Contrary to popular belief, first impressions do matter - especially when it comes to getting a new job. That's why a good portfolio is so important. It showcases your work and is tangible evidence of your abilities, demonstrating your skills and diferentiating you from other candidates. 

With the fall edition of Career Camp around the corner, it's time to start preparing your portfolio and THU profile so you can leave a lasting impression on the recruiters you meet. We compiled a list from some of the recruiters present at the Camp this year so you can take notes and let your talent shine in the best way! 

Confidence is key!  "Show us the work;  portfolio, or demo reel, you are most confident with first. This is how you make your first impression on us. If you have worked in a team, it would be helpful to tell us your role in the project, the tools you used and the time you spent working on them.  During the interview, please tell us what animation styles you like. Also, tell us about your strengths and weaknesses, and your dreams for the future. We want to know who you are through our conversation, not just what's on your CV." Polygon Pictures

No such thing as a finished portfolio! Embrace the fact that it's a work in progress. "Your portfolio does not need to be 100% complete because there is no such thing as a finished portfolio. Sometimes, we want to take a look at your works in progress! Details are always welcome in reel breakdowns. The number of hours you worked on a certain shot, the softwares you used, and which part you were in charge of would help us image your skill set and style" Polygon Pictures

Follow these ground rules for guidance:  

• Above all, keep it updated - old works that may be close to your heart may not be the best representatives of your current skill level.
• Keep it relevant - if needed, adapt the portfolio to match the company (or at least include artwork that is relevant for company products).
• Keep it unified - do yourself justice, add your TOP artwork there, the weakest pieces will impact reviewers and get us to question your skill levels.
• Optimize - 200 jpegs won’t do you justice, even 10 of amazing artworks can get you to move to the next recruitment stage.
• Make sure we can access it easily - whether it is online or in a single file, make the format readable on ANY device - recruiters may not have Photoshop or other software installed.
• In the end, the process of how you got to the solution is always cool, so a short gif of a process from start to finish is a nice touch." Outfit7

Career Camp takes place online from November 7-9. Find out more and start preparing!