Tips and Tricks for Making a Career Portfolio That Stands Out
It's not exactly a fixed requirement, but it can help showcase your skills.
(SPOT.ph) Now that you've been freshly minted with that new diploma or just want to have a career shift after months or years of soul searching, the next step is to roll up your sleeves and jump into the job search pool. The competition is already tough, and getting your foot in the door can feel like an impossible challenge. But hey, do not worry, as we have all been there.
One surefire way to stand out is by showcasing your skills and talents through a well-crafted professional portfolio. With that said, your portfolio is more than just a collection of your works, but more of a way to tell your professional story. Here are some tips if you’re set on creating a portfolio soon.
How to make a portfolio when applying for a job:
Know the purpose of your portfolio
First off, what do you want your portfolio to showcase? Think about your skills, your passions, and the type of role you're looking for. Illustrate a clear and focused picture of not just who you are but who you want to be professionally.
Choose the platform that suits your needs
Will you opt for the traditional hard copy or an online version? Or maybe both? The latter can include personal websites or portfolio sites like Behance. This can be appealing for industries embracing digital platforms, such as web design or tech. However, if you’re into more tangible fields like traditional art, a neat and professionally presented binder works as well.
Showcase your best work and most impressive accomplishments
This isn't a contest to see who can provide the most number of samples. As cliche as it may sound, quality trumps quantity every time. Choose pieces that represent your skills, creativity, and resourcefulness, even if that means only highlighting a handful of assignments. Remember that every piece should effectively show the problem and you’re able to address this using your process. It’s also a plus if this can show how you arrived at the results displayed in the portfolio.
Contextualize your projects
As mentioned above, do not just randomly dump your previous works and projects in your portfolio. Make sure to choose the best one. It’s even better if you can have an overall theme for the entire portfolio. When you’re set on a theme, give a brief description of each sample, the challenges you faced while working on it, and how you overcame them. Explain your thought process, decision-making aspects, tools and techniques used, and the impact of your work, even if it’s just a theoretical one. Storytelling is the key here.
Include the extracurriculars and volunteer gigs
Display those extracurriculars, volunteer gigs, or part-time work that may seem unrelated at face value and tie them up with the samples you provided. Transferable and soft skills can help illustrate your commitment, teamwork, leadership, and other traits that employers are looking for in their talents.
Review and refine your portfolio
Have other people critique your portfolio. Preferably, these people should be related to the field where you aim to showcase your samples. Constructive criticism is golden because it makes sure your material is engaging, comprehensive, and error-free.
Keep in mind as well that the process of creating a portfolio isn't a once-and-done thing. As you continue to advance in your career, you’ll discover that you need to frequently update and tweak your samples and overall theme as your skills and experience grow.
Sell yourself through your professional portfolio
Your portfolio is a marketing tool. Think of it as something that can help you establish your personal brand. Having a short and sweet "About Me" section is a good addition to it as well. For this section, talk about your goals, your influences, and why you love what you do.
Be personable but still keep that level of professionalism. Throw in those winning personal traits without sounding self-righteous or judgmental. After all, you deserve to share this with your audience as well. Lastly, ensure your contact information is accessible so potential employers can reach you in case they want to discuss further with you.
There isn't one "right" way to create a portfolio. Trust your instinct, let your personality shine through, but always cater to your target audience. After all, they're the ones you're trying to impress. The process might be daunting, but once you have your portfolio ready, you're already one step ahead in the job hunt.
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