You deserve to work on the kinds of projects you love. Whether it be full-time or freelance, we’re building Dribbble to be the place you find the design gigs you’re passionate about and are genuinely excited to tackle. Ready to put yourself and your work in the absolute best light? Follow these steps to highlight your profile and get hired for the work you love.
1. Thoughtfully craft your bio
Your bio is one of the first things that potential clients will read when they land on your profile. Use this as an opportunity to introduce yourself but also to call out exactly the type of work you’re looking for.
Are you an independent web designer looking to work with startups? A freelance graphic designer with a focus on lifestyle brands? A product designer looking for your next remote dream team? Get specific and call out who you are and which types of work you’re best fit for.
2. Strategically showcase your Shots
If you want to land more jobs that you love, you’ve got to showcase more of the work you love to create. It’s time to make sure your portfolio reflects what you’ve called out in your bio. If you have a Pro Account, you’ll want to strategically order your Shots so the first designs clients or hiring managers see are in-line with what you want to get hired for. You can easily do this by hitting the gear icon next to your profile avatar and clicking on “Customize your profile”.
We recommend that the first 10 Shots in your profile reflect the type of projects you’re looking to work on. If you’re a graphic designer wanting to collaborate with more outdoor brands, then showcase these designs first and foremost. If you don’t have enough of this work to display, now’s the time to get some self-initiated projects going so you can populate your portfolio with relevant designs.
At stage, you can help yourself out a lot using a project management tool like Bonsai. Create portfolio projects and all the tasks you need to complete them on one user-friendly platform. You’ll have a portfolio to show off in no time.
Quick tip: If you’re looking to keep your profile fresh, practice makes perfect! Join-in on our Weekly Warm-Up design exercises to flex your creative muscles every week.
3. Communicate your process
Remember that just as important as the Shot itself, is its accompanying description. Try to be as authentic as possible in how you communicate your ideas, design decisions, and process for a given design. Use Multi-Shot to upload screenshots of your process and further demonstrate what your workflow looks like.
Your creative process, communication style, and presentation skills will likely resonate with the kinds of clients and employers who want someone like you on their team. Show them you’re a great communicator just as much as you are a designer.
4. Show off your skills & experience
Now it’s time to make sure your account settings are updated to highlight what you’re best at, backed up by your work experience. Click on Edit Profile under your avatar in the main menu, and scroll down to the Experience section. Select your top three design specialties and add your years of experience for each one. Whatever specialties you select will be made visible on your profile for potential employers to see.
Next, add up to 16 skill tags that will be displayed on your profile and help clients find you when sifting through potential candidates in Designer Search. Finally, fill in your job history to back it all up. Having all of this information front and center for clients to see will add more credibility to your profile and save potential employers the time from having to dig up the info for themselves on copious sites.
5. Update your work availability & preferences
Next, you’ve got to let everyone know you’re available and eager to take on new projects or land your next dream role. Edit your work availability to let folks know whether you’re looking for full-time or freelance/contract work. Don’t forget to add your minimum salary, fixed, or hourly rates to connect with clients where these financial factors align. Lastly, toggle “Yes” under “Would you like to display your availability to hire on your profile?” so potential clients can find that big bright green “Hire Me” button right under your designer bio!
6. Keep your portfolio updated
This goes without saying, but keeping your portfolio updated is a vital piece of the puzzle when it comes to landing the work you want. Try to consistently share new designs relevant to the space you want to work in. It shows you’re passionate about a specific vein of work and eager to keep creating it. The more designs you showcase, the better sense clients will get of who you are and what you’re all about. Make it easy for your dream clients to find you by regularly sharing work.
7. Reach out to clients on our Freelance Design Project board
Bonus time! Dribbble now has a Freelance Design Project board where you can reach out to hundreds of clients who have posted their design needs. There are new projects added daily so get ready for your freelance career to take off.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, know that you play a significant role in landing the type of work you love. Make it obvious what this ideal design work looks like and you’ll be well on your way to getting hired for gigs that make you eager to wake up and get to work every morning. Curate your portfolio, use Bonsai to manage your tasks efficiently, keep sharing new and relevant designs, and update your account settings to reflect who you are and what you want to work on next.
For more general tips for getting hired on Dribbble, check out 6 ways to maximize your Dribbble profile to get hired
Find more Process stories on our blog Courtside. Have a suggestion? Contact stories@dribbble.com.
