Curious how to build a portfolio that looks professional.
(This is one of a series of questions I received on Instagram prior to Portfolio Review Night 6)
As a creative, I’m always making things after work hours. What is a pro tip on balancing this and avoiding burnout? It’s hard to “turn off” and I often find myself not doing enough. I know there isn't an absolute answer, but I think in a culture where content is king on social media, it feels like burnout is always on the horizon.
I work in a field I do not have formal education in, so I try to prove my credibility by pumping as much work out as possible. A lot of the work is just personal projects, and my job doesn’t see any of it. My current job is not my ideal one and not where I want to be in 10 years; it’s 10-20% design work, and 80-90% project management. I want to do work where it’s a bit more even and there’s more variety. I work on powerpoint reports and that is very limiting in what is possible. The personal work is to learn and develop my style, I don’t have a formal education so I try my best to learn and practice on my own time.
I graduated from my program 3 years ago in advertising and graphic design while also having a previous diploma in business management. I’ve been struggling to find employment in my field. I tried reaching out, networking while applying online, however haven't received any response nor offers. I need advice on any available programs or opportunities I can do that will hopefully lead me to work. I’m part of the RGD and did a mentorship program and managed to fix my resume and portfolio. I also attended your Portfolio Review Night for extra assistance however, so far it hasn’t lead to any offers.
Are there any places that help you find jobs within design and advertising? I tried using Creative Circle and they weren’t able to find a position available in my field. I’m using Acces Employment now but they weren’t able to find any jobs and didn’t have any opportunities in the field of creative.
Honestly I need help and I'm struggling to find any job opportunities for me as a junior graphic designer. I do have experience working as a graphic design intern for a startup. I’ve used LinkedIn and Indeed and other job sites; however, the majority of them didn’t respond back and I’ve been constantly applying and checking. I need help and advice on what my next step should be.
