Portfolio Reviews
A portfolio review is a small moment of truth. Embedded in your work
samples are your skills, talents, personal vision, and professional
direction. This guide will help you make a great impression in your
reviews, learn a lot, and add to your network of professionals.
WHEN AM I READY? You’re ready to benefit from reviews with professionals when your work is beginning to reflect intermediate to advanced skill sets and concepts. At Columbia, that means your junior year and beyond.
PORTFOLIO-IN-PROGRESS: It’s perfectly OK to show your portfolio-in-progress to professionals in informational interviews, “Show Offs” and internship interviews. Those professionals aren’t expecting to see completed, polished portfolios. They hope to see a selection of well-organized work samples. Show enough samples to represent your progress in your media but not the exercises you did in foundation level classes. Have everything ready to show when you walk in the door.
FINISHED PORTFOLIO: For job interviews you need to have your portfolio presentation screwed down, buttoned up and ready for prime time. Books should be clean and orderly, DVDs well-produced, websites fully functional. Test your presentations beforehand.
RESEARCH: After making an appointment for a meeting, get on the web and find out everything you can about the individual or company that you’re going to sit down with. It’s helpful to have a sense of the perspective of the reviewer plus you may have questions about what they do and what they want to see in a portfolio.
OTHER MATERIALS: It would be (REALLY) nice to have a business card. If the review is for an internship or job you should have a resume as well.
WHAT TO WEAR: Dress like a creative industry professional. That often means nice, clean, and casual. Managers and other business-oriented people may dress a notch nicer.
HELLO: Introduce yourself and then introduce your work (“Hi I'm Cathy. I’ve got some ad campaigns and a TV spot…”). Be ready to talk about your immediate goals so they have an idea of what you are trying to accomplish with your portfolio (“...looking to get an internship in a recording studio...”).
GOODBYE: Thank the professional for their time and their insights. If you’d like to stay in touch, ask them the best way to do that (email, phone, whatever). Send a “thank you note" a day or two afterwards. In the note bring up a helpful comment or suggestion that was made in the review to help bring the conversation to mind. “Thank you notes" are both considerate and professional. (Email is OK. A handwritten note or card is better).
WHEN AM I READY? You’re ready to benefit from reviews with professionals when your work is beginning to reflect intermediate to advanced skill sets and concepts. At Columbia, that means your junior year and beyond.
PORTFOLIO-IN-PROGRESS: It’s perfectly OK to show your portfolio-in-progress to professionals in informational interviews, “Show Offs” and internship interviews. Those professionals aren’t expecting to see completed, polished portfolios. They hope to see a selection of well-organized work samples. Show enough samples to represent your progress in your media but not the exercises you did in foundation level classes. Have everything ready to show when you walk in the door.
FINISHED PORTFOLIO: For job interviews you need to have your portfolio presentation screwed down, buttoned up and ready for prime time. Books should be clean and orderly, DVDs well-produced, websites fully functional. Test your presentations beforehand.
RESEARCH: After making an appointment for a meeting, get on the web and find out everything you can about the individual or company that you’re going to sit down with. It’s helpful to have a sense of the perspective of the reviewer plus you may have questions about what they do and what they want to see in a portfolio.
OTHER MATERIALS: It would be (REALLY) nice to have a business card. If the review is for an internship or job you should have a resume as well.
WHAT TO WEAR: Dress like a creative industry professional. That often means nice, clean, and casual. Managers and other business-oriented people may dress a notch nicer.
HELLO: Introduce yourself and then introduce your work (“Hi I'm Cathy. I’ve got some ad campaigns and a TV spot…”). Be ready to talk about your immediate goals so they have an idea of what you are trying to accomplish with your portfolio (“...looking to get an internship in a recording studio...”).
GOODBYE: Thank the professional for their time and their insights. If you’d like to stay in touch, ask them the best way to do that (email, phone, whatever). Send a “thank you note" a day or two afterwards. In the note bring up a helpful comment or suggestion that was made in the review to help bring the conversation to mind. “Thank you notes" are both considerate and professional. (Email is OK. A handwritten note or card is better).