What do you think about showing off your portfolio in an interview on an ipad? When it first came out I thought this would be a good use for the ipad since you can quickly go through tons of images. You can also save $$$ on printing updates as you add and revise projects, not to mention hauling around a portfolio case.
But I wonder if an employer would find it strange or gimmicky? Is it too soon to embrace the technology on an interview?
I was thinking the same thing to use it for client presentations.
We use it at trade shows and to show clients our work. Have a small hard copy such as a teaser page helps the person remember your work after the meeting.
You could also add things to your presentation that you cannot do with paper printouts. 3D turntable renderings, short videos…
Perfect use of an iPad–less formal and more portable than the typical laptop slideshow, and backlit images look better than printouts.
Plus at least for now, there’s a memorable wow-factor.
Not sure how I would feel about it. I would rather:
A: - pull up your portfolio on my screen via PDF/Jump drive
B: Have you pull it up on a larger laptop screen so we could both look at it comfortably
C: Have you hook your laptop up to the big screen display/projector and review it that way.
The iPad is rather small and personal like a tablet PC, which means if you hand it to me it’d be nice for me to flip through, but then when you say “oh wait no go back, no forward, hold on give it back to me” it seems like it would get clumsy.
If your work is good enough I suppose I don’t care either way, but it seems more like a gimmick to me at the moment.
I think it’s great. It’s one of the reasons I got one (at least justified it to myself). Images looks really crisp and bright, easy to go forward or back, and even zoom out to see all so you can quickly jump to a page - better than flipping through lots of pages.
I have a nice printed piece which I give in interviews/meeting, but have all the process work and additional projects on my ipad. It’s more than 100 pages so gets a bit unweildy in paper form.
Of course, I’d also always have a printed copy of all that as well, just in case (batteries die, crashes, who knows).
R
I’d say it’s a bit small, but tht is all, otherwise great.
BUT I haven’t used a paper portfolio for about five years now, anyway, they either don’t ask to see it, I’ve already sent them a pdf or I use my laptop. Paper files are a nightmare for me because I’m a liveaboard boater- nowhere to store it.
Agreed. Ipad seems awkward and unnecessary.
I’d say it all depends on the audience.
If this were a one on one meeting, I’d say definitely yes. Give me the iPad and let me scroll through the file. Any more than that gets difficult.
In my last set of interviews I just brought 8.5 x 11 print outs binder clipped together. It is about the work, not the delivery system.
Bingo. If I were interviewing someone that showed up with an iPad, I’d start to think they were trying to distract me with technology and not focus on their work as much. Am I supposed to be impressed that you can spend $500+? No.
Exactly. I mean you could get a portable laser projector and project it from your smart phone too, but to me it’s just overstating a use of technology where it’s not necessarily needed or relevant.
Would rather see some big 11x17 prints.
via the blog “sh!tMyDadSays”
“Stop bragging about your cell phone son, you didn’t invent it, you just bought it, any idiot can do that.”
If the iPad fits your presentation and the audience, I’d say go for it, but that work better be fire hot, because otherwise the most memorable thing will be the iPad!
Unless of course your primary focus is App development for the iPad…
If you were applying for a UI design job - then I could see it being sweet…
Unless of course you develop in flash. 
This was what I was thinking when I posted the question. Will an employer think you’re trying to impress them with the latest technology over the content of what’s on the screen? Personally I think it is a good way to show work, especially if they have already seen your work on a website or PDF. How often do you get to an interview without showing off your electronic version of a portfolio first? I find that your resume and portfolio get you in the door for an interview before you really even say anything.
I like the conversation here, I’d ask if anyone has shown portfolio work (on a small scale) on their iphone? I know I have done this before and to echo what yo said, it was fine in a one on one casual setting, but add a few more people and it’s awkward to pass around and flip back and forth.
Right now, because tablets are so new to the general public, it has to be carefully weighed pros and cons. It should feel natural and appropriate. The last thing you want is for it to come across as a gimmick.
I think that once the 'wow 
’ factor wears off, and it becomes as common as a laptop or an iphone, it’ll be a no brainer. Images almost always look better backlit, and when ipad 2 with retina display is released in 9 months, smooth baby.
plus it will have pressure sensitivity, a USB port to connect thumb drives and the like, and a port to connect it to a projector… right?
It’s also in 3D, right?
R
why build it in when you can accessories?