29 Getting Started Right
legal reasons—but try to fill your portfolio with live, dynamic, inter-
active websites.
Does it follow modern design standards?
One of the curses of web design is you are frequently going to look
at work you completed mere months ago and bemoan how it could
have been done better. That’s a given. However, your web design
portfolio should demonstrate your current aesthetic and design
capabilities. If a project looks even the slightest bit dated, it’s going
to turn off some discerning viewers.
That’s not to say that your items should follow every trend of the
moment in web design! Developing a personal style, via experi-
ence and practice, will ensure a consistent style that serves you far
better than blind trend-chasing.
What skills or experience does this item demonstrate? Your portfo-
lio exists for one purpose: to demonstrate your credentials as a top
notch web designer for hire. Take some time to look at each port-
folio item and identify what that project taught you or what skills
you contributed. Make sure your skills are covered and each item
“does its share of the work” in proving your credentials.
Don’t focus merely on technical skills and software either! Portfolio
items that demonstrate a unique client request or working situa-
tion (I had to work with five developers on a time crunch), or items
with impressive outcomes (won Cool Design Award) can be fan-
tastic talking points when you’re interviewing a client or potential
employer.
Does another item in my portfolio showcase this better?
On the flip side, contrary to what newcomers might believe, more
is not necessarily better in a portfolio. When you’re just starting out
and scrambling for portfolio-worthy projects, each item you can
add to your portfolio might easily have something unique to show
