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Portfolios Aren’t What Get You the UX Design Job
If you only needed a portfolio to get a job, it would be easy. Anyone could do it given the time and resources.
So what’s the secret that transcends the portfolio? You.
Having a good portfolio doesn’t address what it takes to get a job done, and it doesn’t answer all the questions about you. It isn’t fair to base a candidate solely on the quality of their work, but instead, how they work.
Here are a few reasons why the portfolio isn’t the only thing recruiters are focusing on when looking for an ideal candidate and how they decide whether or not a candidate is worth investing in.
Who are you?
When you meet a designer in person, they want to know you. What are you passionate about? What projects are you most proud of?
When you are clear about the value you can contribute and it aligns with what an organization is doing, your chances of getting the job are higher than someone applying online. This is why meeting with another designer is so valuable. It’s not always about you and the job, it’s about establishing a connection with another person.
My good friend Sam Anderson and I didn’t get internships with our portfolio. In my case, I didn’t have a solid portfolio of work that matched with the job I ended up doing. We got our first job experience by connecting with someone on a deeper level and simply having a good conversation with them. It wasn’t about the job at all.
How do you communicate?
Communication is essential because it has the power to make things happen and it conveys the unique value you can bring to work. When talking to a designer, they want to see how you communicate. This leads to a few key things they are looking for:
- How do you work with others? Would you be able collaborate well with the people in this organization?
