IDIAMM

So it’s getting to the business end of the college year and many are posting their folios and as always I have been inundated with review requests. Aside from responding individually, here’s a brief overview:
1. Dont have just 1 folio. have a few that are varied in the following – design sector prominence / technical ability / teaser / skillset
2. Design sector – align your folio as best as possible to demonstrating your knowledge, experience and qualities that align. If you can’t, then make sure you sell your abilities to traverse well enough (if you don’t k ow what I’m talking about you haven’t attended enough of my lectures!)
3. Technical ability – Visuals and the like are great if you are applying for a 3D modelling role then great however many will get their foot in the door via CAD. Have a technical section (maybe at the back?) showing full page technical drawings, plans, sections, elevations and details. Demonstrate your knowledge & ability to create the different types- Infor, tender, construction, asbuilt & your abilities in detailing (the basics doors walls, joinery, ceilings), cross referencing & value engineering your time
4. A teaser folio- 8-10 pages that show your board skill set and then have the 50 page for the proper interview. This is often sent to recruits. This doesn’t have to be a complete project but moreso a varied taste of what you can do and your multi skilled abilities. Think of it as sampling of “everything, from everywhere all at once” (see what I did their??) condensed down
5. Know every aspect of your folio and projects. You have worked solidly for the past 3 years so should know every sketch, image and detail. Why did you design it like that and its relation to something else. If you had more time how would you develop it more? This should be fluid and natural and should have multiple example of SOARs to demonstrate your design awareness, problem solving and design development abilities (plus a great way to thread your design together when writing your speach)
6. Passion. Live and breath your work and your abilities and your willingness to grow. Education doesn’t finish and university so show your eagerness to start your next level of growth
7. Industry standards. Show your knowledge of real world design standards and how you implement these into your project. Undetsnd about time management, DTMs, DRM, etc. If you dont (where have you been? Clearly not in my lectures!), learn then now and retrospectively apply them to your projects
8. Last but not least is you – the product you are marketing!!! Your folio is an extension of you so make sure you sell sell sell yourself right!! Your strengths, your weaknesses you want to grow, your mindset approach to design and life and more importantly what you bring to the table……!!! Why should they employ you over the next candidate? What makes you so great? How will you assist the new live project about to start?

Hope this helps? Any questions?