First, the portfolio should only contain examples of your most impressive work. That's simple enough, but what is the best method to present your designs - and in fact yourself - to someone interested in hiring your design services? An electronic portfolio presented on a laptop is an excellent option, and if you provide the presentation on compact disc then you can leave your "business card" with your soon-to-be client for future review.

Consider animations if you choose to use the electronic portfolio, but hire a professional to create the best presentation of your work. Another way to present your portfolio is the more traditional notebook presentation. This is the best way to show the actual technical drawings and design tools, and the expense associated with printing several copies of your portfolio - perhaps in magazine form - can easily be returned through new business.

You do not, however, want to overwhelm your prospective client with interior designs that do not specifically pertain to the project at hand. If the project on which you are bidding is a restaurant waiting room then it would behoove you to focus on restaurant and other lobby designs. Some designers that specialize in several different genres may have specific portfolios that have been tailored to fit the actual needs of each category.

Practice your presentation with the materials you have chosen. Write a script using your own unique personality, and then stand in front of a mirror and practice the delivery of the important reasons your work should be chosen by an employer. While the visual examples of your work and the particular scope of your experience are essential to an interior design portfolio, never forget that you are the most important aspect of your work.