How to Build a Successful Portfolio
Whether you’re a UX designer looking for your first job or a seasoned designer looking to further your career, your UX portfolio is one of your most important assets. Your portfolio is the first touchpoint you have with the recruiters; it’s your chance to make a lasting first impression, spark their curiosity and get an invitation for an interview.
In this Master Class, Chris Clark, Director of Design at IxDF, will share practical tips on how to create a successful portfolio that hiring managers will respond to and help you land an interview.
In this Master Class, you’ll learn:
- How to sell yourself and tell your story.
- How to avoid the common mistakes and stand out from other ‘cookie cutter’ portfolios.
- Best practices for presenting your work.
This Master Class will include a live portfolio review, where you can learn from a real-life example and apply this knowledge to improve your own portfolio. If you’d like to have a chance to get your portfolio reviewed by Chris, submit it below. Chris will select only three portfolios from those submitted, representing different design aspects and career levels.
Even if your portfolio is not selected, you’ll still have the opportunity to gain valuable practical knowledge to improve your portfolio. You’ll also get a chance to ask Chris questions during the Q&A.
Speaker
As the IxDF Design Director, Chris Clark enjoys meeting the challenges of leading graphic designers, animators and artists to produce innovative, human-centric, world-class design solutions. Over twenty years of experience enables Chris to utilize a wide range of skills in creating, managing and delivering effective design solutions in multiple types of media, both leading a team and autonomously.
His varied portfolio comes from time at Fortune Global 500 companies, ‘Triple A’ game studios, award-winning web and app companies, and the automotive sector, from Europe to the Middle East.
Chris works to inspire a team of fellow designers and shape their work into world-class premium products and experiences. He brings out the best in any design team by nurturing established and up-and-coming talent.
Chris uses from research benchmarking and sketch work to low and high-fidelity wireframes, user stories and flows, mood boards, conceptual graphics, rapid prototyping, augmented reality, animation and evaluation, to create user-centric intuitive experiences that delight and inspire.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why are design skills so important right now?
Design skills are incredibly valuable for both you personally and for your company.
For you personally, design skills are important because:
Salaries for people who learn design are soaring, surpassing $200K in cities like San Francisco, with global job growth rates at 13%.
Many of your job competitors already possess design skills. When you enhance your design skills you can significantly elevate your personal brand and make you a more attractive candidate.
You learn skills that protect you from losing your job to AI.
You can ignite your passion through design and leverage it to make a meaningful impact.
For your company, design skills are important because:
Your design skills can help increase sales, keep customers loyal, and turn them into powerful advocates of your company. That’s because design is all about helping people reach their goals and meet their needs.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by a whopping 228%.
Design goes way beyond creating attractive visuals and aesthetics. When you possess design skills you’re equipped to revolutionize businesses, make technology more user-friendly, and innovate customer experiences and systems.
I’m not a designer. Why should I learn design and tech?
Design and tech skills can make you an indispensable asset to your company and open up career opportunities.
For example, if you’re in a field such as:
Marketing, Communication and HR
Software Development
Customer Service
Business
Psychology
Project Management
Architecture
Content Creation
Healthcare
Teaching
And other fields
Why can design skills make you valuable in all these jobs and industries?
That’s because design skills are incredibly valuable for both you personally and for your company.
For you personally, design skills are important because:
Salaries for people who learn design are soaring, surpassing $200K in cities like San Francisco, with global job growth rates at 13%.
Many of your job competitors already possess design skills. When you enhance your design skills you can significantly elevate your personal brand and make you a more attractive candidate.
You learn skills that protect you from losing your job to AI.
You can ignite your passion through design and leverage it to make a meaningful impact.
For your company, design skills are important because:
Your design skills can help increase sales, keep customers loyal, and turn them into powerful advocates of your company. That’s because design is all about helping people reach their goals and meet their needs.
Companies that invest in design outperform the S&P 500 Index by a whopping 228%.
Design goes way beyond creating attractive visuals and aesthetics. When you possess design skills you’re equipped to revolutionize businesses, make technology more user-friendly, and innovate customer experiences and systems.
How can design skills protect me from losing my job to AI?
AI is killing jobs in all industries. Humanity has never faced such a powerful force, developing at an exponential speed.
You can protect yourself by learning design: You’ll use the very fabric of being human, like empathy and intuition. AI never can never replace that. These skills are timeless and will stay with you forever.
Design is centered on human needs and goals. That’s why you can protect your future with the power of human-centered design. Mastering these skills can shield you from AI-driven disruptions.
We’ll even teach you how to use AI as your career helper, not your terminator.
Do I need any prior experience in design or tech?
Good news!
You don’t need any prerequisites or prior experience in design or tech. We’ve crafted the learning experience to ensure your success and real career outcomes, regardless of your age or background.
Will I receive a Certificate?
Yes! After you finish, you’ll receive an industry-recognized IxDF Certificate.
Use your IxDF Certificates to increase your credibility and salary potential. Your employer and clients will trust you when you can prove that you’ve learned from the best.
Be in distinguished company, alongside industry leaders who train their teams with the IxDF and trust IxDF Certificates.
Add IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps.
You can download your certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. Certificates are always valid.
How do I add the IxDF Certificate to my LinkedIn profile?
That's easy! You can use your IxDF Certificates to increase your credibility and salary potential. Your employer and clients will trust you when you can prove that you’ve learned from the best.
Add your IxDF Certificates to your LinkedIn profile, resumé and job application in a few easy steps:
Click “Add profile section” on your LinkedIn
Tap “Recommended”
Select “Add licenses or certifications”
Enter your IxDF Certificate details
Hit “Save”
You can download your IxDF Certificates as .jpg files, so they are easy to share. IxDF Certificates are always valid.
Need more detailed instructions?
How can the global and local IxDF community help me?
We can help you in several ways.
Join meet-ups in your city: Join the regular meet-ups in your city in a nearby cafe or office building to have fun and learn with people just like you. You get full access to IxDF Local Groups where you can build your network, find your next job, enjoy yourself and learn from your peers. The meetings are completely optional and are spread across over 500 cities worldwide. Your network is your net worth.
Get instant help and career advice in IxDF online global communities. Build your global network through the supportive IxDF community. Earn IxDF Distinctions like “Community Influencer'' and “Social Impact Award”.
Learn from global leaders and build your network and job opportunities locally and globally.
I just signed up for a live Master Class. What's next?
Wonderful! When you sign up for a Master Class, you’ll receive an email from Zoom with a link to join the live Master Class.
This email is sent from noreply@zoom.us - please check your spam folder.
If you can’t find the email, please reach out to mads.soegaard@interaction-design.org and we’re super happy to help you!
Great news! You’ll also get an on-demand version of your Master Class a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page.
That way, you can view the Master Class on-demand at any time. As many times as you wish.
Will the live Master Class be recorded and become available on-demand?
Absolutely!
When you sign up for a live Master Class, you’ll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you’re an IxDF member. If you’re not a member, you’ll receive your recording by email.
You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.
What if I can’t attend a live Master Class?
Great news! We’ve got you covered.
When you sign up for the live Master Class, you’ll automatically receive the link to the recording a few hours after the live event ends.
A few days later, the on-demand Master Class will show up on your private profile page if you’re an IxDF member. If you’re not a member, you’ll receive your recording by email.
You can enjoy your Master Class on-demand at any time, anywhere. Watch it as many times as you want.
What if I have more questions?
We’d love to hear from you and help you!
Reach out to us at hello@interaction-design.org or use the online contact form.