Create an Online Portfolio

As a freelancer or job seeker, you can benefit from having an online portfolio that showcases your best work and lets you share it with potential clients and employers. A good portfolio is a well-planned document that introduces you, your work, credentials, and professional interests. Plan your portfolio and find a reliable online service where you can build and display it.

Steps

Starting Off with the Basics

1. Keep a simple design. Make your portfolio as straightforward as possible. Divide it into clear sections for your background, skills, and examples of your work. Clearly label the different sections so your readers immediately understand what they are looking at. Make it easy to navigate to the different sections. Your readers might give up if it’s too hard to find or identify the contents.
   • Use a website template suited to your field. Look at the websites of the types of places you’re applying to and use the same type of design that you see on their websites.
2. Write up a short bio. Say who you are in a simple sentence. Add your resume or CV for more context. This is also where you should state the type of work you do or your degree if you’re fresh out of school. Talk about yourself in the third person if you want a formal portfolio, which is appropriate for certain fields, like corporate law, higher ed, or government. Use the first person if you’re aiming for a more casual, friendly tone.
   • For example, start with your name and identify the type of work you do: “My name is Bob Smith. I am a freelance translator in Greensboro and I enjoy translating technical documents from Japanese and Korean.”
   • If you just received your degree, you can say: “Nancy Cohen recently graduated the Columbia University Computer Science Masters Program.”
3. Describe the type of work that you are looking for. Include all areas in your field where you’re seeking employment. Also list any areas where you’d like to develop more professional experience. Specify where you’d like to work or if you’re looking for freelance opportunities.
   • For example, you can say, “I love designing websites and am looking for more opportunities to work in coding on a freelance basis.”
   • Briefly state any conditions you’re willing to accept, like a flextime schedule, part-time work, if you’re willing to relocate, or if you’re willing to intern.
4. List your professional skills. Stay focused and only list skills that are relevant to the work you are seeking through your portfolio. Use technical language if that’s relevant. Don’t downplay your skillset -- you’re trying to convince your reader to hire you.
   • For example, list computer skills you possess, any languages you know, knowledge of specialized equipment or techniques in your field.
5. Include personal information. Provide your contact information. Include links to other areas where you are online, like LinkedIn or Twitter. Only give information you’re comfortable sharing through the internet. For example, don’t give out your home address.
   • Employers may check out your social media accounts, so delete any content you wouldn’t want employers to see on Facebook and the like.

Including Your Work Experience

1. Include your work experience. Provide a short overview of your work history, including volunteer work. Include summaries of your major projects and publications, references to relevant reports you’ve written, and even PowerPoint presentations. Consider including a short statement about your work philosophy here.
2. Add your credentials. List your degrees and which schools you received them from. Include information about your certifications or other professional credentials. Also list your affiliations in professional organizations here.
3. Summarize your major accomplishments. List any awards and accolades you’ve received. Provide a short description of these accomplishments. For recent graduates, list scholarships and academic awards you’ve received.
   • Link to the sources of your awards and accolades if those will provide useful context.
   • You can also include internal links to letters of recommendation.

Featuring Your Best Work

1. Select examples that show the breadth of your work. Pick between five and ten examples of your best work. Make sure you can confidently discuss the items in the portfolio if you’re asked about them during an interview. Create more than one portfolio if you have work in more than one field or if you want to demonstrate different work to different audiences.
   • For example, if you are seeking employment in both photography and writing, you might want to make separate portfolios that show your skills and background for each area.
2. Describe your work briefly. Label the work so it’s clear to your audience what they are looking at. Your examples should also showcase the skills and experience that you listed earlier on, so describe any skills or experience that you’re demonstrating through each sample of your work.
   • Keep your labels short and make sure the language is clear.
   • Make sure all of your files display clearly before making your portfolio live.
   • Give dates for your work.
3. Use eye-catching visuals. Select examples of your work that will make an impact. You need to immediately make an impression, because clients and employers are not going to spend more than a few minutes on your portfolio. Use backgrounds, fonts, and other web design elements that complement your work and make it stand out.

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Sources and Citations

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