How do you develop your industrial design portfolio and network? (2024)

Your portfolio should reflect your personal style, interests, and goals as an industrial designer. It should also demonstrate your range of skills, such as sketching, modeling, prototyping, rendering, and testing. Choose projects that highlight your strengths, show your design process, and solve real-world problems. Avoid including projects that are outdated, irrelevant, or poorly executed. Aim for quality over quantity, and select projects that fit the purpose and audience of your portfolio.

In the digital age, having an online presence is essential for any industrial designer. A website or online platform allows you to showcase your portfolio to a wider audience, increase your visibility, and establish your credibility. You can use a free or paid service, such as Behance, Coroflot, or Squarespace, to create your own website or online platform. Make sure your website or online platform is easy to navigate, visually appealing, and responsive to different devices. Include your contact information, a brief bio, and a link to your resume or CV.

Your portfolio is not a static document, but a dynamic and evolving representation of your work and achievements. You should update your portfolio regularly, adding new projects, removing old ones, and improving the quality and presentation of your existing ones. You should also customize your portfolio for different situations, such as applying for a job, pitching to a client, or entering a competition. Tailor your portfolio to the specific requirements, expectations, and preferences of your target audience.

Your portfolio is not only a tool to showcase your work, but also a tool to learn and grow as an industrial designer. You should seek feedback and improvement from different sources, such as peers, mentors, professors, or professionals. Feedback can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, discover new perspectives and insights, and refine your design process and outcomes. Be open-minded, respectful, and constructive when receiving and giving feedback. Use feedback as an opportunity to improve your portfolio and your skills.

Your portfolio is not enough to get you noticed and hired as an industrial designer. You also need a network of connections and relationships that can support you, inspire you, and offer you opportunities. You can network online and offline, using various platforms and channels. Online, you can use social media, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or Instagram, to follow and engage with other industrial designers, organizations, or influencers. You can also join online communities, forums, or groups, such as Reddit, Quora, or Facebook groups, to share your work, ask questions, and exchange ideas. Offline, you can attend events, such as workshops, seminars, conferences, or exhibitions, to meet and interact with other industrial designers, potential clients, or employers. You can also volunteer, mentor, or collaborate with other industrial designers, organizations, or causes that align with your values and interests.

Your portfolio and network are not built overnight, but over time and with effort. You need to be proactive and persistent in creating, updating, and promoting your portfolio and network. You need to seek out and seize opportunities, such as applying for jobs, entering competitions, or reaching out to contacts. You need to follow up and follow through, such as sending thank-you notes, asking for referrals, or updating your portfolio and network with your achievements. You need to overcome challenges and setbacks, such as rejection, criticism, or competition. And you need to keep learning and improving, as an industrial designer and as a person.

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Industrial Design

+ Follow

Thanks for your feedback

Your feedback is private. Like or react to bring the conversation to your network.