It’s OK to fake your way.
I just saw a post from my super smart colleague Kevin entitled Show, Don’t Tell that talks about making sure you have the type of work in your first portfolio that reflects what you want to do in your career.
If you want to be in advertising, your portfolio better be full of concepts. If you want to be a magazine designer, you need to show editorial work. Don’t have the kind of work in your portfolio you would like to do? Simple. Create it.
When I did portfolio review at Career Day this year I looked at a student’s electronic portfolio. He wanted to be an interactive designer, but aside from the actual portfolio piece, he had no interactive work to show.
This is the point where the proverbial rubber meets the road, folks. Have the work available to back up your ambition or else you’ll never gain traction.
My first portfolio was 100% fabricated work. It’s OK to have fake/spec work in your portfolio. It’s the quality of the work that matters, not the authenticity.
I’ve got more to say about this. A lot more, in fact. But, that’s something I’ll address (hopefully) toward the beginning of 2010.