Design students here is some advice from the pros on what not to do or want no to have in your portfolio books.
- Do not to tell whomever you are showing your portfolio to that you "rushed through that one" If you have a piece that is not up to your standards, don't show it.
- No 3D trade show booths.
- Do not blame your instructor, the client, the printer etc. for pieces that need to improve. This is your book. Rework problems or leave those pieces out.
- There is no need for book or magazine covers unless you are planning working at a publisher.
- Type should never be an afterthought. Treat it as a graphic element and work with it until it is as effective as your other visuals.
- Design awards should not be placed next to the ‘award-winning’ piece. Listing these on your resume should be enough. Now, if you designed the award, that may be an exception.
- No typos. Proof your work over and over.
I know students hear this all the time but try to leave "student work" out of your portfolios. What do I mean by that is "student work" usually is work that is carrying on a campaign that already exists. So someone else came up with the idea and executed it and now you are just expanding on it. Sure the work is cool but it doesn't show that you understand on how to create and idea and then execute it. If you want to impress people create your own campaign. Redesign the Pepsi logo and then show what you would do with that new branding. Perhaps even us a local or smaller, lesser known company and put together a marketing campaign for them.
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