Design and make a portfolio book

Picture the scene: you’ve got through the interview, it’s gone well, and you’ve impressed the interviewer. However, it’s a sad fact that, whatever job you’re applying for, there will be a large number of other candidates applying for the same position, and interviews could continue for weeks after yours. It may even be the case that there’s no position available for you at the time of your interview.

How then do you ensure you’re remembered amongst every other potential candidate? A good way to do this is to leave something behind which neatly encapsulates your work and can be referred to in the future by any potential employer. Designers, being lovers of printed matter and, very often, collectors of ephemera, will always appreciate an addition to their collection. And if it’s a beautifully laid-out book containing some great work – well, so much the better! You could make a number of these books and send them out to potential employers along with your CV. This is a great way to impress employers before you’ve even had your interview – who knows, they may be so impressed they choose to interview you even if they weren’t thinking of employing anyone new. It’s in a designer or a creative director’s interest to always be aware of the potential talent out there and a book like this could give you that much-needed advantage.

The following tutorial shows you how to use Adobe InDesign to create a simple grid-based layout for an A5 portfolio book which will make your work shine. And, using some simple techniques, you can make and bind single or multiple copies of said book for minimal financial outlay but with professional looking results. As a great individual finishing touch, we show you how to set up the artwork and have a rubber stamp made to give that final great-looking flourish to your book.