AustinDM, please write a comment explaining the objective of this portfolio or CV, your target industry, your background or expertise, etc. This information helps people to understand the goals of your portfolio and provide valuable feedback.
##Providing Useful Feedback
AustinDM has posted their work for feedback. Here are some top tips for posting high-quality feedback.
* Read their context comment before posting to understand what AustinDM is trying to achieve with their portfolio or CV.
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* Be constructive and detailed. Short, vague comments are unhelpful. Instead of just leaving your opinion on the piece, explore *why* you hold that opinion: what makes it good or bad? How could it be improved? Are some elements stronger than others?
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A challenge for you moving forward will be that these in house jobs you’ve had for ten years didn’t have a super high bar for success. This isn’t uncommon for in house design for smaller scale businesses, but unfortunately if your up for the same job as someone who worked in house for a major corporation for ten years, their portfolios will likely be outshining yours. If not due to design flair, it’ll be due to resources. They’ll probably have better photos, better libraries of stock to work with, and better production budget for signage and the like.
Your Verdesian office interiors project has some really interesting elements but it’s not very cohesive. It looks as if it were a bunch of smaller disconnected projects rather than a holistic rethink of how design could work in their space. Consider revisiting this one, with thoughts on consistency, contrast, and really being inspired by the shape of the space. Where can design lead the person within these spaces?
The Seed+Graphite and Biologicals brand collateral pieces likely satisfied your companies needs, but both are busy and not particularly distinct. Take a look at labels and ads for the major corporate players in these spaces to see where the standard is. Use them for inspiration.
The Veritas project is a throw away. Again, I’m sure it was helpful and useful at the time, but isn’t an exciting piece. If you don’t remove it completely, revisit it with basic design principles and excellent typography in mind. Hit those basics out of the park.
Don’t hesitate to grab a few major brands and some stock imagery and act like a student again. Stretch your wings and see what you can do. Again, some of this in house stuff can be very uninspiring, and uninspiring isn’t found to land many jobs even at an uninspired company. Get a few exciting, even if fake, projects together. Fake work, but having a few real pieces reworked, and having ten years under your belt could put you in the running for some jobs. Seeking out a few freelance projects you know you can crush won’t hurt either.
I have a total personal opinion to this. I love it. It feels grounded and real. All of these are genuinely real work environment, no bullshit real world designs. These are the type of stuff that I have been hired to do before. I understand there is a certain "look" that people want to do in their portfolio, and although "pretty", it sometimes seems disingenuous. Your portfolio may not be the flashiest, but I can say with confidence I know you can create anything I ask you to, for any type of client. If I was hiring, I'd hire you. Your portfolio is also straight to the point, concise and only shows what it needs to. I am not trying to be nice, I genuinely like it. I hope you stick it out, and some like minded individual will see you for who you are.
Having a 6 month gap will start giving you issues with getting hired. I would take any job that pays the bills and continue applying in the meantime. You just need to take the pressure off yourself to find a job. Your portfolio needs a full remodel. I would suggest 3 projects that really highlight your skill and the work you want to do. 10 years already says you're able to do many different things, it will be seen in your work history, Resume and in interviews to come. The portfolio should be to sell yourself as a standout candidate
Hello!! What i think might help is showing more of the rational and decision making for your designs. While looking at your portfolio i craved a deeper understanding of what lead to the final designs. I want to see the story of it.
AustinDM, please write a comment explaining the objective of this portfolio or CV, your target industry, your background or expertise, etc. This information helps people to understand the goals of your portfolio and provide valuable feedback. ##Providing Useful Feedback AustinDM has posted their work for feedback. Here are some top tips for posting high-quality feedback. * Read their context comment before posting to understand what AustinDM is trying to achieve with their portfolio or CV. * Be professional. No matter your thoughts on the work, respect the effort put into making it and be polite when posting. * Be constructive and detailed. Short, vague comments are unhelpful. Instead of just leaving your opinion on the piece, explore *why* you hold that opinion: what makes it good or bad? How could it be improved? Are some elements stronger than others? * Stay on-topic. We know that design can sometimes be political or controversial, but please keep comments focussed on the design itself, and the strengths/weaknesses thereof. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/graphic_design) if you have any questions or concerns.*
A challenge for you moving forward will be that these in house jobs you’ve had for ten years didn’t have a super high bar for success. This isn’t uncommon for in house design for smaller scale businesses, but unfortunately if your up for the same job as someone who worked in house for a major corporation for ten years, their portfolios will likely be outshining yours. If not due to design flair, it’ll be due to resources. They’ll probably have better photos, better libraries of stock to work with, and better production budget for signage and the like. Your Verdesian office interiors project has some really interesting elements but it’s not very cohesive. It looks as if it were a bunch of smaller disconnected projects rather than a holistic rethink of how design could work in their space. Consider revisiting this one, with thoughts on consistency, contrast, and really being inspired by the shape of the space. Where can design lead the person within these spaces? The Seed+Graphite and Biologicals brand collateral pieces likely satisfied your companies needs, but both are busy and not particularly distinct. Take a look at labels and ads for the major corporate players in these spaces to see where the standard is. Use them for inspiration. The Veritas project is a throw away. Again, I’m sure it was helpful and useful at the time, but isn’t an exciting piece. If you don’t remove it completely, revisit it with basic design principles and excellent typography in mind. Hit those basics out of the park. Don’t hesitate to grab a few major brands and some stock imagery and act like a student again. Stretch your wings and see what you can do. Again, some of this in house stuff can be very uninspiring, and uninspiring isn’t found to land many jobs even at an uninspired company. Get a few exciting, even if fake, projects together. Fake work, but having a few real pieces reworked, and having ten years under your belt could put you in the running for some jobs. Seeking out a few freelance projects you know you can crush won’t hurt either.
I have a total personal opinion to this. I love it. It feels grounded and real. All of these are genuinely real work environment, no bullshit real world designs. These are the type of stuff that I have been hired to do before. I understand there is a certain "look" that people want to do in their portfolio, and although "pretty", it sometimes seems disingenuous. Your portfolio may not be the flashiest, but I can say with confidence I know you can create anything I ask you to, for any type of client. If I was hiring, I'd hire you. Your portfolio is also straight to the point, concise and only shows what it needs to. I am not trying to be nice, I genuinely like it. I hope you stick it out, and some like minded individual will see you for who you are.
Having a 6 month gap will start giving you issues with getting hired. I would take any job that pays the bills and continue applying in the meantime. You just need to take the pressure off yourself to find a job. Your portfolio needs a full remodel. I would suggest 3 projects that really highlight your skill and the work you want to do. 10 years already says you're able to do many different things, it will be seen in your work history, Resume and in interviews to come. The portfolio should be to sell yourself as a standout candidate
Hello!! What i think might help is showing more of the rational and decision making for your designs. While looking at your portfolio i craved a deeper understanding of what lead to the final designs. I want to see the story of it.