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Application preparation
A graphic design portfolio should explain decisions, not just display attractive images. When applying for graphic designer jobs in Zambia, select examples that match the advertised work: print production, social campaigns, presentations, packaging or another discipline. This guide helps you prepare a portfolio and application; it is not a list of open positions or a promise that particular software will secure a job.
Choose three relevant case studies
Start with the employer's stated output. If the role involves promotional artwork, show how you adapted a message for different sizes while preserving readability. If it involves print, explain how you checked the final artwork against the printer's supplied specifications. Do not add technical settings from memory if you cannot explain the actual production requirements.
Three well-explained projects can be more useful than a large, unlabelled gallery. Include at least one example where feedback changed your first idea. For each project, identify whether it was paid client work, a student assignment, a volunteer contribution or a self-initiated concept. Obtain permission for confidential or unpublished client work, or choose another example.
Use a brief-to-result structure
Write a short case study with five parts: audience; communication problem; constraints; your decisions; final deliverable. A fictional brief might ask for an event poster that remains readable on a phone and on a noticeboard. Explain how you prioritised the event name, date, venue and action, and how you checked contrast and text size at the intended viewing scale.
Show one earlier version only when it helps explain a decision. Label your contribution when you worked with photographers, writers or other designers. Do not claim sales growth or engagement results unless you have reliable figures and permission to use them. If the project was a concept, its result can be a completed design and documented checks rather than invented commercial performance.
Make the portfolio easy to review
Place the most relevant case study first and give each project a descriptive title. Keep text selectable in a PDF where possible and test links after export. Check the file on a phone as well as a larger screen. A reviewer should not need an account or a special application to understand your work unless the vacancy specifically requests that format.
Use your own contact details, a clear CV link and appropriate credit for assets. Do not share editable source files containing licensed assets or client material without permission. If you use AI-generated elements, describe your role and the tools honestly where relevant, and verify that the final work meets the project's usage and attribution requirements.
Prepare the CV and interview explanation
List software with the tasks you can complete, rather than a row of unexplained proficiency percentages. Connect past work to briefing, layout, feedback, version control and delivery. New applicants can use original concept projects but should not invent clients. A short cover note should point to the case study that most closely matches the advertised responsibilities.
Practise explaining a design choice in plain language and receiving a change request without becoming defensive. If asked for a recruitment test, clarify the brief, time expectation, ownership and whether the work will be used commercially. Submit through the verified employer route and retain the exact portfolio version used for your application.
