Selecting samples of your work and organizing them in a portfolio gives you the opportunity to reflect on your achievements and growth as a professional. This can boost your confidence, making you more poised during interviews and career-focused conversations.
In addition, constructing a digital portfolio demonstrates your proficiency with digital tools, which is expected in today’s workforce.
CREATING THE PORTFOLIO SECTIONS
Before creating your portfolio sections, be sure you (1) consider your purpose and audience and (2) select an appropriate format. Some industries expect physical portfolios, while others may prefer electronic folders, websites, social media profiles, blogs, or video channels. (See Starting Your Career Portfolio).
Here are the recommended sections. They will vary depending on your career field.
#1- Design an Engaging Cover Page
If your cover page has an appealing design, it will pique the reader’s interest in reviewing the rest
of the portfolio. Here is what your cover page may include:
- Title-Use a title such as Portfolio, or Writing Portfolio, or Design Portfolio, whatever is expected in your career field.
- Name-Include your full name, but resist amateurish statements like “Hi, my name is Joan” or telling your age.
- Optional Credentials-If you are a recent graduate, you can list your degree and institution.
- Optional Dates (opt.)- Show the range of dates for the projects rather than your degree and institution if you have been in the field for a while.
- Optional Tagline (opt.)-Add a short tagline to show your career perspective and what you can do for their business. Ex. “Creating beautiful designs that elevate your working environment.”
- Contact Information-List contact information on your cover page, at the end of the About section, or on the final portfolio page.
When selecting a portfolio cover page design, consider what would be appropriate for your career field.
#2-Create a Contents Page
Your contents page can be created with clickable links or hyperlinked images, which allow easy navigation.
#3-Write an “About” Section
Introduce yourself by focusing on the “professional you.” Summarize relevant education, work history, and skills. Speak conversationally using either third-person or first-person point of view, but be consistent. If you add something interesting about your personal life, keep it brief. Employers and clients are not usually interested in your hobbies and pastimes.
#4-Optional Photo
A photo on your About page can be a professional headshot or an action photo of you in your work environment to give them a glimpse of your personality and passion for your work.
#5-Highlight Your Work Samples
Include only your best work and show a variety of projects. Personal projects or freelance work can supplement limited experience. Omit the course title if you decide to include a school project. Here are some ways to highlight your work (Basuthakur):
- Snippets. Choose a representative excerpt to show a large project.
- Screenshots. Use screenshots of web pages, spreadsheets, social media posts, or other creations.
- Case studies. Write a short description of how you helped a client or solved a problem.
- Results. Represent your successes with diagrams, charts, or graphs.
- Videos. Show a short video project or part of a larger video.
- Interactive projects. Include an example of a project the reader can interact with. (n.d.)
Be sure you tag each item in your portfolio with a skill, a brief description of the project’s goals, and your role. You can also mention challenges and how you overcame them.
#6-Showcase Your Skills and Major Accomplishments
Both hard skills, like computer programming, and soft skills, like teamwork, are important to include.
For example, programmers should list their computer language proficiencies, while marketing
professionals should show their ability to manage multiple social media platforms.
#7-List Your References and Recommendations
Career expert Jennifer Bridges suggests including both references and recommendations:
Include a reference list of three to five people who are willing to speak about your strengths, abilities, and experience. Be sure to include their job titles and contact information. You can also share testimonials from clients, customers, professors, colleagues, or previous employers that highlight your best qualities and skills. This is also the place to showcase copies of positive employer evaluations or reviews. (2024)
#8-Show Your Educational Records, Licenses, and Certifications
Rather than listing degrees, certifications, licenses, add links to or show images of the documents.
Certificates of completion for trainings, workshops, seminars, conferences related to the target job
can be included. Recent graduates can show a copy of their transcript.
#9-Revise Your Resume
Include a resume tailored to the position you are applying for with a Professional Qualifications section
at the top, which allows for easy modification.
#10-Include Your Contact Information
Your contact information (full name, email address, and phone number) should be clearly displayed.
Options include placing it on your cover page, in the About section, or on a Contact page at the end.
A professional-looking LinkedIn profile is a plus. If you don’t have one, create one. However,
avoid Facebook, Snapchat, or other casual social media pages.
REMINDERS
Obtain any necessary permissions.
Don’t forget to obtain permission when you include a project created for a client or employer in your portfolio.
Be sure to put your portfolio link in your resume header. (See example below)
FULL NAME (Credential, if applicable)
Street Address, City, MI 00000
(000) 000-0000 email@example.com
Digital Portfolio Link LinkedIn (Hyperlink this phrase to your own LI profile.)
Keep your career portfolio current.
Update your portfolio at least once a year or when applying for a promotion or a new job.
Remove irrelevant information and show your increasing experience and value in the field.
CAREER PORTFOLIO EXAMPLES
Below are some examples of good career portfolios. Use these examples to inspire your own portfolio design!