A professional portfolio is essential when you're applying for graphic design jobs. A portfolio should include previous work you've done - whether for a job or for school - that showcases your skills as a designer. You also want to keep it streamlined like you would your resume; choose projects and designs that show off the skills an employer is looking for. A great way to share more information in your portfolio is to present case studies. Case studies show each step in the creative process for a project, from the first design draft to the final piece. Case studies can also give you the opportunity to go into more detail in an interview about how you come up with ideas, how you've completed assignments for schools and employers in the past, or have you worked collaboratively with a team on a design.