Build a portfolio that tells your story | Figma for Edu Early Career Week

Quick Overview

Recruiters and design managers from Figma, Notion, and Shopify advise early career designers that initial portfolio reviews happen in 3 to 5 seconds, prioritizing immediate visual craft, accessibility, and ease of access, while strongly discouraging the use of post-it notes or whiteboards as primary process documentation.

Key Points: The initial review time for a portfolio is extremely brief, with one recruiter stating they spend "probably, like. 4 or 5 seconds" on the first glance, focusing on visual design, typography, and overall aesthetics or "vibes". Ease of access is crucial; difficulty like digging through hoops or inputting lengthy passwords signals potential lack of attention to detail or UX thinking, although it may not be an immediate disqualifier. Panelists strongly advise against showing process documentation like post-it notes or whiteboards, with Chris P stating, "if you do post-it notes, or whiteboards very quickly. I... I pass." For structure, candidates should prioritize quality over quantity, featuring 1 to 2 high-quality case studies, and potentially including a section for explorations or play to show curiosity. Storytelling in a case study should follow a narrative arc (setup, confrontation, resolution), maintaining a 70% work, 30% context setting split, and explicitly stating the role and contribution. AI proficiency is increasingly important, and candidates should showcase how they use these tools to enhance their design process, as this can differentiate them from more senior designers entrenched in old workflows. A common mistake is providing too much information; candidates must learn to edit down, ensuring the portfolio is highly curated, simple, and easy to contact the applicant from.

Context: This session, part of Figma for Education's Early Career Week, focused on building a portfolio that effectively tells a designer's story, featuring design managers and recruiters from major tech companies like Figma, Notion, and Shopify. The speakers—Joanna (Figma recruiter), Kai (Figma design operations), Chris P (former Shopify consultant), and Chris A (Notion design recruiting)—shared candid insights from their hiring experiences regarding what captures their attention immediately and what demonstrates readiness for an early career role.