The fact that you've never handled a client does not mean that you (as a designer) have no chance to get a job at a large company, or get freelance projects.
Maybe if you apply for a job just to capitalize diploma and theories, the opinion above could be true. But, if you already have a design portfolio yourself, throw away that idea from your mind.
In the creative industries, the most important thing is your portfolio. It symbolizes the face of a graphic designer; it represents your style and skills in the field of design. The prospective client will most likely not ask how high your GPA in college, but they tend to assess whether your design portfolio according to standards that they expect.
image source:
Logotypes collection via Mike
So how can a graphic designer make a good portfolio if they have never handled a real project from the client at all? Consider the following tips that can help you to start creating your own design portfolio.
Some Creative Tips for Building and Start Creating Your Design Portfolio
Fictitious design
It may just a fictional project, but it will result in a real design. So it is okay for you to show some of fictitious designs in your portfolio. You can also show your college projects, or re-design a company logo or a company profile that you create. It does not matter even if you display all fictitious projects in your portfolio, but the value really want to be taken by your clients is about how much your creativity, judging from these designs.
Personal projects
Before you decide to work, or make your own design studio, maybe you've made some personal design work, or perhaps design to the people closest to you. For example, business card design that you've created for your father, business logo design for your friend, your college event brochure design, and so on. These designs can be included in your portfolio.
Pro Bono Design
Pro bono publico, or commonly abbreviated as Pro bono, is a term used to describe services provided free of charge by a professional as a public service. You can make a proposal to put to non-profit organizations, such as NGOs, orphanages or something, to offer free services to them. Do not be afraid just because you do not get paid, Pro bono can provide many benefits to a designer; like a good self image (volunteers usually get a good self-image) and the network through the agency. The public will quickly recognize your designs; this means the possibility of getting a job would be even greater.
Works when you learn a software
Before adept at using certain software, you must have gone through a series of exercises, perhaps by trial and error, or apply a particular tutorial. Well, so the results of your exercise can also be featured to your portfolio. But be sure to choose only the best of the best, so it won’t ruin a good image of the other works in your portfolio.
Conclusion
Recognizing design portfolio is the main weapon a graphic designer to compete in the industrial world, the making of a good portfolio is indispensable. And also there is no limitation of making a portfolio even if you have never worked on any design project. So it is expected that upon graduation, the alumni can directly occupy jobs, armed with a portfolio of assignments during their lectures. Read more about elements of good online portfolio
here
