Answer the first set of questions and do those steps if you are a freelance designer. Answer the second set of questions and do those steps if you are seeking a job in a design-related field.

Designers Seeking Freelance Clients

1. Is this a new business or have you been doing freelance design for over a year?

   If you've been in business for a little while, begin gathering up as many samples of your work as you can -- especially the finished product. If you're new to freelance work, don't worry. In Lesson 3 we'll explore options for beginner's with little real work to rely on.

   
   
   
2. Are you trying to get new clients for the type of work you've been doing?

   Gather up samples of the work you're currently doing, especially the very best examples.

   
   
   
3. Are you trying to expand your business to include types of work you've not previously done?

   Have you done any work similiar to the area you want to expand into? Even work you weren't paid for could be included in your portfolio. Otherwise, you might have to use the techniques described in Lesson 3 of this class to build your portfolio up.

   
   
   
4. Did you do desktop publishing or graphic design of any kind prior to starting a freelance business?

   If you have samples of work you did for an employers -- and if your former employer will allow it -- these samples could be included in your portfolio. This is especially helpful if you are new to freelance design.

   
   
   

Designers Seeking Employment

1. Will this be your first job in a design-related field or have you been doing similiar work in another job?

   If you've never done design work before, in Lesson 3 we'll explore ways to build up a portfolio from scratch. If you've done similiar work and you have samples of that work that you can use, gather it up now.

   
   
   
2. Have you ever done freelance design work?

   A pre-existing portfolio or examples of work you did in your freelance design days will help fill up your new portfolio. Gather those materials.

   
   
   
3. Is the job you are seeking primarily design or is that simply one small portion of the job description?
   
   

   A large portfolio may be overkill if the job is not primarily design-related. You may be better off focusing on producing a high-quality résumé, perhaps with a handful of design samples.

4. Do you have a résumé?

   You'll probably need one, even if the job is an in-house graphic design or desktop publishing position. Give it as much attention as you do your portfolio.

   
   
   

In Lesson 2 we'll look at 5 types of content used in graphic design portfolios.

If you arrived at this page via search you've landed in the middle of a free class offered by email. This lesson is part of the Create a Portfolio in 6 Days email class offered by About Desktop Publishing. Sign up for the 6-lesson class.