On 'View AIGA Portfolio + Design Jam Event

About the Event

On 'View is an annual portfolio review hosted by UMN's Graphic Design Student group, AIGA:UMN and Career & Internship Services. Industry Professionals get a chance to meet with rising design students and review their work, website, and overall presentation of their portfolio.

Sign Up for Portfolio Reviews + Design Jam Event Portfolio Reviewer Bios

Schedule

How to Prepare

Prepare your online portfolio/website. You may also want to prepare a PDF presentation just for the event to make presenting your materials easy compared to a website.

Research employers that interest you by visiting their websites, social media, and do an online search to learn of any recent news, initiatives or products they have launched.

Practice introducing yourself with what's often called an "elevator pitch," a brief overview of your professional identity that may include 2-3 sentences about your education, experience, skills, and interest in that organization. For additional suggestions, check out our Elevator Pitch Handout (PDF).

Practice presenting your design work. At first, students are often too slow and indirect when describing their projects and solutions. You should be able to communicate the essence of the design problem and your approach in 2-3 sentences. It is often easier to explain your design process if you have visuals; consider creating a few process slides or a process notebook for key projects in your portfolio.

Prepare questions. Make sure that you have good questions prepared to ask employers. This shows your preparation and research; it also demonstrates that you have a genuine interest in the firm, and have specifically sought them out. Possible questions to ask:

• What should I remove from my portfolio?
• What needs more explanation?
• How much process work should I show?
• What are your initial impressions of my strengths?
• What do you think about the layout and organization of my website?
• What should I have more of in my portfolio?
• What is my most memorable project?

Collect contact info. At the end of the interaction, get the representative’s name and contact information so you can send a detailed thank you note and follow-up on a potential job, internship or project you may have discussed.

Dress for success. We recommend you to dress in a way that represents your authentic self and consider if your attire and grooming aligns with your personal brand. We encourage you to choose clothing that makes you feel comfortable, confident and prepared for the weather elements.

Registered Employers

This is a hybrid event offering you the opportunity to connect with employers both in-person and virtually.

Join Virtual Review Zoom Room