If you have any doubts about how to build a portfolio, we’ve already taken the opportunity to say that this mission is quite simple, just a little bit of organization. Keep track of each item below before heading out to practice.
For example, if you are studying to be an advertising copywriter and want more work as a freelancer, it makes sense for your portfolio to have varied pieces, such as blogs, social media, radio texts, YouTube scripts, etc.
Now, if you want a job at a certain agency, understand its profile and build a portfolio that meets these specificities, facilitating the achievement. If possible, show more professional and strategic pieces. For more traditional companies, print is worth it, while for the more cool ones, digital is the best option.
2. Introduce yourself too
Some portfolio templates allow you to do more than just add your work. There is space to introduce yourself and talk a little about your main characteristics and skills. Take the opportunity to show that your pieces have someone very competent behind them.
Just as there is an “about the author” in books, use this idea for your portfolio. It doesn’t need to go on too long. It is only for the recruiter to associate your profile with the work performed.
3. Choose the ideal tool
To build an online portfolio, you can use the many free tool options available on the internet. The choice must be made according to the available templates and the facilities of each one — there are simpler ones, great for those with little skill, for example.
Below, we mention several very common tools for those who want to build a portfolio:
Behance ;
Carbonmade ;
Wix ;
Adobe Portfolio ;
Interest Portfolio ;
Format ;
Pressfolios ;
WordPress.
These options work well for designers, photographers, copywriters, engineers, and many other professions. The basic thing is to look for software with templates that best fit the work you want to gather, ok?
4. Bet on a functional design
Poke around portfolios of fellow professionals and others who inspire you. This is to understand what will be the best template and design. Create a portfolio that’s easy to navigate and upload all the information quickly.
Also, pay attention to the typography used. The idea is that reading is pleasant and easy. If you have any captions or even long text (in the case of journalists and writers), the recruiter needs to read it without difficulty. Otherwise, he might abandon his portfolio and there go his chances.
It is also worth considering the arrangement of these texts. They must be inserted fluidly and organized for the reading to make sense. You don’t want the recruiter to be confused by what you read, right?
In fact, betting on innovative models can highlight your portfolio in the eyes of recruiters. Not to mention the potential that this practice has to highlight their work in a strategic way. In this sense, it is important to keep an eye on the colours used.
There is a study in colour psychology that indicates that hues convey different feelings and impressions to people. Black, for example, is widely used in the luxury market, as it conveys the idea of power and, at the same time, softness. Orange can mean a call to action –– so it appears on subscribe buttons, form filling, etc.
With that in mind, think hard about choosing colours. Too strong tones can be frightening, as can mixing tones that don’t complement each other. If possible, adopt lighter backgrounds and be careful that these elements do not make it difficult to view information.
6. Define which jobs will enter
If you have many projects as an experience, you don’t need to put absolutely all of them, because few people have the patience to see them one by one, do you agree? The ideal is to select those that show diverse abilities and that are a reflection of your talents. In other words, just enter the best ones.
Want an example? Let’s say you work with marketing: present your campaigns focused on social media, others made with printed materials and so on. Thus, the recruiter realizes that their capabilities are quite varied.
7. Be objective
Once the jobs that will be entered are defined, make a short summary explaining what it is and how the execution of each one was done. If you have a return on the result, it is also worth mentioning. Avoid long texts, because the idea of a portfolio is to be more visual and very practical.
Have you ever heard that less is more? This is quite valid here. Also be objective in the selection of images, so as not to bring experiences from the beginning of your career or the first years of college. The focus is always on different skills, without more of the same.
8. Constantly maintain the portfolio
The cool thing about the online portfolio is the flexibility it brings. So don’t update it once every year. Do this frequently whenever new jobs are completed. After all, as you invest in your techniques, the better your work gets, do you agree? And they cannot be left out.
Again, the idea is to gather your best works, those that will score points for you in the selection process. So, when you finalize one that you consider excellent, don’t forget to put it in your portfolio, okay?
9. Use social media in outreach
Did you update your portfolio? It’s time to get it out. Use your social networks like LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook for this purpose. Another good tip is to ask colleagues to do this too, helping to expand the reach of their work.
After all, after understanding how to build the portfolio, allowing people to reach it is step number two in your professional success. This will allow for more visibility and even a salary increase, with more job opportunities.
10. Add your resume to your portfolio
Your portfolio may contain a tab for your resume, as well as a linking the portfolio to the online resume. It sounds basic, but it makes life a lot easier for recruiters, as the information will be in one place.
Having a well-crafted and up-to-date portfolio makes all the difference for you to bring more visibility to what you do — not least because having good experiences is even more valuable when they are publicized.
