Creating The Perfect Portfolio

Whether you are in college and looking to land an internship, a recent grad starting out your career or in the middle of your career and looking to switch jobs, we all know that a portfolio is an essential piece of getting you to that next step. Putting one together can be a long and daunting task.  When done right, a portfolio can highlight your strengths and set you apart from other candidates applying for the same position as you.

I have put together a few helpful tips for assembling your perfect portfolio:

Start early and update regularly: It is never too early to start putting together your portfolio. As you continue to work on projects and you come across a piece that you are proud of be sure to add it to your portfolio. This way, when it comes time to bring it to an interview, it is ready and you won’t be stressed!

Know your audience: You can create the best portfolio in the world, but it won’t mean anything if the materials in it don’t go with the job you are applying for. Make sure to include items that will appeal to the interviewer and make sense with the position you are applying.

Be creative: If your portfolio is dull, it will get tossed to the side and your work may not be fairly evaluated. Be sure to make it stand out: whether you include pictures or make it colorful, be sure that it will make the person want to look through it.

Include a range of materials: No sample of your work is too small to include, so be sure to include all of the different things you can do. This shows that you are willing to tackle any challenge you are given and you have a wide range of skills to offer.

Don’t forget to edit: Be sure to edit your portfolio over and over again! Once you have looked over it yourself, have someone you trust do the same. Any mistake can make the difference between getting the position and not.

If an employer sees how much care you put into your portfolio that can tell them a lot about the kind of person you will be on the job. Hopefully, these tips can help you be confident that you can land the position you want! What do you do to make your portfolio 

stand out? We would love to know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Kaitlyn Mashack.