal is to always use these skills to bring a positive impact to her team.