Dos and Do-Not-Dos: Student Portfolios

I got a question from my former intern last week and had to share. She’s ready to graduate and is now looking for her first ‘real job’ (thanks).

Her question: Do I Include Student work in My Portfolio?

Were this anyone else my answer may be different. In the past four years she has built a portfolio of exceptional student work, freelance projects and a few pieces from her internships.

My answer: In the 7-10 projects she includes, select those that best display her talent, creative range and technical skill. In short, go for it.

The caveat is that student work need not have a blazing neon sign over it singling out the projects as “student”. Instead they can be called conceptual design or not be labeled at all. Think about this if your portfolio is predominantly assignments and school projects.