A portfolio is a collection of samples of your work

Job Hunting Materials

Your Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of samples of your work, plus any other documents that can help show employers why they should hire you. A portfolio for an interior decorator may include the following:

photographs of interiors you have decorated
design boards
certificates from any decorating programs you have taken
letters of recommendation
anything else that shows your skill as a decorator

A portfolio can help you stand out from other applicants. It offers an employer proof that you have the skills to do the job. Read on to find out how to get items for your portfolio, and how to put your portfolio together.

Photographs

Try to arrange to have photographs taken of everything you decorate. While you won't include every photograph in your portfolio, it is a good idea to have as many photos as possible to choose from.

You do not need to hire a professional photographer (it could cost hundreds of dollars to hire a professional to shoot photos of a single room). A much less expensive alternative is to take photos yourself if you're handy with a camera, or get a friend or family member to take them for you. If you have someone else take photos for you, make sure they know the photos should be in color! You may be able to get some ideas for your own photos by looking at portfolios of professional interior decorators and interior designers. Most decorators and designers with websites have an online portfolio of their work.

When selecting photographs of interiors you have decorated, remember that your portfolio should be a collection of your best work. Most employers do not have time to look through dozens of photographs, so it is better to have a few outstanding examples than many average examples. One suggested guideline is to choose 15-20 photographs of work you are really proud of (if you have that many different photos). Also consider including "before" and "after" photos of interiors you have decorated because these can be particularly impressive to employers.

Once you have selected your photos, you can arrange them in a photo album, or get them blown up to 8″ x 10″ (check with your local one-hour photo outlet) and put them into a portfolio case or binder. A few decorators also shoot video footage of rooms they have decorated, or put their photographs into a PowerPoint presentation. Employers do not expect you to do this, but if you are very comfortable with either of these technologies you can use them with your own portfolio.

Design Boards

A design board, also known as a presentation board, is a board used to show clients what you recommend for a decorating project. On this board you will paste samples of materials (e.g. fabrics, paint chips, carpet, flooring, wallpaper), and pictures from magazines and catalogs of room elements (e.g. furniture, lights, accessories). You do not need to include design boards in your portfolio, but they can impress employers and help you get a job. If you don't have design boards from a real decorating project, you can produce sample design boards with pictures and materials you might use to decorate a room.

What Else to Include

Your portfolio can include anything else that could impress someone who is considering hiring you. For example, if you received a certificate in decorating from an educational institution, or if you won a design award, put the actual certificate or award in your portfolio. If that's not possible, include photocopies or a photograph of the award. Likewise, if you wrote an article about decorating that was published in a newspaper or magazine, you could include a clipping or photocopy of the published article.

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