Stopped leading with my best project and got way more feedback

Used to put my strongest piece first in my portfolio, thinking it would hook people. Changed about 4 months ago after a design lead in Seattle told me he skips ahead anyway to find the work that matches his needs. Now I lead with something close to what I want to do next, not what I already did. Curious if anyone else has tested different ordering or if I'm overthinking this.

2 comments

2 Comments

phoenix8453d ago

Respectfully, I see this the other way. Your strongest piece is your best foot forward, and if someone skips ahead anyway, that's on them, not you. Leading with a "close to what you want" project might work if you're pivoting hard, but most people looking at your work want to see your ceiling first. If I'm hiring someone, I want to know their absolute best, not a compromise piece that might not show their full range. You might be filtering out the wrong crowd by burying your strongest work deeper in the portfolio.

the_taylor3d ago

Preach. Tried the same switch and it actually helped me land a job (totally unexpected).