What Does a Great Industrial Design Portfolio Look Like? A Recruiter's Perspective on Folios

[@ibraheemmonks8866]

Found the end really interesting about how recruiters don’t care about your long convoluted story about how you fell in love with Design but rather they just want to see what value you can add to their company.

[@alexlewis7038]

Great video as always John, really clear and concise. Looks like I need to rebuild my portfolio again🥲

[@Design.Theory]

We all do :)

[@mustafabarakat4413]

now i think this channel is gonna be industrial designers (the futur) one day .... its really amazing content

[@Design.Theory]

Maybe someday. Gonna just focus on the next video for now :)

[@gerardofrutos9333]

nice video! Time to update my portfolio!!

[@Design.Theory]

Thanks for checking it out, Gerardo :)

[@ChrisSeltzer]

Show a cohesive career progression is one of the main things software engineers get wrong on their resumes.

[@inmolatusfire]

Any tips for someone who has a "non-cohesive progression" in their projects? I have worked on wildly different projects throughtout my education from glasses to a spacesuit, to kitchenware to airplane interior, an architecture project, etc. I'm going to start jobhunting soon and was thincking on looking for a possition on a design studio/consultancy where projects from different topics come and go, but how about for a more standard ID position? what should I do with my mix?

[@Design.Theory]

I have a similarly insane background. I've figured out a way to weave a story out of it. I will try to give a longer response tonight. Gotta do some other stuff right now tho

[@inmolatusfire]

@@Design.Theory Thanks, no rush, any help is welcome ;)

[@Design.Theory]

@@inmolatusfire So in this situation, what I'll typically do is try to find a common thread between them. Maybe the product categories were completely different from each other, but you had a similar role in all of them. If that doesn't work for your situation, maybe just take specific projects that are most similar and only show those in an interview. So instead of showing your entire folio, only show the projects that are relevant to the position you're applying for. Lastly, if all else fails, you should just advertise this diversity as an asset. You have a broad perspective that will be valuable to whatever future endeavor you decide to engage with.

[@Design.Theory]

Don't forget to check out the discord! discord.gg/GEAXGESK5f ....Or, enroll in my online industrial design course, Form Fundamentals: bit.ly/335vsqO Learn visual storytelling, design language, and form. Make a killer portfolio and land your dream job: bit.ly/335vsqO

[@bw9703]

Awesome resource! I’m doing my portfolio rite now... coulda used this 2 years ago! Cheers!

[@Design.Theory]

Thanks for checking it out! :)

[@bw9703]

@@Design.Theory No, thank you for opening this closed subject up! Cheers!

[@DesignTruth]

not so sure about listening to myself back for 10 mins + but thanks for having us John

[@Design.Theory]

I thought it was pretty interesting! But I've already listened to it about 10 times while editing it so who knows.

[@ashwarysehgal2975]

How a designer can scale their career, like after couples of year everyone need a little scale in terms of cash, position, and etc. You know so how we can do this thing

[@Design.Theory]

Do you mean like negotiation?

[@michaelinbar9504]

Great video, thank you. But what about sending a portfolio as a website? is it worse? better? I know not all the webpages born equal but are there any tips for these kinds of portfolios

[@Design.Theory]

It depends entirely on the individual. I would have both ready.

[@michaelinbar9504]

@@Design.TheoryThanks

[@milesmatic2872]

Great insights into Industrial Design! Thanks :)

[@Design.Theory]

Glad it was helpful!

[@mehulagarwal9455]

Hey John! There is a question that has been good food for thought for me for long time. I wonder if you'd be interested in it. I just wonder whether an industrial designer can/should tackle problems that we consider social evils? I get that job/teaching/freelancing is where careers are. But if money is not a constraint, do you think design, instead of bureaucracy, is something that can be used for solving moral/philosophical problems on any scale?

[@Design.Theory]

That is totally up to you. My only piece of advice is to do what you are passionate about, and also what the market will pay you to do. In regards to whether I think design can solve moral/philosophical problems of any scale, I think the answer is yes. But it's easy to become a self-righteous crusader when in reality all you're doing is just designing a shoe or something. It's easy to inflate the importance of what you're doing (every startup in Silicon Valley does this). I think that the key is really understanding the problem, though. Otherwise its all just marketing hype and PR fluff.

[@reneeanagbo]

I find this requirement to 'tailor the portfolio' to each job I'm applying for difficult when in reality I am applying to 30 design roles that may differ in what they specialize in/are looking for. How can I possibly have the time to develop 'relevant' work for each role. I thought the best way out was to display a general sense of my thinking process, sketching and rendering skills in one portfolio, for all the applications. Is this a definite pathway to rejection? What do you suggest...

[@Design.Theory]

Apply for fewer roles. I know that sounds counter intuitive. But if you target your portfolio for a specific category of design you are more likely to get a job.

[@reneeanagbo]

@@Design.Theory Thats really helpful, not counter intuitive. I believe I can increase the relevance of my portfolio much easier that way. Thanks!

[@alpacamale2909]

industrial designers sure love their vacuum cleaners

[@Design.Theory]

It's all about the suck.

[@blackbrownblanco]

This portfolio is from somebody who already has industry experience...

[@Design.Theory]

All the same rules still apply for those looking for an internship, junior, or mid-level position. Things only really start to change once you get to the senior/principal level.