Stand Out: Design a personal brand. Build a killer portfolio. Find a great design job.

6. Prepare to Build Your Portfolio

Eleven things to know before creating your book of work.

A well-defined personal brand may get you noticed, but a professional portfolio is the key to getting hired. Building your book of work is challenging and can seem like an insurmountable task, so being prepared before you begin is critical to your success. Abraham Pendon, a former student who served in the U.S. Army before taking my portfolio course, made this comparison. “Prepping a portfolio is like packing your rucksack to go into the field. And, building a book sometimes feels like a grueling march with no end in sight,” he said. “But in either case, having the right tools in your sack—or pieces in your portfolio—and knowing where they are and how ...