DON'T SLEEP ON YOUR PORTFOLIO!

DON'T JUST TELL THEM. SHOW THEM

Your CV lists your skills, experience and achievements, but a portfolio gives employers something concrete to look at. It lets them see the quality of your work, how you approach problems and what you can actually do. Think of it as evidence behind the claims on your CV.

YOUR WORK YOUR STORY

A portfolio isn't just a collection of pretty pictures or finished projects. It should give people a sense of how you think, what interests you and what makes your approach different. Show your personality through your choices, process and the way you present your work, while keeping it relevant to the roles you want.

SHOW YOUR BEST, NOT YOUR EVERYTHING

You don't need to include every project you've ever touched. Choose a few strong, relevant examples that demonstrate different skills. Depending on your field, these could be designs, writing samples, campaigns, presentations, research, code, photography or personal projects. Quality and relevance will take you further than a folder full of everything you've ever made.

DON'T MAKE THEM GUESS

A project might look impressive, but employers also want to understand the thinking behind it. Explain what the brief or challenge was, what your role involved, why you made certain decisions and what the outcome was. If you worked in a team, be clear about which parts you contributed yourself. Your process can be just as revealing as the final result.

ONE PORTFOLIO DOESN'T FIT EVERY JOB

Sending the same portfolio to every employer can mean burying your most relevant work among projects that have little to do with the role. Before applying, look at what the company needs and bring the most relevant examples to the front. You don't necessarily need to rebuild your portfolio each time, just make it easier for the employer to see why you're a good fit.

YOU DON'T NEED A CLIENT LIST TO START

If you're a student, recent graduate or changing careers, you can still build a portfolio. Use university assignments, personal projects, volunteer work, passion projects or a concept you created independently. Be honest about what was commissioned and what was self-initiated. What matters is showing your skills, curiosity and ability to turn an idea into something real.

DON'T LET YOUR PORTFOLIO WORK AGAINST YOU

Too many projects, vague descriptions, broken links and hard-to-navigate pages can make good work easy to overlook. Keep the layout clear, check that everything works and make your contact details easy to find. And never share confidential client or employer material without permission. A portfolio should show your professionalism, not create questions about it.

GIVE IT THE FIVE-MINUTE TEST

Open your portfolio as if you've never seen it before. Can someone quickly understand who you are, what you do and what you're good at? Do the links work, and is the writing free of errors? Ask someone else to look through it, too. A fresh pair of eyes can catch what you've missed.

SOURCES:

https://careercenter.ucdavis.edu/resumes-and-materials/portfolios? https://cloudfront.careeronestop.org/JobSearch/Resumes/portfolios.aspx? https://help.open.ac.uk/create-professional-profile-portfolio-for-job-applications? https://student.kent.ac.uk/careers/making-applications/cv/portfolio? https://careerhub.ufl.edu/resources/portfolio-foundations-building-your-portfolio/ https://seas.harvard.edu/office-student-career-development/resources-graduate-students-postdocs/resumes-cvs-portfolios?