How to approach a design test for an job interview

Portfolios and design tests tell you very little about a person at the start of their career. What they will probably show you are logos made for a college fest. That's how most designers' careers begin.

What actually matters is the level of participation, the genuine interest in this kind of career. At that point, you are only gauging for that. They are way too young to have any meaningful body of work. So rather than relying on a portfolio, rely on what the work reveals about curiosity and commitment.

The real signal is not the output. It is who actually shows up, who is drawn to the problem, who finds a way to engage even without the right credentials yet. That interest, that pull toward the work, is the only honest thing a test can surface.