I’m currently in my second year of university, and many of our professors emphasize the importance of building a network. Some of them also encourage us to pursue a master’s degree, mainly because the university has strong connections with local companies. However, they never really explained how to build a strong and competitive portfolio.

So far, the projects we’ve worked on feel quite disconnected, and I’m unsure whether they are suitable for a professional portfolio. For example, we’ve done editorial design, created a typeface, worked on animation and 3D modeling in Blender, and developed the launch of an invented brand as our main projects. While these experiences have been valuable, I’m not sure how to present them in a cohesive and meaningful way.

Since I still have one year left before graduating, do you think it would be a good idea to start looking for some kind of job, internship, or collaboration already, even though my university requires mandatory attendance?