In the very competitive market today, every professional is faced with the challenge of finding a way to stand out from the rest. Knowing how to create a good portfolio, for instance, attracts clients and increases income at the end of the month.
Unlike a professional CV, a portfolio is merely the collection of works done by any professional. It can be thus an indispensable instrument for attaining that dream job, provided well organized.
Looking to find more about a portfolio? Scroll on and see just how one develops a high quality portfolio. Go ahead and give it a shot!
What is a portfolio?
While a CV contains all of the information about a professional, such as the educational institution attended, the chosen undergraduate course and the places where they work, a portfolio is a compilation of the work they have done. In other words, a portfolio is a collection of samples of work already done.
This resource is very important for job applications, attracting clients, capturing new business, and also for use during undergraduate or postgraduate studies. This is because the portfolio demonstrates the professional’s skills, qualifying them for the desired objective or not.
To be a quality tool, the portfolio must also be well-edited: it is not enough to just randomly display the work produced. The professional must be careful and carefully gather together their most notable work.
How to create a good portfolio?
Do you want to create a good portfolio to help you land your dream job or start a competitive postgraduate course? Check out the tips below and learn how to create great material!
Define whether it will be physical or digital
The first step is to determine whether the portfolio will be physical or digital. To do so, you need to think about its purpose. If you work in the architecture field, for example, presenting physical samples to the client can make a great impression. A printed portfolio creates more impact and, in some cases, can mean closing the deal immediately.
On the other hand, a digital portfolio can be updated more easily and is easier to share. Since it is not printed, it can have more colors, photos and details that make the material more professional. Choose the type of material for your portfolio and then start working.
Choose the best works
Every professional wants to include all of their work in their portfolio, as a way of demonstrating efficiency, versatility, and other important skills for the job market. However, making the material too extensive may not be a good idea.
Being objective is also a highly valued characteristic among professionals, and therefore it is necessary to apply it during the process of putting together a portfolio. Evaluate your history of completed work and choose the best ones.
As criteria, you can include:
- that work that was highlighted in the media or won a competition;
- the work that guaranteed a job vacancy;
- the material submitted to apply for a postgraduate position;
- works that you consider your favorites.
Evaluate calmly and choose the best materials to make up your portfolio.
Avoid incomplete projects
The purpose of the portfolio is to demonstrate the professional’s good performance in his/her field , regardless of which field it is. To this end, in addition to good work carried out, the portfolio must include quality projects that demonstrate the professional’s strengths.
In this mission, it is essential to choose good materials and, of course, avoid incomplete projects. It is not a good idea to use unfinished work as an example because of the message that this may convey to a future employer or client: a professional who includes incomplete projects in his portfolio does not seem to be of quality.
Additionally, incomplete projects can be seen as worker incompetence. Therefore, set aside work that needs to be completed while creating your portfolio.
Create tabs and indexes to make navigation easier
Good organization is essential for all types of professionals, and can be demonstrated in the smallest details of a portfolio. To do this, create guides and indexes to facilitate navigation: include page numbers, opt for a color system or think of a different system to help locate information.
Another interesting idea is to create a chronological timeline for inserting projects or separating them by theme. Some professionals also organize this material based on the most famous or well-known clients in the market. Combine personal organization and creativity and do a good job.
Use design to your advantage
Design is another essential aspect to be addressed in a quality portfolio, especially with so many apps and websites offering free materials to help with this task. Therefore, after gathering the work you like and organizing a clear index, it is time to finalize the portfolio by choosing the design.
Professionals in more formal fields, such as law or medicine, generally opt for cleaner, more discreet designs. On the other hand, architects, journalists, or people who work in more creative fields choose flashy designs. Think about your objective and choose the most appropriate option.
Why do you need to have a portfolio?
As seen, a portfolio is a collection of the most important work of any professional. A job market, which becomes more competitive by each day, will now require steps you never imagined when landing that dream job.
Therefore, a good portfolio can be an essential tool to ensure you stand out and help you get a job, enroll in a postgraduate course or win an important client. Count on a quality portfolio and see the positive difference in your journey.
Knowing how to create a portfolio is essential nowadays, considering its importance. So, use this content as a basis and do quality work: define whether the portfolio will be physical or digital, choose the best projects, avoid incomplete work, create indexes and plan a good design. Good work!