Drawar

Well I guess it really depends on what kind of job you are looking to get at the web design company. If you are a designer, then I would probably shoot for an engaging and current design that avoids clichés. If you are a developer, then I would go for something that's usable, accessible, and standards-based. Of course, if you have both, then that's good too. :)

I would like to see some good examples, and I'm interested in more thoughts on the subject.

As a senior project manager for our design team I have looked at many online portfolios during our hiring process.

We were never primarily concerned about the look of the applicant's portfolio but the quality of work that was produced for the client. Perhaps your work was not adequate enough for the company you were applying for - or they were looking for something specific in particular.

Checkout smashing magazine's list of fresh and clean designs for inspiration for your portfolio.

Clean and clear is key. Checkout the dynamicdrive's list of Gallery ideas.

Best of luck!

Nice links, thanks!

I'll toss a link to my portfolio up here in a bit, let me know what you guys think so far!

Thanks for all the helpful replies everyone and designzillas, you're links are fantastic, thank you!

Well, for the time being, my portfolio is done. I'm going to be grabbing a .com for it this weekend and that should get me to pretty much exactly where I want to be. The text on the main page is going to be getting reworked. Everything in there is pretty much just filler until I sit down and actually write out my background. Here's the address currently, I'd love feedback from anyone who checks it out.

Thanks again for all the helpful comments!

My page

Hi Mike,

Coolio - lookin good ;)

1 Suggestion: Make the screen-shots BIGGER on the lightbox. Show off the detail of your work.. over-all good job though, glad it all came together.

This is not a design observation, but it's still an important note for any portfolio site: You need to have someone who's better than you at grammar and punctuation make recommendations on your text.

Just a couple of issues I saw right off the bat:

It looks bad when you claim to have an eye for detail in the same sentence in which you spell "personality" incorrectly.

When you refer to a class you took, it's "course," while "coarse" is reserved for discussions about texture.

I hope this doesn't sound harsh, and it's also true that spelling might not be a make-or-break issue for every art director. That said, it's an easy thing to get right, and it really does help you look more professional.

I appreciate your help. Like I said before, I'll probably rework most of the text in that box at a later date. In the meantime, I should probably make sure that I use my great attention to detail to spell things right.

Thanks missginsu.

designzillas, I'll be resizing my images shortly. Thanks for the suggestion!

My apologies in advance because this is a strong critique.

If you really want a chance at any jobs, I would change up how you market yourself because you come off as an amateur without any real experience.

I attended Introduction to Web Design at Red River College, completing the course with a final grade of 94%.

That line alone would red flag you as someone I would never want to hire. You've taken a single web design class, and not only that, but its an intro class. Intro to Web Dev classes teach you how to design websites in 1995. Secondly, not many recruiters care what kinds of grades you have, especially for a single class - they care about what you have achieved.

Based on your portfolio, I would strongly recommend that you put more time into education (whether self-taught or at a school, preferably a couple years of school) prior to applying to any decent web design firm.

That's a good point posure, a very good point.

In that left section, instead of doing an autobiography, I'd talk more about your philosophies regarding web design, the web, or the visual arts in general. I disagree (slightly) with what posure said about getting some more school experience, though. I am completely pro-college and think that it aides you in many ways, however landing a job at a web design firm is normally about what you can do and what your portfolio shows, not how many years of college you have or what degree you were in. I have many friends who are now great web designers who have an English degree, and I have just as many friends who have no degree who are now designing for the web. When it comes to the work, most firms only care about your portfolio and your knowledge.

So all that being said I'd obviously still recommend college, but I'd also recommend doing some design work fake clients that you make up, just so you can get some more pieces together to show off. Many newer designers do this and it's a good way of building some inventory.

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

@Mike
I would agree that college doesn't necessarily factor into web design positions - the web industry is more welcoming than other professions to self education. The main difference is that having a college education is going to open a lot more doors for you than if you didn't have one (unless you already have a good network).

Personally, I found my education to be extremely valuable and gives me something unique that sets me above most people. I'm in the software industry though, not graphic design. Graphic design, UI, and UX are just hobbies for me.

I'm going to read a couple books and do a couple sites for fake clients and maybe give it another shot with a local design company. If it doesn't work out, that's fine. At least I tried.

here's a couple things you could try

offer your skills towards some pro-bono type charity work you believe in, local church/civic groups/school, etc...and it's a great way to get the word of mouth on you started...

build some open source templates and get them onto sites like opendesigns.org

-t

also, I've found sometimes, especially when are already in "the mix", taking classes on what I'm already doing, tends to lag me behind a bit, but some years back, I took a simple class in c++, with no intention of ever becoming a programmer, and immediatly, I never felt like I learned much, but some time later, I found the things I did learn there instantly applied to my unix world, whether it was learning perl for the first time, or having to go in and edit kernel or apache source files...

I also don't advertise that I took this class, as it never really applied, but it did sure help my skills at being an engineer.

finally...

If it doesn't work out, that's fine. At least I tried.

Don't take that attitude :) approach this with the zest of "this has got to work", "I can do this"...my first year not having a "real job" SUCKED...but now, I think my skills are catching up to my aspirations, and I feel good about what I do now...

good luck friend :)

As far as building a portfolio goes I would strongly recommend not doing work for fake clients. Rather, like was previously suggested, do some pro-bono work for a charity. This will help build your portfolio and give you some clout as an ethical designer and true asset to the community as a whole. It will also probably turn out to be a great networking opportunity as many charities have ties with for profits and your work will usually get high exposure. Pretty much every major company does pro-bono projects and I think they will be much more impressed by a great design for your local Boys and Girls Club than something for a non-existent coffee shop.

Hey man, looked at your folio. Here are a few tips/criticisms:

1. Your sites are amazingly clean, to the extreme that I would describe them as architectural or drafted. Try to bust a move every now and then. Break some rules. Look at acclaimed websites to develop an understanding of how to structure trendy designs which emphasize functionality through their design, not just lay it out there with the other content.

Like these:

http://www.positivespaceblog.com/archives/12-amazing-website-designs-still-not-20/

2. Give the screenshots a more prominent position in you gallery, rather than laying them out in a sidebar.

Like here:

http://www.creativesuspects.com/

And add a description to each, detailing how fabulous the client thought their product was and how well you communicated with them.

3. Make you page original.

Add some interactivity: http://script.aculo.us

And some eye popping colors: http://colourlovers.com

4. Participate in some contests to buildup your folio.

http://99designs.com

I'd like to second lawrence.

If a potential employer asks to talk to one of your fake clients you're left in a position where you either have to come clean (and look bad) or continue the lie at the risk of looking even worse later on.

There are thousands (if not millions) of websites around the net that need improving and could practically be done without *that* much actual work on your behalf. Cut your rates and get their interest.

This by no means you can't experiment and create fun little things - just make sure they display professional skills and you credit them correctly.

And make sure you document each item in a way that checks the boxes for future employers. Saying something like: "Yeah this was a cool design we knocked out for so-and-so" isn't going to cut it. If you did any technical work as part of the project, this would be where you need to talk about it and say why it's good. You really need to sell yourself.

Employers want to know you can juggle overlapping deadlines for multiple projects. They want to know how fast you work. You want them to know your work is better than anybody else's - so explain how they are - because you're fighting against other designers for jobs.

That said, an important part of design is keeping things uncluttered and obvious. It might be a nice experiment in design and language to show how well you can get the message "I'm awesome" across while keeping it curt and eye-catching.

And if you can't honestly say you're better than everybody else, perhaps it's time to take on a few low-paying jobs and get your shit up to speed. There are few things worse than finding a potentially amazing client then pissing it away because you can't deliver.

I'm sure you've already seen this - but for those who haven't.

Creating a successful Online Portfolio is an excellent article that covers certain pitfalls and principles needed to create a well-rounded portfolio.

On another note - you can always go on craigslist and post an add in the computer services section and cut your rates to get more attention. This is a great way for getting some real world experience in balancing your project's pipelines, design capabilities, standards, building your folio, and of course dealing with people who want everything under the sun for $199.

Good call. I never thought of that. Thanks!