[ID Discuss] Guidance for someone interested in your field

[Dave Collins]

>For what it's worth, I rarely look at portfolios when
hiring interaction designers. I find portfolios next to
useless, because they don't demonstrate the skills I'm
looking for. 

>...(Interactive products are rarely solo efforts, and
even if they are, how can I tell that as an evaluator?)


This point seems to capture the gist of several different criticisms of
port folios, so I'll address it, and generalize to the rest.

I thought the way you tell as an evaluator is to invite the candidate to
discuss it. The port folio is nothing more than a prop. (In fact,
submitting it is nothing more than a teaser to entice you to go to the
next step: the interview, just as the cover letter entices you to read
the resume, and the resume entices you to look at the port folio).

Your evaluation is based on the candidate's eloquence and deftness in
the talking through their port folio. Strategically placed questions
will root out poseurs and those attempting to take more credit than
their due.