Importance of an Interior Design Portfolio
An interior design portfolio is perhaps the most important tool to a student or even professional seeking interior design work. The portfolio is like an illustrative resume and is a representation of years of studying and hard work. This interior design portfolio is the only really that will help you get the job you want as no employer is going to hire someone blindly. They want to see real world examples of your interior design style as well as what you are capable of doing.
Contents of this Illustrative Resume
Whatever you do, do not overload your interior design portfolio as potential employers are busy and do not have the time to wade through pages and pages of examples of your work. Instead, stick with several projects you have worked on from start to finish, illustrating the process. Use digital photos of the work as well as floor plans and detailed sketches as you feel they are pertinent.
No more than thirty pages should be included in your interior design portfolio and in addition to the above items you will also want to include any CADD examples, isometric drawings and more so that the potential employer has a true grasp of all of your design abilities.
Tailor your project examples to the type of job you are applying for so they would have an idea of what you could do for them. Unless the employer is a design firm which handles a variety of clients whose styles vary widely, you would definitely be best represented by one or two complementary styles in your interior design portfolio that reflects the firm's overall theme.
Confidence is Key
Do not waffle in what you want to put into the interior design portfolio as indecision will hold you back. Choose the best representations of your work, the things that you are most proud of and that pride in your work will shine through to the employer. Most of the time, you have but one chance to wow a potential employer with your interior design portfolio so you have to make the best of it.
When you interview, be prepared to discuss your work and why you did some projects a certain way over another. They are not necessarily questioning the end product but your methodology and basic work principles. As long as you are confident in your abilities and that confidence shines through in your portfolio, you should perform well in any interview.
