Читать книгу Professional Practice for Interior Designers - Christine M. Piotrowski - Страница 145

Portfolios are of critical importance to an interior designer at any level of practice. This visual field requires visual “proofs” of one's ability to design interiors. Simply stated, a portfolio is a visual presentation of what you can do as an interior designer. The term portfolio is also used to refer to the binder in which the visual items are placed.

Your portfolio must show your best work. It should contain design work that relates to the design position you are seeking and the needs of the prospective employer. Something that Maureen Mitton, author of Portfolios for Interior Designers, suggests is to start by creating an inventory of the items you have available for a portfolio. This will help you create a portfolio that is individualized for each job interview.

Of course, in today's job market it is likely that all your portfolio items are digital. However, some employers may want to see original work if possible. This might especially be true of students. Digital photos can hide mistakes that viewing original work will reveal.

When you inventory your project work—either as a student or professional—be sure that what you include is your work. Be prepared to explain your roll in group projects. For professionals, it is important to make note that the work you produce as an employee belongs to the design firm, not the employee. When you decide to look for another job, association codes of conduct specifically state that you cannot take drawings or other documents without permission.

Your portfolio is never really “finished,” as it must be constantly updated and refined to meet current or expected needs in the job‐search process. This is true of students as well as a consideration by professionals. For the student, it must present the breadth of the student's abilities. For the experienced professional, the portfolio must show a range of work, with emphasis on the present. This is another reason to have a list of the potential portfolio items.

Students will include the digital presentations of projects prepared for classes at the upper level. The employer will want to see the type of work that you can do at the end of your academic career, not the beginning. For a professional, project photos are the bulk of your portfolio, and you need to show your work in the best way possible. Don't forget to negotiate the rights (permissions) to use the photos taken by professional photographers in your work portfolio, on your Web site, and in other marketing media.

Here are some quick tips on the overall concept of a portfolio for students as well as professionals:

 Items should show that you have the skills for the job for which you are applying.

 Portfolio items should be self‐explanatory even though you will most likely be presenting them to the prospective employer. Written explanations should not simply state what can be seen in the graphics.

 Organization of the items is key to helping make your portfolio self‐explanatory. Remember that a portfolio tells a visual story about you.

 Each piece that you include demonstrates how you can help the prospective employer.