Portfolio in a Portfolio

My portfolio is a bit empty at the minute (I wonder why), and while browsing CSSMania I noticed that some websites put their own site, in their portfolio.

Is it a good idea to put your own site in your portfolio, especially for ones like mine?

Thanks,
Pádraig

Do you mean put your portfolio site on your portfolio site? No I wouldnt do that, people can see your portfolio site if they are on it! I guess some people do it to make up the numbers and give a bit more detail about the site, like how it was built etc

No don't do that Padraig, I think it would look desperate!

I like the templates you've got. maybe you could knock a few more of them together for now.

My Web Portfolio is also rather empty, only containing one full website, one newsletter desing and one eBay listing template. I'm offering free web design services to non-profit organisations and individuals for basic websites.

It gets people interested, they get high quality design, I get a nice site to put in my Portfolio, I also get the chance that the client will be impressed and pass my name on...generating possible business.

I also offer discounted maintenance costs with the free websites. So far I've had three interested people. Although one wanted a full php database solution, with flash chat, a forum and a myspace kind of set up which I won't do free...and don't know how to do professionally!

I think it would be a good idea. Just put it toward the end of your portfolio! Wow, took me forever to find your website. You can find his website here. Umm, also you could put the Webforumz wonderful logo in your portfolio.

Thanks for the feedback guys!

I think I'll just put together some better templates. Yea, I think I'll put up the WebForumz logo.

Also, do you sell your templates on eBay, 1840dsgn?

Come on, I see no problem with this. It is all on how it is done. They click on it and you can say something like...You could change it and make it more creative...etc. But you get the idea!

Might do that. I better make some other templates first, though.

I was talking to someone recently and he was viewing a lot of portfolios as all of the graphic design students that have just graduated are looking for jobs but also a lot of people who had already worked before and he wanted to see their best work not their paid work. He was also more ineterested in the ideas that the client wouldn't go with (mostly because they were too ambitious or risky) and any personal work. It's about ideas, it's not about the work you've done, it's about what you're going to do. Any client worth working with will know this. Obviously in the future not all of your clients are going to be insightful and adventurous, you'll be lucky if you get any like that but it's important to cover all bases. If you want a studio to outsource work to you, for example, they will want to be certain of you skills and your creativity, less so about what you have done.

People may disagree here but a portfolio can be as damaging as it can be beneficial. Not from the point of view that it is poor work, even if the quality is high it can still be damaging. If your portfolio is very similar front to back then it shows you have not progressed and it also shows a lack of creativity and flexibility. Intelligent clients will take note of this and so should you.

I'd say put it in now. But as your portfolio grows you should remove it however if you do a case study on it then you could keep it. I think case studies are a good idea. Showing how you developed and then implemented your ideas carefully and methodically can be quite attractive to a prospective client if it is done properly, this gives them a glimpse of what they are getting before even making any initial contact. Of course, get it wrong and you've lost a client.

Pete.

No I haven't made any templates Padraig. The eBay listing template was for an eBay company who wanted a listing tempate designed for them.

I may make some templates and sell them, or offer them for customisation on my website.

Pete has a valid point there. And yea case studies are a really good thing to have because, if nothing else, not many design sites offer them in portfolios. So it is something different.

As per your original question, no. Do not put your site inside your portfolio. Your own site should speak for itself; it will be the main selling point.

Imagine one of your potential psychologists telling you he cured himself... Stay above your work until you're busy enough where you can't keep up!

I think you should display some personal worl though. Shows off what you are capable of when limitations are not placed on you. A client is not looking for what they have done but for what they will do in the future. A good and varied portfolio can show this.

Ryan, I'm not sure about your little analogy. I know architects who have put the house they designed for themselves in their portfolio. So it all depends on how good it is. I would put a personal site in my portfolio, say a blog or similar but only if it was especially good.

Pete.

Yeah, I agree with Pete. I don't really see the problem, I mean posting your blog in your design portfolio seems alright. But hey, everyone can have their own opinion.

I see it as being unprofessional and an attempt to beef up one's portfolio.

Yes, but they're not living in it!

Maybe it's just me, but don't want to see companies advertising themselves in an obvious way. Let your own profile and your external business examples do the talking!