IAD Student Resources

The portfolio is a key document to aid in the post-college transition. It should reflect your professional identity (i.e., applicable job titles) and evidence your skill sets. The portfolio gives employers a look at your abilities and thought processes in addition to being a design object in itself that will be judged. At minimum, a portfolio should include:

• Effective evidence of the skills that backup your professional identity.
  
• Effective information architecture.
• Class projects (a balance of team & individual is important), internship recaps, contest recaps, freelance work, and/or personal work. (Note: Work done outside the classroom is valuable.)

How Should I set up a portfolio?

‍The debate regarding how to display/explain your work is open and contestable. How do you set up a portfolio that can grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers alike? How much info should you include? How much process do you show? What should you focus on?
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There are lots of opinions about how to “show your work” and no real consensus. This means that, like a good designer, you need to trust your gut and do what works for you (and iterate!).
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That said, there are thoughts and trends you should be aware of when crafting a portfolio:

• Portfolios depend on the job you are applying for. For instance, you would set up a portfolio for a UI design job differently than a real (i.e., not UX theatre↗︎) UX or product job.
• I recommend that you organize work in your portfolio by building two parts for every project: showcase and case study.
• A showcase is a quick recap of your work. (This video↗︎ [3/1/25] makes the case for showing less work. While this video is contradictory, I’m point you to it because it's emblematic of statements I've seen lately.) A showcase covers:

• What is your project? (A hook that draws the reader in.)
• How long did the project take? (Length is important to assess quality.)
• Role? (What specifically did you do if it’s a team project?)
• Tools? (What tools were used to create this?)
• Links? (Link to important files—FigJam, Figma—and to the case study.)
• Key outcomes? (What changed?)
• Tools? (What tools were used to create this?)
• Solution? (Show impactful images/gifs of things you’re proud of that speak to problems and solutions.)
• Lessons learned? (What did you learn in the process of creating this design? What would you do differently if the chance to do it again?)

• A case study shows process. Meaning? It walks through, in detail, the method you used and work you (and your team) did to achieve the final product. The case study should only be separated from the showcase (e.g., clear demaraction on one page or on separate pages).
• Include content (i.e., hobbies) that fleshes you out as a human on your about page.
• Don't neglect nurturing and representing your "soft skills↗︎."

‍What skills should you have to be competitive on the job market? In short: it depends on the job description. I break down skill sets into three major categories: UI, user research/synthesizing skills, and interpersonal. Our best students excel in all areas.

UI Skills

Students applying for jobs where daily tasks are focused mostly on UI design and prototyping need strong information architecture, screen layout, prototyping, and visual design skills (IAD2100, IAD3150, IAD3230, IAD4150, IAD4200, IAD4230, TCOM3046). Skills include:

UX Skills

Students applying for jobs where daily tasks are focused on making sense of and applying research, need to possess user research and/or synthesizing research skills (IAD3000, IAD3300, IAD4000, TCOM3046, TCOM4120, TCID4700). Skills include:

Interpersonal Skills

All students need the ability to work well on teams (IAD3000, IAD4000, TCID3100). Skills include:

‍In addition to completing an internship, students should prepare for the post-college transition by networking. This process can be started by signing up with the Interaction Design Association’s (IxDA) local Atlanta chapter.

They use MeetUp↗︎ as their organizing platform and the Atlanta chapter has meetings all the time. We have found that students who network (and get internships) are more likely to get good jobs right out of college.

There are a lot of other networking events that fall under the larger umbrella of UX or product design. Some are good, some are less so -- use your best judgement. In the Resources section below, you'll find more networking resources.

Also, join the student-led UX/UI Club (1↗︎, 2↗︎, 3↗︎).

Note: there is difference between going to face-to-face networking events and engaging with folks.

What qualities might an “ideal” job candidate possess? These traits are a direct reflection of the best students to have graduated from this program:

• Has curiosity regarding how systems work, a strong attention to detail, and utilizies effective time management strategies.
• Has a strong command of their skill sets. (These skills are clearly displayed in their portfolio and confidently explained during the interview process.)
• Has evidence of work done outside of class in their portfolio. (Consider the CCSE Hackathon↗︎, the Hatchbridge Design-a-thon, the FinTech Hackathon↗︎, or any freelancing web design and/or development projects.)
• Has completed at least one relevant internship before graduation.
• Takes time to attend face-to-face networking events in their field.

It's not a secret -- the job market is not good for folks seeking junior roles in or out of the design industry (1↗︎, 2↗︎). Covid-19 economic disruptions, the end of the ZIRP era↗︎, the shakiness of interconnected global economies, global strife, et cetera . . . all this means, for the time being, that many companies have "tightened their belts" and are trying to do more with less. This means fewer jobs. (Consider following someone like Kyla Scanlon↗︎ to get your economic views from a Gen Z perspective.)

This article (1/17/25) is also worth considering to assess factors shaping the job market.

What about generative AI (i.e., large language models↗︎)? The Wharton School of Business posted a report↗︎ (9/8/25) that suggests gen AI will eventually make the economy permanently larger, but not dramatically faster-growing. Its biggest impact will be felt in the 2030s and, thus, it will eventually have a meaningful, but not revolutionary impact on our lives. Point? As of yet, gen AI is not a primary reason that there are no jobs, but certainly plays some role. (But don't just chalk the situation up to "AI".

What can you do?

• You should be getting as many diverse opinions regarding the job market as possible. (Consider r/UXDesign↗︎.) I'm not an economist↗︎ and, frankly, most economists are unsure how 21st century economies work either. Take everything in this section as reasoned grains of salt.
• Prepare to be an ideal job candidate to be competitve on the job market.
• Start building your network. Meet people in design, volunteer at design events, get your name out there.