04/09/2026
Comment ‘PORTFOLIO’ for the FULL breakdown!
Six COMMON mistakes Australian employers see in real portfolios! Are you making these mistakes?
Mistake 1: You don’t make your visa status clear.
If you’re applying for jobs in Australia from overseas, make your work rights clear. Studios shouldn’t have to work out whether you already have the right to work, need sponsorship, or are planning to relocate.
Mistake 2: You don’t say where you’re based.
Make your location obvious. If you’re applying to Australian studios, make it clear where you’re currently based or relocating from. Don’t make someone dig through your CV or portfolio to find out.
Mistake 3: You don’t demonstrate an understanding of local conditions.
Australian studios design across highly diverse climates, environments and topographies. You don’t need a technical climate report, but showing how a project responds to its location gives a studio a better sense of how you think.
Mistake 4: You hide your software skills.
Revit, Rhino, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Grasshopper… whatever you’ve worked with, make it easy to find. Studios need to know what you can actually use.
Mistake 5: You don’t show your professional experience first.
When you’re applying for a studio role, employers want to see your professional experience quickly. Lead with practice work before university projects so there’s no confusion about what you’ve actually done in a professional setting.
Mistake 6: You created it to be printed.
Most applications are reviewed digitally, not as a printed folio. Make sure your portfolio works on a laptop, desktop and phone, with readable type, clean layouts and work that’s easy to navigate.
Watch the full breakdown now!
