The intention of Portfolio Review Night is to get help polishing your portfolio. It doesn't need to be finished or perfect! This event is about getting a second pair of eyes on a portfolio that is a work in progress - as portfolios almost always are. The discussions are reviews, not interviews - everybody is there to help! Here’s a list of things you can do to make sure you make the most of the event.
Gather the work you want to show - especially the work you’re not sure about.
Your book doesn't have to be finished or perfect, just include any projects that you want to do more of - even if they're not perfect. Your reviewer can help you figure out how to be hired for more of that kind of work even if you need some more practice.
Gather process photos or images from each project. These help illustrate your thinking and rationale, which is important to talk about in your portfolio and in interviews. Your reviewers can help you figure out the best stuff to include, or where there are gaps.
Write a little blurb for each project: what was the challenge in the assignment or client brief, where restrictions or requirements did you have to work with, and how did you come to your final designed conclusion? Your reviewers can help you polish this up.
Put together an online portfolio if you don’t already have one.
This doesn’t have to be perfect or finished, you just need a place for your work to live within some kind of basic structure a reviewer can understand.
You can make your own website and use a CMS design tool like Semplice, Readymag, or Webflow, or use platforms like Behance, Adobe Portfolio, Carbonmade, or Squarespace.
Make sure all your work is loaded onto your laptop or in your browser, and all devices are charged. Technology doesn't always play nice and you don't want to be stuck if the wifi is down and you can't load your site.
Bring your questions with you and write down the answers.
Use your time wisely! Your reviews are 20 minutes long, so come prepared with questions and cut right to the chase when you sit down.
Direct your reviewers attention to the parts that you're unsure about or that you want a second set of eyes on. This is no time to shy away from criticism, the reviewers are here to help.
Write everything down. You won't remember it all afterward, so notes are key. Later you can review everything that you were told, and you can look for things that were repeated between reviewers; that's the stuff you know you really need to focus on.
