By Genevieve Balivet
Creating a professional portfolio for job-hunting can be intimidating, especially if this is your first time. Where do you start? What do you include? How do you organize your content? Here are some tips and tricks to help you make a professional digital portfolio.
Where to Start
There are several platforms on which you can assemble your portfolio. Content management systems such as Squarespace or WordPress are popular choices because they are easy to use and do not require technical knowledge. Social media can also be a good way to share your work with more people (Indeed Editorial Team, 2023). Another great option is Digication, a portfolio-making platform specifically for students and educators. Some universities have accounts with this platform that allows their students free access; it also has a reasonable yearly fee for those who don’t have institutional access. Before you choose, consider the following questions: how much does it cost? How easy is it to update and maintain? Do you retain ownership over your content? Keeping these in mind can help you select a platform that works best for you.
Next, you can decide how you want to organize your content. One option is to organize by types of skills (for example: graphic design, developmental editing, or copywriting). This highlights your specialties and shows potential employers at a glance what you do best. You can also make categories such as classwork, extracurriculars, and work experience. This is an especially good strategy for students and can highlight your achievements in various areas.
What to Include
The main content of your portfolio should be polished samples of your work, usually two to three pieces per category. These don’t just have to be from job experience; they can be academic projects, work from extracurricular activities or volunteer positions, and even personal pieces. While published work can catch employers’ eyes, being published is not required. What matters most is sharing the best representations of your skills and interests. Before including a sample, always seek feedback and revise it (especially if it’s older) to perfect it as much as possible. Add a description for each sample too; share why or for whom you created each piece and the context around it.
While this is the most important part of your portfolio, it helps to add a few other things as well. A resume or CV and an “About Me” section can serve as a brief overview of your experiences. They can also establish your personal brand. Short- and long-term professional goals can also help employers figure out if you are a good fit (Indeed Editorial Team, 2023). Add your contact information as well. If employers like what they see, it’s important to give them a way to reach you. Optionally, you can also add references, awards and recognitions you won, or recommendations or testimonials from past employers or peers (Indeed Editorial Team, 2023). Choose content that paints you in the best possible light and focuses on your strengths.
Helpful Tips
- Consider your audience and purpose. Like all writing, you should put together your portfolio with a particular rhetorical situation in mind. If you’re making a portfolio for a certain field of writing—or a specific job—choose materials and highlight skills your audience is looking for (Indeed Editorial Team, 2023). For a more general portfolio, include a variety of genres which highlights your specialities to make yourself stand out.
- Make your portfolio visually distinct. Avoid templates. The point of a portfolio is to showcase your personal brand, not copy others. If you do use a template, customize it. Not only does this help you stand out, but it showcases your creativity and design skills.
- Seek feedback from others. Since your work will be published online, it’s important to ensure both individual pieces and the whole portfolio are as polished as possible. Ask people around you—peers, professors, or career consultants—to check your work. This can improve your work and your confidence in sharing your portfolio.
While creating a digital professional portfolio might feel intimidating, the process is simple. Above all, have confidence. Your work is worth displaying, and a portfolio is how you can share it with the world.
