What matters more when hiring a designer: years of experience or the work itself?

I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately while rebuilding my portfolio and applying for new roles. Design is one of those fields where a number on a CV can say very little. Someone can have five years of experience and a weak portfolio, while another person may have fewer years in a formal design role but much stronger visual thinking, range and execution.

In my own process, I’ve been focusing much more on how I present the work itself: the decisions behind it, the systems I build, the way a project develops across brand, editorial, digital or UI. I’m trying to make the portfolio show not just what I made, but how I think.

Curious what other designers and hiring managers think: when you review a designer, what matters more to you, years of experience or the actual portfolio?

#DesignCareers #HiringDesigners #VisualDesign #Portfolio #DesignProcess

My face while waiting

My first digital product is here! 🔥 The Unique Characters (Vol. 1) is a collection of 17 original AI characters, each with a unique fashion wardrobe, multi-angle character sheets, and custom-designed voice. https://contra.com/products/kcbvZ9NN-the-unique-characters-vol-1-17-ai-characters-for-filmfashion