Top Portfolio books recommended by experts

At MentorCruise, we are all about making the most out of the experience of others. As part of that, we've connected and asked dozens of experts and professionals about their favourite Portfolio books – and here are the answers.

Table of Contents

Fundamentals of Portfolio

Understanding the concepts of Portfolio starts with understanding the fundamentals. On your way to mastery, it's crucial for you to understand how certain concepts were derived, and why things work like they do. Starting with these resources is the best way to do so.

Stand Out: Design a Personal Brand, Build a Killer Portfolio, Find a Great Design Job

The design marketplace has never been more competitive, or demanded more from emerging talent. To succeed, you must navigate the transition from learner to professional with purpose and precision. In Stand Out: Building Your Design Portfolio, Denise Anderson offers a hands-on, three-step, full-color action plan for establishing your unique brand, crafting a killer portfolio, tailoring and deli…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Building Design Portfolios: Innovative Concepts for Presenting Your Work

Presenting one's portfolio is where every designer begins his or her career. Therefore, crafting a portfolio, whether online or for presentation in person, is an essential skill for survival. Because a portfolio can make or break a career, it is vital that designers go out armed with all the right moves and materials.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Portfolio Design

This book is developed to provide students with everything they need to know to make the transition from design student to design professional. It provides step-by-step instruction for creating professional portfolios, both traditional and digital. Interviewing tips, sample resumes and cover letters, and action verb lists help students prepare for their job search. The second edition includes …

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No Plastic Sleeves: Portfolio and Self-Promotion Guide for Photographers and Designers 2nd Edition

A polished and professional portfolio―including both print pieces and an online presence―is more important than ever for photographers and other creative professionals to make a great first impression and secure employment. This new edition of No Plastic Sleeves has been updated to address all facets of portfolio production, with a special focus on self-promotion and new information about blog…

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Design: Portfolio: Self-promotion at its best

Featuring a curated collection of approximately 300 exquisite designs, along with essays from designers in the field about the essence and importance of a good portfolio design, Design: Portfolio contains mini-workshops that dissect several featured projects and highlight the effectiveness of exceptional design treatments from around the world. Designers will discover the underlying details th…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff they don't teach you in design school, but should

It takes more than just a design school education and a killer portfolio to succeed in a creative career. Burn Your Portfolio teaches the real-world practices, professional do's and don'ts, and unwritten rules of business that most designers, photographers, web designers, copy writers, programmers, and architects only learn after putting in years of experience on the job.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Additional Portfolio Reading

These books are not required for you to learn Portfolio, but they are highly recommended for you to deepen your knowledge.

Winning Portfolios for Graphic Designers: Create Your Own Graphic Design Portfolio Online and in Print

Preparing a smart, attention-catching portfolio is every art student's first important step before entering the job market. This comprehensive guidebook presents hundreds of demonstrative color illustrations, lists of do's and don'ts, and a wealth of sound advice on how to create a portfolio that will get beginners their all-important first job at an agency or studio. Each page of this book il…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

Creating a Successful Graphic Design Portfolio

Being able to present yourself and your work in the best way possible is a necessary skill that all new designers must master before embarking on a career--be it freelance or working within a design firm. The author provides practical advice combined with insights and personal stories from leading design professionals. The book focuses on the practical aspects of creating a great portfolio suc…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

This list is curated by MentorCruise and can include Amazon affiliate links. Have any other suggestions? Add here.

Augment your Portfolio books

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Hi, I’m Kelvin, a Lead Product Designer at Meta with over 10 years of experience crafting intuitive, impactful digital experiences. Throughout my career, I’ve led cross-functional teams across product strategy, UX/UI design, and systems thinking—helping to launch products at scale that reach millions of users. What drives me most is …

$240 / month

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I am a seasoned Front End Software Engineer with over 10 years of experience at various tech companies, currently based in Toronto, Canada. I am currently working at Square and was previously at Coinbase, Taplytics. I have previously mentored at Lighthouse Labs: Canada's Leading Coding Bootcamp. I have professional, hands-on …

$270 / month

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I’ve been in the tech industry for 10 years. My expertise lies in UX strategy, rapid prototyping, building consistent design systems, and initiating and leading systems-level projects. I am comfortable engaging in all phases of the design process, ranging from high-level concepts to intricate UI details. Currently, I'm part of …

$100 / month

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As a senior user researcher with over 15 years of experience running international research projects for global companies such as PlayStation, Spotify, and in the finance industry, I have developed a keen eye for what makes a successful UX researcher. Through my experience as a mentor, I have helped many …

$300 / month

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Yes, you can design your career. I've designed my career and helped over 500 mentees design and grow theirs. I coach professionals in product/UX design, UX research, digital accessibility, and Conversational Design. Frequent topics I discuss with my mentees are "how to stand out from the crowd" and "what's next …

$180 / month

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As a seasoned design leader with over 20 years of experience, I understand the challenges and obstacles that designers face in their careers. That's why I'm passionate about empowering and educating the next generation of designers. With a background in design education and a wide range of professional experience, I …

$240 / month

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  • "Naz is an amazing person and a wonderful mentor. She is supportive and knowledgeable with extensive practical experience. Having been a manager at Netflix, she also knows a ton about working with teams at scale. Highly recommended."

  • "Brandon has been supporting me with a software engineering job hunt and has provided amazing value with his industry knowledge, tips unique to my situation and support as I prepared for my interviews and applications."

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