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.

Designing a UX Portfolio: A Practical Guide for Designers, Researchers, Content Strategists, and Developers

UX Portfolios are a critical part of the recruitment process for those who work in user experience. Whether you’re a UX designer, a UX researcher, a content strategist, or a native app developer, you’ll get better work with one rather than without. Unfortunately, much misinformation about UX Portfolios has been spread online. Hiring managers complain of receiving bland, badly designed document…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

That Portfolio Book

The Portfolio Book introduces a method to help early childhood teachers improve the responsiveness of their teaching. The ten-step process lets teachers begin to work with the portfolio assessment process at a comfortable pace. This book breaks the portfolio assessment process into small, easy-to-manage steps that can be integrated painlessly into everyday teaching.

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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…

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How to Create a Portfolio & Get Hired Second Edition: A Guide for Graphic

This book shows those embarking on an illustration or graphic design career how best to put together an effective, professional portfolio. It discusses what to include and how to organize and display the work, and also advises on presentation techniques and selfpromotion. Both print and digital portfolios are examined.

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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…

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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 …

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.

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…

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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

Creating Your Digital Portfolio: The Essential Guide to Showcasing Your Design Work Online

This comprehensive manual gives you all the knowledge and skills you need to build and present a digital portfolio that packs a punch. Creating Your Digital Portfolio covers everything from web hosting and uploading content, to personalizing and presenting your work to clinch that job. Exemplary portfolios, both well-constructed and unique, reveal the how, what, and why of putting together an …

Recommended by the experts and mentors at MentorCruise

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

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

Augment your Portfolio books

There is no better source of accountability and motivation than having a personal mentor. What used to be impossible to find is now just two clicks away! All mentors are vetted & hands-on!

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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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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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Hello everyone, I've been a design practitioner and experience strategist for 25 years and have led and mentored designers at many agencies and firms including Fjord, Ogilvy and AKQA. I've hired and developed the careers of more than 100 people and coached and mentored over 50 to senior design and …

$180 / 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


Hey! I'm Pavan, a software engineer at Microsoft with experience as both a developer and product manager. I've gone through dozens of interviews with companies like Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta for full-time roles and internships. I know the best resources for interview prep, resume building, and networking that I …

$240 / month

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Hello! I am a HCI/UX researcher passionate about building systems or products that are meaningful to the users. I am a UX Researcher 2 at Microsoft working on Azure products. I completed my Ph.D. in Information Science at the College of Computing and Informatics at Drexel University, Philadelphia. During my …

$160 / 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."

  • "Sandrina helped me improve as an engineer. Looking back, I took a huge step, beyond my expectations."