Who it is for
Graphic, UX, and product design
Developers and computer science
Marketing and advertising
Multimedia, animation, video, and games
Fine art and illustration
What you get
Thirty minutes with someone who has sat on the hiring side.
- The first ten seconds. What a hiring manager sees when they open it, and whether they keep going.
- What to cut. Most student portfolios have three pieces too many. We find them.
- What is missing. The piece or the story the job you want will ask about.
- Where to send it. Which kinds of studios, agencies, and in-house teams in town fit the work you want to do.
Where I have taught
Miami Ad School, Brainco, the College of Visual Arts, MCAD, the Art Institutes, ITT Tech, and Rasmussen. I came up through the Minneapolis agencies, built teams at Catalyst Studios and inside U.S. Bank, and have read a lot of portfolios from both sides of the table.
How it works
Step 01
Book a time
Grab 30 minutes on the calendar and put "portfolio review" and your school in the note.
Step 02
Send the link
A website, a PDF, a Behance page, or a GitHub repo. Whatever you would send an employer.
Step 03
Go through it together
Screen share, page by page. Bring the two pieces you are least sure about.
Step 04
Leave with a short list
What to cut, what to fix, and what to make next.
Questions
Is the student portfolio review really free?
Yes. No charge, and nothing to sign up for afterward.
Who can book a portfolio review?
Students in design, tech, marketing, multimedia, or art, at any school. You do not have to be in Minnesota; the review happens on a video call.
What should I bring to a portfolio review?
A link or a PDF, the kind of job you want, and the two pieces you are least sure about. A resume helps but is optional.
Can I send a portfolio that is not finished?
Yes, and earlier is better. It is easier to change direction with six pieces than with sixteen.
Do you review code portfolios and GitHub profiles?
Yes. I have hired a lot of developers and still build software myself. I look at what you built, how you explain it, and whether someone could run it.
Which schools have you taught at?
Miami Ad School, Brainco, the College of Visual Arts, MCAD, the Art Institutes, ITT Tech, and Rasmussen.
Students also ask
- What should a student portfolio include?Six to ten of your strongest pieces, chosen for the job you want, each with a few lines on the problem, what you did, and how it turned out. Put the best piece first, cut anything you have to apologize for, and make sure the link opens on a phone.
- Where can I get a free portfolio review in Minneapolis?Start with your own school's faculty and career office, then add people working in the field. Professional groups like AIGA Minnesota run student events, and I do free 30-minute portfolio reviews for students in design, tech, marketing, multimedia, and art. I have hired from most Twin Cities schools and taught at seven of them.
Send me the portfolio.
Book a time, or email a link with a line about the job you want.