I used to be a terrible designer...

Years of running @teamcodesign  here's what I wish someone had told me...

Every time I look at junior designer portfolios now, I see myself in their mistakes. The same ones I made. The same ones that almost killed my career before it started.

> Playing it Safe

My early portfolios were full of safe, boring designs too.

But the truth is playing it safe is the riskiest thing you can do. Show me your weird ideas. Your experiments. Even your failures.

> The "I Know Everything" Syndrome

This was me in every client meeting seven years ago. Thought I knew it all because I could use Photoshop. That attitude costed me some major opportunities.

Humility beats talent every time.

> Stop designing for likes. Start designing for results.

> Stop showing me concept work for Nike and Apple. Show me the real projects you did for local businesses. I want to see how you handle real constraints, not fantasy projects.

> I can tell when you've just tweaked a template. We all use them sometimes, but if your entire portfolio is template-based, you're not showing me any real problem-solving skills.

I'm not writing this to shame anyone. I'm writing this because I see talented designers making the same mistakes that once held me back.

Here's how you can standout or do better as a designer:

- Show your thinking process
- Learn to take & give feedback
- Focus on results, not just aesthetics
- Build real projects, not just concept work
- Learn to communicate clearly
- Stay humble and keep learning

At the end >>

- Your portfolio will show your potential.
- Your attitude will determine your career.

Trust me; I had to learn both lessons the hard way.

What mistakes did you make early in your career?