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Get any UX job with a stellar portfolio presentation by reading this
Advice I received from people at Amazon, Microsoft, Google and more
This article was co-written with Angela Nguyen ❤
Link to talk (Youtube)
Link to follow up article with additional tips
You passed the initial phone interview and now comes the final test to show potential employers what you are capable of: the portfolio presentation.
Portfolio presentations are the norm for any design position. It shows employers your thought process through design problems and how well you communicate to others. It’s the perfect opportunity to prove that you are the most qualified designer for the job.
If you never gave a portfolio presentation before, it might feel pretty intimidating (I know because I have been in that position) but don’t worry! I have given a fair amount of portfolio presentations and I still get nervous before each one. You can’t avoid portfolio presentations, or any presentation for that matter (especially working in the design industry), but you can definitely get better and conquer your fear of presenting.
Here are steps and tips which have come from my experience of interviewing at different tech companies as well as my friends/mentors who work at some of the biggest companies in tech. As a student, I have interviewed with Microsoft, Amazon, Intuit, Google and more, enhancing my understanding of the interview process as well as my presentation skills. I have one more year of school left with an internship lined up for the summer. I am writing this article with the help of my good friend and co-author, Angela. Angela currently works at Amazon and has had the opportunity to interview with tech giants, receiving multiple offers after graduating. For the integrity of the companies and the people working there, we will not be specifying what each of these companies are looking for, but will provide tips on how you can execute a kick-ass presentation of your work.