Juniors, seniors and grad students meet with representatives from 126 companies from across the globe at annual Design Portfolio Review.
RISD Students Get Professional Feedback via Annual Design Portfolio Review
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Nearly 500 RISD students seeking professional feedback took part in this year’s Design Portfolio Review. Organized by the Career Center, the annual, all-virtual event allows juniors, seniors and grad students to show work to recruiters (many of them alums) in a format that participants liken to speed-dating.
For some, the goal was a full-time job after Commencement and for others a summer internship. But everyone who participated used the opportunity to tighten up their online portfolios, build self-confidence and interview skills and learn about the different kinds of design jobs that are available in the real world.
“Our goal is to connect students with innovative firms of all sizes that are looking to hire designers,” says Career Center Associate Director Susan Andersen. “It’s a great chance to network,” adds Director Kevin Jankowski 88 IL, “and helps students translate their studio experiences into opportunities in the professional world.”
“I was really impressed by the preparation students put in. Each portfolio was entirely unique.”
Tristan Ahlquist of Tesla had participated in portfolio reviews at other institutions but got his first look at work by RISD students at this year’s event. “I appreciated the rapid-fire, elevator-pitch style of this review,” he notes, “and was really impressed by the preparation students put in. Each portfolio was entirely unique.”
One of the students Ahlquist met with was junior Zhijie Lin 24 ID, who is interested in working in the digital realm as a UI/UX or graphic designer. “Tristan suggested that I add more process images to my portfolio for future interviews, which I appreciated,” Lin says.
Grad student Ethan Howard MID 24 got similar feedback and says that the trick is “showing how you think and what makes your portfolio unique. I’m not the best sketcher,” he adds, “so I hesitate to include drawings, but they really show where you started before you got into the materials, which recruiters find helpful.”
Among the company reps Howard met with was Annie Evelsizer, senior recruiter for design for URBN, Free People, Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie and Terrain. “We see RISD’s Design Portfolio Review as an important opportunity to align with up-and-coming designers whether they end up working for us or not,” says Evelsizer. “RISD students are really successful in hands-on crafting, which we care deeply about at URBN. We’re extremely organic in our approach to creative design, and our brainstorming sessions frequently start with pencil and paper.”
“We see RISD’s Design Portfolio Review as an important opportunity to align with up-and-coming designers whether they end up working for us or not.”
Evelsizer took to the virtual format of the event, which allowed her to focus on each student she spoke with, rather than worrying about other students waiting in line. Louie Jannetty of animation studio Black Math had a similar experience and describes the students he met with as “great to talk to, very professional but also genuinely nice and passionate about their work.
“The most important thing we look for is a level of taste,” Jannetty explains. “When you see it, you know it. Also, if the student is an animator, do they have good timing and a sense of motion? If they’re a designer/illustrator, do they have a point of view? Could they juggle different styles? What is their personality like? We’re looking for team players who would be a joy to work with.”
“We’re looking for team players who would be a joy to work with.”
Grad student Isabel Jane Marvel MArch 24 [see top image], who was looking for a summer internship when she signed up, got the sense that most of the recruiters seek well-rounded designers who work in multiple mediums. “I got a lot of good feedback on my portfolio,” she adds. “One reviewer told me flat out that no one reads text and the best portfolios feature two or three good images that tell a succinct story. So, editing yourself is a valuable skill.”
Industrial Design major Victoria Liang 23 ID took that approach one step further, creating a brief slide deck for each interview, rather than walking recruiters through her entire portfolio. “I went into the experience looking for an internship but also just wanted to meet people and see what different companies are looking for,” she says.
Senior Jacob Davidson 23 IL says his illustration style is still in flux and appreciated the opportunity to assess what kinds of jobs he might pursue. “My work falls somewhere between fine art and more commercial illustration,” he explains. “I’m definitely interested in narrative and appreciate how RISD has opened my mind to different options in the art world.”
Graphic Design major Iris Cho 23 GD presented just a couple of pieces during each interview, selecting projects that best demonstrated her skills, and Industrial Design major Alice You 23 ID advises students to do their homework before meeting with recruiters. “I looked into their styles and decided which piece from my portfolio was a good fit for each,” she explains. “It’s a rare opportunity and you want to use it wisely.”
—Simone Solondz / work in top image by Isabel Jane Marvel MArch 24
April 27, 2023
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