Five Tips for Building Your Portfolio
Portfolios are an easy way to demonstrate your experience and skills to potential employers. Now that we’ve entered into recruitment season, it’s more important than ever to have your portfolio in tip-top shape. But there’s one small problem: You haven't created one yet. Well, here are five tips to help you get started in creating or improving a portfolio:
1. Be intentional with how you publish your work.
Creating a portfolio can be a tedious process if the software used is difficult to navigate. Including the simplest elements could suddenly become a complex challenge and eventually, a great defeat. For this reason, choose a user-friendly software that allows you to easily create your website. Wix is a great, free option that offers customizable templates and SEO tools; it also provides users with the ability to purchase a customizable domain.
2. Make your mission clear.
Recruiters want to ensure that you’re a good fit for the position you’ve applied for. A great way to highlight your potential is through a page on your portfolio answering questions like: Who are you? What do you do? What are your career goals? Doing this will make your mission clear to the employer.
3. Don’t be afraid to be selective with the projects you publish.
It’s important to showcase your skills in a purposeful way. Quality comes before quantity when selecting pieces to include in your portfolio. Make sure you only choose projects that you are most proud of and will set you apart. If you can’t write a small description explaining the sample, consider using a different piece. And if you're unsure which pieces to include, ask a professor or mentor for feedback. Common projects in a portfolio include writing samples, campaign content and graphics.
4. Join student organizations to gather work samples.
If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of creating a portfolio due to a lack of content, the best place to begin is by joining student organizations. Try to find a pre-professional society, firm, agency or club specific to your major. Getting involved will open a new door of opportunities to create work that you can later present to a recruiter.
5. Your portfolio should resemble you!
Give the recruiter a chance to get to know the person behind the work. Whether through a bio in your about section or images on your website, one way to set yourself apart is by showcasing yourself. There may be hundreds of applicants with the same skill set as you, so highlight other desirable attributes you bring to the table.
Portfolios are meant to showcase your abilities, personality and experiences. They give a recruiter a deeper look into your academic and professional life. When created with intention, a portfolio is a helpful tool in the application process.
Written by SkylarRose Margolin