Yesterday we did a Father's Day photoshoot.

Me, my wife, and our 3-year-old son.

The photographer kept saying "Just one more shot" for about 20 minutes.

My son was getting restless. Started making funny faces instead of smiling.

But here's what I noticed:

The photographer didn't get frustrated. Didn't try to force the "perfect" shot.

Instead, she worked with what was happening in the moment.

Captured genuine expressions. Real interactions. The chaos that actually represents our family.

The photos turned out better than anything we could have posed for.

This reminded me of something I see with design professionals all the time.

They spend months crafting the "perfect" portfolio.

Trying to anticipate exactly what hiring managers want to see.

Forcing projects to fit an imaginary ideal.

But the designers who land great roles?

They show their real work. Their actual process. Even the messy parts.

They work with what they have instead of waiting for perfect conditions.

A client project that had constraints becomes a story about creative problem-solving.

A side project that didn't go as planned becomes proof of iteration and learning.

The hiring manager sees someone real, not a highlight reel.

Someone they can imagine working with day-to-day.

Not someone pretending to be flawless.

Your authentic work story is more compelling than any manufactured perfection.

The designers in Career Creators learn to tell these real stories.

We help them find the strategic narrative in their actual experience.

No fake projects. No exaggerated results.

Just clear communication about genuine problem-solving.

Reply 'Details' if you want to see how we help designers present their real work authentically.

Joseph

P.S. The "messy" photos from yesterday are now my favorites. Turns out authentic beats perfect every time.