Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff They Don’t Teach You in Design School, But Should by Michael Janda

Section 1: Human
Engineering
BEHAVIOR, WORK ETHIC, AND SOCIAL PROWESS HAVE AS
MUCH TO DO WITH YOUR SUCCESS AS YOUR ABILITY TO
BEAT PHOTOSHOP SENSELESSLY INTO SUBMISSION.

The Big Fat Secret
Ask anyone who I’ve worked with over the course of my
career and they’ll all probably say the same thing: “Michael
Janda is absolutely, without question, one of the most
talented creators of mediocre graphic design work the world
has ever seen.” To which I would wholeheartedly agree.
When it comes to design, I’m all right. I am definitely
above average, but I know many designers who can design
circles around me (fortunately, I employ some of them).
However, I don’t know many designers who have had the
good fortune of finding the level of “success” in their career
that I have been blessed to achieve. Why do some amazing
designers struggle to accomplish great things and other
mediocre designers find great success? Hard work? Being in
the right place at the right time? Sheer blind luck?
The truth is that in the graphic design industry (and nearly
every other occupation out there), your creative design and
technical skills account for only a fraction of your value to a
client or to an employer. I have no doubt that it is your
interpersonal skills that get you that success. One of my
favorite books of all time is Dale Carnegie’s 1936
masterpiece, How to Win Friends & Influence People, and it
is my heartfelt belief that this book should be required
reading for everyone in the world. Many of you have likely
read this gem; I have myself purchased, read, and gifted
this book countless times.
The book’s introductory material explains the purpose for
which it was written based on research conducted by the
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching as
well as the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Following Mr.
Carnegie’s quote in which he believes that only 15 percent
of financial success is due to technical knowledge, while 85
percent is due to personal skills and an ability to lead

Burn Your Portfolio: Stuff They Don’t Teach You in Design School, But Should by Michael Janda