Portfolio Advice That Actually Matters.

I've looked at a lot of portfolios. Like, a truly ridiculous number. And whilst every designer has their own style and approach, there are some things that make the difference between a portfolio that gets you interviews and one that gets a polite "thanks, but not right now."

So here's what I tell every designer I work with, based on what actually lands well with Creative Directors and hiring managers.

Put Your Name On It

Sounds obvious, right? You'd be surprised how many portfolios I receive with no name anywhere. Yes, your CV has your contact details, but your portfolio should have your name on it too. Contact info is optional if you're sending both together, but your name? Non-negotiable.

Keep It Clean and Easy to View

Your portfolio should absolutely reflect your personality and design style. But here's the thing: if I can't easily see your work because the typography is impossible to read, the colours are fighting for attention, or the layout is so clever it's confusing, you've lost me.

Don't let the container overshadow the content. Your projects should be the star, not the way you've designed the portfolio itself.

Quality Over Quantity

Your showcase portfolio, the one you send to recruiters and potential employers, should be 20 pages maximum. Think of it as your highlight reel. Pick your top three to five projects that directly connect to the role you're applying for.

Applying for a retail position? Don't send a portfolio that's entirely hospitality work. Show them you understand what they need and that you've done it before.

Bring the Full Story to Interviews

Your presentation portfolio, the one you take to interviews, should be longer and more comprehensive. This is where you include all your favourite projects, the ones you're genuinely excited to talk about.

Digital is fine, but please, pre-download it or bring a hard copy as backup. I've sat in too many interviews where someone's scrambling with Wi-Fi or file sharing. Technology is great when it works, but always have a plan B.

Show Your Process, Not Just the Pretty Final Shot

Each project in your portfolio should tell the whole story. Start to finish, every step in between. Hiring managers and Creative Directors want to see that you understood the brief, how you responded to it, what your specific role was, and the input you provided along the way.

The glossy final render is great, but the journey to get there is what actually shows your thinking.

Make It Easy to Follow

Structure matters. Your portfolio and the individual projects within it should have a logical flow that's easy to navigate. This helps hiring managers move through your work without getting lost, and it helps you when you're presenting or discussing your projects in an interview.

If someone has to work hard to understand what they're looking at, you've already lost some of their attention.

Show Off Your Hand Sketching If You've Got It

Not every brief explicitly asks for hand sketching skills, but clients absolutely love seeing it. If you're strong at sketching, include samples in your portfolio. It's almost always seen as a major positive and sets you apart from designers who only work digitally.

Have Both a PDF and a Website

A website portfolio is brilliant for showing the full breadth of your work. But employers still prefer a PDF they can easily save, share, and review. The smart move? Use your PDF to showcase your three to five best projects, then direct people to your website if they want to see more.

It gives you control over the first impression whilst offering depth for anyone who's genuinely interested.

Only Include Work You Actually Love

This is the big one I see all the time. Designers include projects they don't even like, and then when we talk about them, they spend the whole time explaining what went wrong or why it's not their best work.

If you don't love it, don't include it. Your portfolio should be full of projects you're genuinely excited to discuss. That enthusiasm comes through in interviews, and trust me, Creative Directors can tell when you're proud of something versus when you're just filling space.

The Bottom Line

Your portfolio is doing one job: getting you into the room for a conversation. It needs to show your best work, tell a clear story about what you can do, and make it easy for someone to see why they should meet you.

Keep it tight, keep it relevant, and only show work that makes you think "yes, I want to talk about this."

If you're putting together a portfolio and want a second pair of eyes on it, or if you're wondering whether what you've got is landing the way you think it is, I'm always happy to take a look. I've seen what works and what doesn't, and I'm more than happy to share that with you.

Need portfolio feedback or advice on how to position your work for the roles you're going after? Get in touch. I'd love to help.

CV Advice for Designers That Actually Gets You Noticed.

Here's something that might sting a bit: hiring managers and Creative Directors spend about 8 to 10 seconds looking at your CV. That's it. Less time than it takes to make a cup of tea.

So your CV needs to work fast. It needs to be easy to read, immediately clear, and visually confident enough that they actually keep reading instead of moving on to the next one.

We've reviewed hundreds of CVs from interior designers, graphic designers, architects, and branding specialists over the years, and we've heard feedback from some of London's top Creative Directors and studio leaders. Here's what actually matters.

Start With the Basics

Your name and contact details need to be at the top. We know this sounds ridiculously obvious, but you'd be amazed how many CVs we've received with no name or no phone number. If a hiring manager is in a rush and can't immediately see how to reach you, your CV goes in the bin.

Don't let that be you.

And please, no headshots. Your work speaks for itself.

Your CV Should Look Like a Designer Made It

Let's be honest here: you're a designer. Your CV is a design piece. It should absolutely reflect your aesthetic sensibility, your understanding of layout, typography, and visual hierarchy.

Use colour intentionally. Choose typefaces that feel like you. Create a layout that's distinctive but still professional. This is your chance to show you understand how to balance personality with clarity.

But here's the line: don't make it so clever that it's hard to read. If someone has to work to figure out where your experience is or what software you use, you've lost them. The content still needs to be immediately scannable.

Your CV should feel confident and polished, not gimmicky. Think of it as a one-page brand identity exercise where the brand is you.

List Your Design Skills Clearly

Make sure your technical skills are easy to find. For interior designers, that means AutoCAD, SketchUp, Revit, Rhino, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Enscape, whatever you're proficient in. For graphic designers and branding specialists, list your Adobe Creative Suite capabilities, Figma, Sketch, InVision, or any other tools you work with regularly.

Don't rank them with bar charts or percentage scores. Just list them clearly. Your portfolio and experience will show how strong you are in each area.

If you've got hand sketching or technical drawing skills, mention those too. They're still highly valued, especially in interior design and architecture.

Nobody Cares About Your Grades (Unless You've Just Graduated)

If you've recently graduated and got a first or a 2:1, include it. Otherwise, leave your final grade off. Don't list individual module results, and if you're past junior level, skip GCSEs and A-Levels entirely. Your portfolio and work experience are what matter now.

Keep It Tight

Junior to midweight? One page. Senior to associate or team lead? Two pages maximum.

Your most recent role should have the most detail because that's what hiring managers care about. As you go back in time, descriptions should get shorter. Only include responsibilities or projects that actually matter for the type of role you're applying for.

If you're listing every single task you've ever done just to fill space, you're doing it wrong.

Show Your Sector Experience

This is crucial. If you're applying for a hospitality design role, your CV should immediately show your hospitality experience. Residential interior design? Lead with residential projects. Retail branding? Make sure your retail work is front and centre.

Don't make hiring managers hunt for the relevant experience. Put it where they'll see it in those first 8 to 10 seconds.

For architects and interior designers, mention project types and scales: residential refurbs, commercial fit-outs, RIBA stages you've worked on, planning applications, technical packages. Be specific.

For graphic designers and branding specialists, highlight the type of work you've done: brand identity, packaging, digital, print, campaigns, art direction. Sector experience matters here too. FMCG, lifestyle, tech, hospitality.

Your Words Matter

Avoid generic phrases like "team player" and "hard-working." Everyone says that. Instead, show those traits through your actual work. What projects did you deliver? What challenges did you solve? What results did you achieve?

Use language that's specific to design. Don't say you "helped with projects." Say you "led concept development for a 200-cover restaurant fit-out" or "delivered brand guidelines for a luxury residential developer."

Hobbies Should Add Something (Or Leave Them Off)

If you're going to list interests, make them interesting or relevant. Architecture, exhibitions, photography, printmaking, furniture design. These all add context to who you are as a designer.

"Watching TV" and "socialising" add nothing. If you've got nothing compelling to include, just leave the section off.

Proofread Until Your Eyes Hurt

Then get someone else to proofread it too. A partner, a friend, a flatmate, anyone. Typos and grammatical errors make you look careless, and in a visual profession, attention to detail is everything.

If you don't have anyone to ask, use Grammarly or another tool. Just make sure it's spotless before you send it.

Don't Leave Unexplained Gaps

An unexplained gap looks worse than the actual reason for it. If you took time out to travel, freelance, deal with health issues, or handle family matters, just say so briefly. You don't need to over-explain, but acknowledge it. Honesty matters.

Always Send It With Your Portfolio

This should go without saying, but your CV is only half the picture. Always send it alongside a PDF portfolio showcasing your best three to five projects relevant to the role you're applying for. Your CV gets you attention, your portfolio gets you the interview.

We’ve got some tips for your portfolio here if you need some help…

Tailor It Every Single Time

This is what separates designers who get interviews from designers who don't.

If you're applying for a hospitality interior design role, your CV should highlight your hospitality work. If it's a residential architecture position, focus on residential projects. If it's a branding role for an FMCG brand, show FMCG experience.

Don't send the same CV to every job and hope for the best. Hiring managers can tell when you've actually read the brief and tailored your application. It shows you care, and they notice.

The Bottom Line

Your CV is your first impression, and you don't get a second chance at it. Make it look good, make it clear, make it relevant. Show them quickly why they should care, and give them a reason to pick up the phone.

If you're not getting responses and you're wondering whether your CV is holding you back, we're always happy to take a look. Sometimes it's just one or two tweaks that make all the difference.

Need a second pair of eyes on your CV? Want to make sure it's actually working for you? Get in touch. We'd love to help.