YujiItadori
Newbie
- May 30, 2026
- 11
- 5
I am new to graphic design. I have some sample work in my portfolio, but no client experience yet. Do clients look more at your portfolio or your experience? What do you think ?
Do Clients Care More About Portfolio or Experience ?
- Thread starter YujiItadori
- Start date
- Nov 23, 2011
- 897
- 715
The amount of "graphic" designers on here posting their services without samples = a instant skip for me.
I hired some of the best designers based on skills, I have also worked with designers based on experience that charged so much more and worked for huge companies and to be honest, I look at the work not the clients, the clients could even be friends of friends or just plain out good marketing.
I hired some of the best designers based on skills, I have also worked with designers based on experience that charged so much more and worked for huge companies and to be honest, I look at the work not the clients, the clients could even be friends of friends or just plain out good marketing.
- Oct 17, 2022
- 2,958
- 986
Since you are new, you would need both. Try to serve free or cheap to get some portfolio or experiences first. Rest will follow.
ricketycricket
BANNED
- Jun 7, 2026
- 70
- 14
Most clients won’t even get to the experience part if the portfolio looks weak. @YujiItadori make 6-10 solid mock projects that look like real client briefs, not random logo dumps, and show a bit of process if you can. I’ve hired designers with zero “client” history because their samples matched what I needed, and skipped ones with big names because the work looked dated. Cheap/free jobs can help, but dont fill portfolio with bad clients just to say you have experience.
- Dec 9, 2013
- 4,700
- 1,635
Experience is more important in the long run and for high ticket clients, but in the beginning, a good portfolio is very important.
When my budget is low for any project, I get a beginner just by seeing the portfolio. When my budget is good, I look at the experience.
- May 27, 2016
- 11,025
- 2,504
Both actually but as a buyer I would lean mostly on experience.
vaibhavdadhich74
Newbie
- Jul 23, 2021
- 21
- 4
Building a portfolio is more important than your number of jobs and work experience
Campaigns By Mike
Junior Member
- Jun 7, 2026
- 121
- 36
portfolio gets you in the door, no question. but one thing nobody really mentioned... how you present it matters almost as much as the work itself. ive skipped designers with decent samples because the page was a mess, no context, just random images thrown together. and ive booked people who showed me their thinking behind one project.
since you're starting out, dont stress the no client thing. make a few mock pieces that look like real briefs and write a line or two about what problem you were solving. that alone puts you above half the people posting services here.
since you're starting out, dont stress the no client thing. make a few mock pieces that look like real briefs and write a line or two about what problem you were solving. that alone puts you above half the people posting services here.
The WP Nerd
Regular Member
- Jun 7, 2026
- 205
- 63
Portfolio gets you the first yes, thats just how it works when nobody knows your name yet. But i'll add something... the no experience thing actually plays in your favor at the start if you price right. Cheap rates plus clean samples = easy first clients, then those turn into testimonials and suddenly you have "experience" anyway.
One thing though, dont mock up logos for random made up brands. Pick niches you actually wanna work in and make pieces that fit. Had a designer dm me last year with a portfolio full of fake coffee shop branding and i needed exactly that... booked him on the spot. Targeted samples beat a big generic pile every time imo.
One thing though, dont mock up logos for random made up brands. Pick niches you actually wanna work in and make pieces that fit. Had a designer dm me last year with a portfolio full of fake coffee shop branding and i needed exactly that... booked him on the spot. Targeted samples beat a big generic pile every time imo.
markgilber
Newbie
- Aug 15, 2014
- 18
- 4
focus on quality work
André Cristhian
Registered Member
- Jun 21, 2019
- 79
- 20
I believe both are important. First, work on building your portfolio, because if you just say you know how to do it without showing anything, some clients might end up feeling hesitant or unsure about doing business with you.