Getting a design job 2.0
Most Asked Questions Answered
Design Central is always looking for talent to join our creative team. However, we remember what it can be like as a new graduate or a professional in transition seeking a new position with a design consultancy. Looking for a new career and having peers critique our work can be daunting. So we created this question-and-answer guide of the questions we get asked the most to help make you more successful as you look for the right career.
WHAT DO WE LOOK FOR IN A PORTFOLIO?
We look for portfolios with well-rounded competency that tell a straightforward story of how a designer thinks. Portfolios must show more than finished work or flashy ID sketches and renderings. We need to see the messy front-end design, the exploration criteria, and progression – the core fundamentals of the work. Product design isn't just "let's solve a problem and make something beautiful." Product design is a process where trial and error learning is continual and critical. It is stacks of iterative sketches and process photos and requires proof that a product can be made. Portfolios that illustrate an understanding of mechanics, material, and manufacturing are a plus – but we realize that those things aren't as easily learned in school as in the field.
HOW MUCH OF MY PORTFOLIO SHOULD I SHOW?
When talking to students, this is our most asked question, and our answer may surprise you. We are less concerned about an exact page count. On average most portfolios are 30-50 pages. However, we've seen portfolios ranging from 10 pages to 100 pages – what is most important to us is that your design story can be understood if you are not present to deliver it. Your work should speak for itself, even without the copy, at first review.
SHOULD I INCLUDE MY LESS-THAN-STELLAR SKETCHES?
Yes, if it helps in telling your story. Refined sketches are great to look at, but we are incredibly process-oriented in product design. Sketching is a tool. It's critical to show your process and how you think. If that's not true to your approach, you don't want to redo all your sketches to a highly refined status. However, if there are sketches in your portfolio that you can improve, by all means, update your work to reflect what you are capable of now. We love to see process, growth, and how YOU think. So, leave in those napkin sketches!
SHOULD I INCLUDE OUTSIDE WORK?
We love to see that you can design, follow a process, find solutions and execute with a high level of fidelity. However, our favorite question during an interview is, "when you're not designing, what else do you like to do with your time?" We ask this because we like to look for well-rounded candidates to join the team. Your work is part of what gets you in the door. Your personality is what can keep you here.
HOW CAN I MAKE MY PORTFOLIO STAND OUT?
Your work will stand out if it showcases your design ability, visualizes your story in a clear and aesthetically pleasing way, and showcases your unique talents and passion with thoughtful execution and attention to detail. It should also show that you understand the company you are applying to. If you are applying to a consultancy that has a broad portfolio, your portfolio should also display various content. For example, showing projects that focus on consumer goods, toys, furniture, and medical products demonstrates your portfolio's wide variety and breadth of work. Highlight how different design mediums supported your journey from the problem to the final solution, reflecting your abilities and how you creatively solved the problem. Highlighting passion projects within your portfolio is a great way to show us how you might fit into our company culture. We've seen everything from camping stoves to wooden wings. The sky is the limit!
WHAT'S THE BEST FORMAT TO SEND MY WORK?
There are a few ways to get your information to us for a portfolio review and interview. First, go to our website’s careers page which features open positions with instructions for applying. If a position you are interested in isn't listed, send your resume and portfolio in pdf form to careers@designcentral.com. We will keep your information on file for future openings.
- Send all information in PDF format
- Maximum size is 25 MGS
- Make sure the PDF opens prior to sending, and that resolution is good quality on each page