The Portfolio Dilemma
The Portfolio Dilemma
How do you show work if it's completed it under a NDA? What if all your recent freelance work can’t be shown as it’s not in the public domain? If your work falls into these categories then you have to find other solutions to demonstrate your abilities.
As a freelancer, one of the biggest challenges I've faced is showcasing my work when a significant portion of it is bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). If you've been in this situation, you know the struggle – your impressive body of work remains hidden from the public eye, making it challenging to demonstrate your skills.
After experiencing redundancy from a design agency of two years, I found myself at a crossroads, especially in a post-Covid world where the job landscape was rapidly evolving. Having spent the previous six years working in design agencies, a substantial part of my portfolio was locked behind NDAs, leaving me concerned about my career's trajectory.
Even after two years of freelancing, this challenge persists. With the exception of a couple of direct client projects (you can explore them here), much of my recent work is, once again, under NDA. This is particularly common in fields like corporate reporting, where confidentiality is paramount.
This issue hit home when I was asked to showcase my experience in proposal design. With three decades of experience spanning graphic design, editorial design, print design, digital communications, and website design, it was disheartening to be passed over for what seemed like a straightforward request. It prompted me to reflect on the contents of my portfolio and the relevance of the pieces I had to showcase.
While I do have a diverse collection of conceptual design work across branding, communications, and product design, I believe that my creativity and design fundamentals go beyond the requirements of a proposal design based on a template.
On the case
To address this predicament, I decided to shift my focus towards highlighting my skills. While my website provides detailed information about my experience and design processes, it lacks visible project work and have included a disclaimer on my site to acknowledge this limitation.
However, I also took the initiative to create new work. I crafted a proposal, inspired by the fictional brand work I had done for the company called "Wanderlust," to demonstrate how I would approach such a project. This example template for an investment prospectus showcases the brand's visual identity, utilising elements like typography, colour, and tone of voice throughout the design.
In this personal project, I developed several page designs, ranging from content pages to section dividers, text-heavy sections to those rich in infographics and visuals. The primary objective was to illustrate how the Wanderlust brand translates into a traditionally text-heavy document, all while maintaining the integrity of the information.
I've included some screenshots to emphasise the importance of grids and style sheets in ensuring consistent layout, crucial for corporate documents. These elements are particularly valuable when handing-off the project to artwork teams, ensuring that the final document adheres to my design style guide.
I hope this article sheds light on the challenges faced by freelancers who cannot readily showcase their design work and must rely on their experience and testimonials when seeking new connections, clients, and contracts.
If you'd like to explore more of my portfolio or discuss potential design and contract work opportunities, please feel free to reach out to me.
You can contact me via email at marktownsendcreative@gmail.com or call me at 07859943444.
As a freelancer, one of the biggest challenges I've faced is showcasing my work when a significant portion of it is bound by Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs). If you've been in this situation, you know the struggle – your impressive body of work remains hidden from the public eye, making it challenging to demonstrate your skills.
After experiencing redundancy from a design agency of two years, I found myself at a crossroads, especially in a post-Covid world where the job landscape was rapidly evolving. Having spent the previous six years working in design agencies, a substantial part of my portfolio was locked behind NDAs, leaving me concerned about my career's trajectory.
Even after two years of freelancing, this challenge persists. With the exception of a couple of direct client projects (you can explore them here), much of my recent work is, once again, under NDA. This is particularly common in fields like corporate reporting, where confidentiality is paramount.
This issue hit home when I was asked to showcase my experience in proposal design. With three decades of experience spanning graphic design, editorial design, print design, digital communications, and website design, it was disheartening to be passed over for what seemed like a straightforward request. It prompted me to reflect on the contents of my portfolio and the relevance of the pieces I had to showcase.
While I do have a diverse collection of conceptual design work across branding, communications, and product design, I believe that my creativity and design fundamentals go beyond the requirements of a proposal design based on a template.
On the case
To address this predicament, I decided to shift my focus towards highlighting my skills. While my website provides detailed information about my experience and design processes, it lacks visible project work and have included a disclaimer on my site to acknowledge this limitation.
However, I also took the initiative to create new work. I crafted a proposal, inspired by the fictional brand work I had done for the company called "Wanderlust," to demonstrate how I would approach such a project. This example template for an investment prospectus showcases the brand's visual identity, utilising elements like typography, colour, and tone of voice throughout the design.
In this personal project, I developed several page designs, ranging from content pages to section dividers, text-heavy sections to those rich in infographics and visuals. The primary objective was to illustrate how the Wanderlust brand translates into a traditionally text-heavy document, all while maintaining the integrity of the information.
I've included some screenshots to emphasise the importance of grids and style sheets in ensuring consistent layout, crucial for corporate documents. These elements are particularly valuable when handing-off the project to artwork teams, ensuring that the final document adheres to my design style guide.
I hope this article sheds light on the challenges faced by freelancers who cannot readily showcase their design work and must rely on their experience and testimonials when seeking new connections, clients, and contracts.
If you'd like to explore more of my portfolio or discuss potential design and contract work opportunities, please feel free to reach out to me.
You can contact me via email at marktownsendcreative@gmail.com or call me at 07859943444.
