Every now and then I get an email from a young designer looking for an internship or a job. Sometimes it’s a CV. Sometimes it’s a full portfolio. And almost every time, it follows the same pattern.

Not bad. Not terrible. Just forgettable.

That’s the real problem. When everything feels the same, there’s no reason to respond.

This isn’t a rant. It’s a pattern. And if you understand it early, you immediately separate yourself from most people sending out work.

The One-Page CV That Says Nothing

A common one is the single-page CV with a photo, a list of software, and a long list of “skills” that don’t really say much.

Photoshop, Illustrator, Excel, Outlook.

That’s not what people are hiring for. That’s just a list of tools.

Graphic and web designers are actually in a unique position compared to most professions. You don’t need to convince anyone with qualifications first. You can show what you can do immediately.

Your work is the proof.

Also, avoid including a photo. It shouldn’t matter, but sometimes it does. You don’t want anything influencing a decision before your work is even looked at.

The Portfolio With No Story

Then there’s the opposite approach. A full portfolio filled with designs, but no explanation behind them. Posters, logos, layouts, all presented without context.

It looks like design, but it doesn’t communicate anything.

If someone can’t quickly understand what they’re looking at, they move on.

There’s also been a noticeable rise in portfolios filled with AI-generated visuals. On the surface, they can look polished, but without context or real application, they don’t hold attention for long.

If you’re showing work, give it meaning. What was the goal? Who was it for? What were you trying to improve or solve? Why does it look the way it does?

That’s what makes the work believable.

Pick a Direction

Graphic design is a wide field. Branding, packaging, web design, social media, print. Trying to show everything often ends up making your work feel scattered.

You don’t need to lock yourself into one thing forever, but you should have a clear direction.

When someone lands on your portfolio, it should be obvious what you lean toward. Clarity makes decisions easier.

“I Don’t Have Clients Yet”

That’s not a disadvantage. It’s one of the best opportunities to build strong work without constraints.

Create your own projects. Choose brands you like and redesign something with intent.

Rework packaging. Rethink a website. Build a campaign that could realistically exist.

Use mockups. Show how it would live in the real world.

This is how you build a portfolio that feels intentional instead of pieced together.

Show Your Thinking

Most portfolios only show the final result. That’s only part of the story.

Even a short explanation changes everything. What direction did you explore? What didn’t work? What did you refine?

You don’t need to over-explain. Just enough to show that your work comes from decisions, not guesswork.

Because when design looks random, it feels unreliable.

Your Portfolio Matters More Than Your Qualifications

In most cases, the person reviewing your work isn’t comparing degrees. They’re asking a much simpler question: does this feel like the right fit?

This is where designers have an advantage. Your portfolio can answer that question immediately.

When I share my work, I don’t send qualifications. I send my site:
https://www.justinwiggins.co.za

If it’s a web project, I send examples that match the direction the client already has in mind. It removes friction and speeds up decisions.

Keep Learning

Design moves quickly. Tools evolve, trends shift, expectations change.

There’s no shortage of ways to learn. Tutorials, breakdowns, full project walkthroughs.

I’ve been doing graphic and web design since 1999, and I still learn new things regularly. That’s part of staying sharp.

Keep It Clean

Before trying to stand out, make sure the fundamentals are solid. Typography, spacing, alignment.

These are the details that quietly signal whether you know what you’re doing.

If the foundation feels off, everything on top of it becomes harder to trust.

It also helps to get outside perspective. Show your work to people who aren’t designers. If something feels unclear to them, it’s likely unclear to a client too.

Understand How Value Actually Works

Here’s where a lot of new designers get it wrong.

If one designer takes eight hours to design a logo, and another takes two, it’s easy to assume the longer job means more value.

But that’s not what’s really happening.

An experienced designer isn’t just working faster. They’re seeing things a less experienced designer doesn’t even know to look for yet. They make decisions earlier, avoid dead ends, and move with more certainty.

The time difference is a result of that clarity.

So the value isn’t in how long something takes. It’s in how well the problem is understood and solved.

That’s why charging purely by the hour can work against you as you improve.

A few things worth locking in early:

• Always get a deposit before starting (at least 50%)
• Don’t work for exposure
• Be careful about doing work for free once you know your value

These are simple rules, but they save you from avoidable mistakes.

Final Thought

Most young designers don’t struggle because they lack ability. They struggle because their work doesn’t communicate clearly.

If your portfolio feels like everyone else’s, it gets overlooked. If it shows direction, intent, and clear thinking, it stands out.

That’s what opens doors.