Developing a Portfolio

By: Rebekah Beachum

Developing a great portfolio to showcase your work can be the make-it-or-break-it for a job you're applying for. Due to the overwhelming presence of the web, online portfolios and PDF portfolios are becoming more acceptable in addition to a traditional print portfolio. Despite the field you're going into, a portfolio that the employer or client can see while you're being interviewed is invaluable.  What can you do to make your portfolio the absolute best?

Get as much professional work in your portfolio as possible.

Clients and employers like to see how your skills relate to real life experiences (because that's what you will be doing...). If you have an internship, utilize those projects in your portfolio. If you don't have an internship, consider creating a project on your own that you would use. 

Continually update.

As you grow in your professional world, you will gradually gain experience that will be more beneficial to your future than projects you completed in the early stages of your career. Every so often, review your portfolio and think about what still represents the kind of work you do and what does not. If it doesn't, take it out!

Limit the number of projects in your portfolio.

Only use what you are most proud of. If you have 15-20 projects showcased and you would not think of five of them as your best work, take them out. Too many projects could overwhelm a client or employer, and could hurt your chances of scoring the job. 

Keep your layouts simple.

Color and flashy details may seem exciting, but they have a tendency to distract from the work that is actually being shown. Remember, keep the focus on the work, not the portfolio.

Get feedback!

We often don't see the smaller mistakes or miscommunications that we commit after taking the time to make a portfolio. Have a handful of people you trust look over it before you take it into the real world. Ask for honest and constructive feedback. Trust your gut instinct, however, and be sure you use your final say in how you want to present yourself to a potential employer.