Creating a Standout Design Portfolio: The Ultimate Guide

Let’s start with the facts: (1) the tech industry isn’t booming like it was a few years ago, plus (2) there are a ton of UX bootcamps out there, and (3) they’ve flooded the market with beginning UX designers looking for jobs.

This means it’s quiiite a bit harder to find a UX/UI design or product design role than it once was 😬

So how do you design a portfolio that stands out from the crowd and gets you hired?

I’ve created this series as an answer to that question. My aim is that it’s the best (free) design portfolio content on the web. (If there’s anything better, leave a comment below 😎)

How this portfolio series is organized

This guide is multiple parts, so let me give you a brief tour, and you can skip around as you’d like.

1. The 4 most-common mistakes in design portfolios. This is the best place to start. First, we’ll cover why design managers pass on so many portfolios. If you can avoid these mistakes, you’re already doing great.
2. Creating a great portfolio home page. Next, we’ll break down best practices for your portfolio homepage, from the above-the-fold experience to the very bottom of the page.
3. Writing a solid portfolio case study. Then, we’ll move on to the dreaded case study! But don’t worry – I don’t recommend writing an in-depth process essay here. Quite the opposite, and it may save you work.
4. How to create a portfolio as a beginner. Here, we’ll cover a few tips about how to build a portfolio when you haven’t done any paid work yet! Very handy.
5. 10 great example portfolios, explained. It’s one thing to talk rules, but it’s another to learn from great examples out there on the web already.
6. The best sites for building your portfolio. Finally, let’s get tactical: how should you build your portfolio? This post breaks down some great options.

Along the way, I’ll also provide resources, illustrations, examples, and links to help.

Ready to get started? 😎

Continue to Chapter 1: The 4 most-common mistakes in design portfolios