Using a .PDF as a portfolio and CV

[lavaspit]

Ive been sending around a .PDF of my portfolio and CV until I get a website up. The file size is large and the format is awkward. What would you recommend sending to a prospective employer? How many pages? How comprehensive? What format?

[urstwile]

When you say large, what size are we talking here?

You can build presentation stuff into a PDF, maybe you could give that a shot? It's not uncommon for people to present their portfolios digitally this way.

This is an old article, but it might provide some helpful advice for you: Digital Portfolio (http://www.creativepro.com:80/story/feature/12722-1.html)

[lavaspit]

About 5 megs. Not too bad but dont want to annoy ADs. Id like to know what people think is a good format ie 8.5 x 11?

[urstwile]

5 megs for a high-quality PDF is not a bad size at all. For on-screen presentation, I'd make it a landscape format.

[lavaspit]

Hey thanks. Check it out: Im trying to find out what a good size fo ra PDF is. Like as in inches or pixels.

[budafist]

Employers may print your portfolio out so you should make it standard paper size for your country. Around here it is A4, but there is also US Letter.

5MB for a pdf is fine. As Urst said, landscape is ideal for screen viewing.

[lavaspit]

Yes indeed. I didnt think of that.

Thanks all!

[Ned]

Yeah, I always do mine lettersize portrait (for Canada/US), for exactly that reason. Although Urstwile's suggestion of landscape for on-screen viewing is not a bad one, as the screen is the first place they will see it (and when they do print it, it's usually a cruddy b/w print, anyways). I use the same samplesheets to print and pass along to potential clients (sometimes along wth a 1-page resume), though, so portrait is perfect for me.

Try to limit your portfolio to about 2 or 3 pages. It's not necessary to deliver your portfolio with one piece per page. You can lay out a bunch of examples on one page. I get a lot of portfolios emailed to me, as a multi-page PDF with like 5 to 7 pages, one piece per page. The chances that I'll scroll through the whole thing is doubtful. In fact, I usually just skim through quickly, and close. Of course, I'm never actively hiring, so that makes a difference, but the point is, my 2-3 page PDF samplesheet (on 2 pages, I hold about 16 samples), I know gets looked at in its entirety every time, and has been very effective for me over the years. In fact, when I was actively job seeking, I used to get numerous requests for me to build portfolios for other creatives, based on what I did for myself. You can see an example of what I use by clicking on my name, in my signature (it desperately needs to be updated, but...).

Personally, I think 5MB is too big. Administration types don't like to get emails that big. I would limit its size to 1-2MB max. Which means that you will have to compress your file, probably to about 98dpi. Yes, the print-out will not look perfect, but it's not going to anyways, because it'll probably be printed on their old b/w Brother laser printer. 98dpi, for on-screen viewing, will be plenty sufficient. If you provide a link to your PDF file, rather than attaching it, you can get away with a larger file without them noticing. HTTP is faster than MAIL.

[Samakimoto Graphics]

Ned said it, more than 2MB is too big. I've encountered such restrictions on intranet email systems as well.

[PrintDriver]

yep, no more than 3mb. And bear in mind that a lot of people will just dump unsolicited emails with attachments on general principles. Sometimes they are never seen. They get caught in the spam filters. Be aware of your email content to minimize that chance.

[morea]

there's some related information that you might find helpful in our frequently discussed topics thread, here:

http://www.graphicdesignforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7892

[DougFa]

Have you tried to "reduce file size" under "file" menu in Acrobat?

What program is the original in?

In my opinion anything over 1MB is too much.

I have run my own studio fora number of years now and won't even bother to look at a designers portfolio if it is over 1 MB.

Doug

www.thedesignersinnercirclereport.com