A careers' portfolio is a professional presentation of your skills and experience, that goes above your resume or your cover letter. It can help make you standout from the crowd, increasing your chances of securing a job.
Examples of Careers portfolios
Decide why you wish to create a portfolio. You can then decide which skills you want to emphasize, which qualifications to include, and how best to present them.
A clear picture of your future and what success will mean to you is also important. Understanding your ideal path in life will make it easier to achieve.
To put together your portfolio, take some time to look around the web at the different examples of portfolios in the industry you want to work in. This will give a sense of what resources, platforms and formats are available for you to create your portfolio.
If you want to see portfolios of work by designers and agencies, you can check out their websites. You can also look for online platforms that offer portfolio tools that are free to use and easy to navigate.
Some of these sites provide templates or tabs which you can edit and print. They make it easier to organise and track your information.
A career portfolio is a great way to get your work in front of a wider audience, but it's important to avoid copying other people's work without permission or knowledge. Some employers may discard your application if you copy someone else's work.
A portfolio serves to display your skills and qualifications to prospective employers as well as show them the types of projects that you are capable of. This is very useful for creative careers, where a portfolio is essential to success.
The portfolio can be made as detailed or concise as you wish, but it is better to keep the style simple and easy to understand. You can highlight important information, impressing prospective employers and landing a job more quickly.
You can make your portfolio more useful by including a personal summary that includes a quick overview of your work history and your reasons for wanting to be in the field. Write a career goal section where you can describe your career objectives, and what you would like to achieve in the near future.
If you're applying for a job that involves delivering physical products, make sure you include photographs of merchandise displays, as this is a great way to demonstrate your skill set. Likewise, you can include photos of your work with customers, as this shows your communication and interpersonal skills, as well as your creativity.
If you're applying for a technical or scientific position, you can also include scanned images of certificates and accreditation. It will demonstrate that you possess the necessary technical and academic skills for the position.