How do you start building a professional portfolio?

Put anything you worked on in your portfolio but explain to the person(s) interviewing you what your role was if the example does not consist entirely of your efforts. For digital job applications (when you’re not able to explain in person), add annotations to the graphic which explain your role. This will show employers that you understand some of the process of landscape architecture even if you don’t yet have professional design experience. Keep your school work in your portfolio until you’ve built up enough professional examples that showcase your professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. It doesn’t hurt to keep a few academic examples especially if they’re well done and if they convey design process, or if they happen to represent a design area that you’d eventually like to specialize in. I still have a few academic examples in my portfolio 20 years down the road because they’re still some of my best work and show potential for things I’ve yet to accomplish.

Employers will understand that as a new grad you will likely have limited examples of professional design work. In addition to design, drafting, and rendering, make sure to include other skills and experience such as writing, public presentations, research, project management, and marketing because these are all part of the profession and what you may have to offer.