Avoid common presentation mistakes

Excerpts from the book “Creating Your Digital Portfolio: The Essential Guide to Showcasing Your Design Work Online” by Ian Clazie:

“Here are the common mistakes when presenting a portfolio and some suggestions on how to avoid them:

• Don’t be clueless about the role and the company. Do your homework. Review the company’s website and what people are saying about them.
• Don’t get lost on your way to a meeting and don’t be late. Be prepared ahead of time with adequate directions and aim to get to the area early. Get a coffee so you only have to stroll across the road.
• Don’t rely on the reviewer having a computer or an internet connection you can access. Have your entire portfolio site or simply your work samples available on a laptop without needing an internet connection.
• Don’t talk too fast or give excessively long answers to questions. Relax. Breathe calmly. Give relatively short answers to questions. Allow the reviewer to talk and listen intently.
• Don’t be overly negative about past employers as it may reveal that you’re a magnet for controversy. Do discuss past situations in terms of challenges and the steps you took to put in place solutions to overcome them. Emphasize the positive.
• Don’t forget that you are the one driving the presentation of your portfolio. Be the one to set the pace and tell your story.

Some general advice on setting appropriate expectations mentally:

It’s easy to get your hopes up about the outcome of an interview or business meeting. If you don’t get the job, it can be disheartening and a challenge to not take it personally. Try to avoid the rejection roller coaster ride by setting appropriate expectations for yourself ahead of an interview.

The challenge is to feel confident enough in the meeting (an emotional high), but not to set yourself up for crashing if you don’t get the job (an emotional low). The answer lies in preparation, the power of casting a wide net, and a zen-like grasp of calm confidence…. nurturing an attitude that there are many places you could happily work will help greatly with your ability to be calm and confident. Setting objectives such as establishing contact and exchanging useful information is an effective way to take small steps toward the end goal of advancing your career. The more conversations you have with senior people in your profession, the more you’ll learn and the more they’ll know about you.”