Some time ago, we published an article about Common Job Application Mistakes That People Make, however, since most of our job vacancies are aimed at Fashion creatives, we would also like to give out some suggestions on how to develop a striking portfolio, which will help you to get noticed amongst others:
- Imagine yourself already working in the company’s design team
Each creative has developed their individual style over time, yet usually, the most exceptional designers show their utmost creativity by fine-tuning their approach to the brand’s aesthetics they want to work at. Some of the best results have looked like the candidate is already working at the company!
2. Only bring your relevant designs on the table
The key to a successful application is relevance – if you are applying to a Denim Designer position, it is a smart idea to avoid extending to other designs. By doing that, you will suddenly have extra space in your portfolio to really get into details with your excellent Denim design creations.
3. Show that you have carefully thought about the style of your CV and portfolio
Recruiters most certainly notice the details you have put into your work. If your CV and Portfolio follow a similar and consistent style, it shows your true effort and ability to communicate clearly with your visual approach.
4. Don’t forget to show your visual train of thought
Mood boards are fantastic tools to get your creative ideas across while technical files are just one part of the design story. Avoid focusing solely on technical files unless you are applying for a Technical Design role or it is specifically asked by the company. We suggest you to visualize the progress from initial inspiration to final design instead – it will help you to stand out from others!
5. Display quality not quantity
In terms of number of pages for your portfolio, often, less is more. Try to avoid sending hundreds of pages or individual images, instead, pick out the creations that are most impressive and relevant, use around 10 pages to display them.
6. Think outside the portfolio
While the portfolio should be concise and relevant, you can extend the scope of your creative side to brilliant platforms such as Pinterest, Behance, Tumblr and Cargo Collective. Once you have caught recruiters’ attention, they will definitely want to see more from you and check if the client’s style harmonizes with your visual aesthetics.
We hope you found these tips useful, perhaps they even made you re-think the approach to your portfolio. Next time when you apply to your dream job, you should already be one important step closer to being well-prepared. We encourage you to check out more Career Tips, Fashion News and Career stories from Fashion Industry Insiders from our weekly blog as well!