Your design portfolio might be working against you
The 75% framework to help you find the right balance to get your portfolio to start conversations with the right teams and companies as a product designer in tech.
We’ve all been there: you’ve built up projects, clients, and team experience, and you’re eager for your next role. But as you apply for jobs, you don’t hear back…especially from the companies you’re most excited about.
One of the first things I tell design coaching clients is that how you present yourself in your portfolio can work against you. That’s because many portfolios unintentionally hide a designer’s real talent by forgetting the core purpose: to show, not tell, why you should be hired.
*Specifically, when I refer to portfolios, this means public portfolios that product designers share and submit for consideration as opposed to case study presentations during live interviews and/or final rounds.
Since 2014, I’ve been on both sides of the hiring table: as an applicant, hiring manager, and fractional design lead. I’ve reviewed hundreds of portfolios and coached designers through the same question: “Why can’t I land a role when I think my portfolio is enough?”
If you’re interested in having a partner on your side to figure this out together, book a 1-on-1 design coaching session. I’m here to help.
The “75% rule”
Just like your résumé, your portfolio should quickly clarify your experience for recruiters and hiring managers. Both make snap decisions on applications often after a brief scan and comparison to dozens of others.
Instead of documenting every detail and decision, treat your portfolio as a tool to spark interest and open the door for conversations.
The direct link to your portfolio is likely not the main way you’re discovered, either. Like any user flow, consider how one finds your information: through word of mouth, LinkedIn, or by posting your work. It doesn’t usually start because someone found your portfolio website organically.
With that in mind, public portfolios can be used in several ways to enhance your résumé and overall application. In your public portfolio, you should show at most 75% of your best work in each case study, and save the rest of your detailed case studies for live portfolio reviews.
The 75% rule is a framework I developed from pattern-matching what actually prompts a recruiter or hiring manager to lean in, ask questions, and want to talk. Plus, it helps give a “stopping” point for ourselves to say, this is good enough and start applying rather than fixating on the perfect portfolio (because that simply doesn’t exist).
What is too much or too little
Here are a few examples of where portfolios can fall short.
Folks who work in really complicated fields or products often want to highlight all the difficulties or complexities they faced. But these types of case studies can be bogged down in detail, causing hiring managers to skip over key points or miss the value entirely.
Another common mistake is overloading portfolios with personality: too much motion, blurs, or flourishes can distract from the work. If it’s unclear whether a design decision was project-driven or just for show, the portfolio loses impact.
Striking the right balance between content and visuals is also crucial. Too much text can overshadow the “show”; too many visuals can lack story. Tailor your portfolio to your audience so hiring managers see your fit and want to learn more.
The list can go on; instead, let’s focus on how we can get to the right balance, based on the type of role you want.
Putting the 75% rule to work
After doing an initial audit, I often collaborate with my clients to do the following:
