Looking at those $12.90 grapes got me thinking about a conversation I had with a client last week.

She was frustrated because she kept getting rejected for UX roles despite having solid experience.

"I don't understand," she said. "My work is good. Maybe even better than some people who are getting hired."

I looked at her portfolio.

She was right. The work was solid.

But here's what I noticed: She was presenting herself like regular supermarket grapes when she should have been positioning herself like those premium Shine Muscat grapes in your hand.

Same core product. Completely different presentation.

Her portfolio showed designs without context. No mention of the business problems she solved. No data on user impact. No story about stakeholder challenges she navigated.

She was commoditizing herself.

Most designers do this. They focus on making their work look pretty instead of making their value crystal clear.

But hiring managers don't just want to see nice interfaces. They want to know:

Can this person solve our specific problems? Will they make my life easier or harder?

The difference between a $3 designer and a $130k designer isn't always the design quality.

It's how they package their value.

Those expensive grapes come with a story - special variety, careful cultivation, premium experience.

Your portfolio needs the same kind of intentional positioning.

When you frame your work around business impact, user outcomes, and strategic thinking, you stop competing on price and start competing on value.

That's exactly what we work on in Career Creators - transforming how designers present their worth so companies see them as premium hires, not budget options.

Ready to stop being the bargain bin option?

Reply "Premium" and I'll send you details about our next session.

Joseph

P.S. I bought the grapes. And it was worth every single cent.