Best Practices for Building Your Creative Portfolio

Best Practices for Building Your Creative PortfolioBest Practices for Building Your Creative PortfolioJust like a museum that pulls from its archives to create exhibits on a theme, your creative portfolio?should be?a curated collection of your work, adapted?for each client or job opening you pursue. The best agencies expect job seekers portfolios to be targeted to the skill set, industry knowledge and?discipline required for the position or project they seek. If you want to land a coveted design gig, youll need to fine-tune both your physical and?online portfolios. Here are some portfolio tips to help you rise above the competition.Create a portfolio even if youre bedrngnis a designerIts a no-brainer that every designer should have a?killer portfolio. But copywriters, account executives and marketing managers can benefit from creating portfolios, too. In fact, because its not as common for those who work outside the field of design?to have a portfolio, creating a collection of your w ork can help you stand out from your competitors and demonstrate your initiative and organizational skills.Think both digital and analogA portfolio websitemay help you get your foot in the door with an agency, but its helpful to be able to show off?something physical when you want to call out specific examples of content youve created during a job interview. Thats why, whatever kind of creative role you hope to land, you need?to maintain both online and physical versions of your portfolio.Include the optimal number of piecesHow many content pieces do you need in your physical book? Advertising and marketing executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they prefer to see eight items, on average, in someones design portfolio. In a?digital portfolio, you can include more samples, as long as theyre organized by category and easy to navigate.Employers are looking for eye-catching pieces that highlight your ability toThink strategicallyCommunicate complex conceptsUse multiple software a pplicationsSolve real-world problems as part of your clients objectivesSEARCH OUR JOB OPENINGSEssential componentsFocus on the most essential elements of your online portfolio. Whether you build?a personal website or use a portfolio website, your?online portfolio?should follow these rulesCreate a?home page that clearly conveys who you are and the services you offer. Some visitors may not go any further than your home page.Include a brief biography, full resume and highlights of your client list (assuming you have permission to talk about the work). Testimonials lend even more credibility.Display your contact info on every page. Dont leave any prospective employer or client wondering how to get in touch with you.Divide your work into clear categories. This makes it easier for potential clients to browse content that is relevant to them.?Give a brief description of each project. Explain who you worked with and the objectives you followed.Supplying a printer-friendly resume?is especial ly important?if youre looking for a full-time job, so make sure its easily accessible and ready to print. (A PDF file?is best.)All your files should be sized appropriately so that images load quickly.Keep your portfolio current by adding new samples (and promote them on social media when you do).Use search engine optimization techniques to make your portfolio easier to find.Strategically showcase?your workDepending on your particular strategy for approaching the market, organize your online and physical portfolios by industry, media specialty or chronology. For your hard-copy version, start with your strongest piece and end with your second-best option. IncludeThe anthroponym of the client for whom you produced the piece (again, be sure to obtain permission)The date it was completedA sentence or two explaining your role and the project objectiveThe name of the software you usedAny positive outcomes (awards, client praise, increased sales, better customer engagement, etc.)Make sure a ll of the samples in your portfolio are free of smudges, folds, tears or extraneous markings. Show one only item at a time to avoid a chaotic, cluttered look. Use pocket pages for your resume, biography, and client listcarry bulky or odd-shaped items separately.Perfect your pitchEven a stellar professional?portfolio wont win over?a potential client if your verbal presentation turns into a 20-minute monologue. Select five pieces that best represent your skills and how they served a companys needs. For each one, develop a brief pitch that addresses the objective, your role and the results. Revenue, stats and percentages are instant indicators of how your work made a difference. The more you can quantify a?projects outcome, the better.Answering common portfolio?questionsHeres how to respond to questions that might trip you up during a portfolio reviewQ What would you have done differently with this piece?A?Never disparage a former employer or client. Instead, demonstrate tact and diplo macy. Discuss what you might have done with a bigger budget or more time, for instance.Q What do you think of our current marketing materials?A?Dont harshly critique the work or give hollow praise. Show that youre observant by commenting on the strengths and weaknesses of each piece. Suggest how you would improve the collateral to better meet business needs.Q Which piece are you most proud of?A?Keep in mind that employers may be more interested in why youre pleased with the sample than in the work itself, because your answer reveals the things that inspire or motivate you.Q What was your role in this piece?A Resist the temptation to exaggerate your contributions. If your role in a project was minimal, it should not be included in your book. If the piece was a group effort, explain how the team worked together and use the opportunity to highlight your communication and collaboration skills.Make it a living documentFinally, keep updating your portfolio with your best work so the?sampl es are fresh when a career opportunity arises. Its far easier to archive and summarize your work when youve just completed it than to revisit it months later when youve forgotten many of the details. Regular maintenance also makes it easier to swap pieces in and out of your physical portfolio as you customize it for a potential employer.The bottom line Theres no one-size-fits-all portfolio solution. To land a job, youll need to tailor your?portfolio?so it presents work thats most relevant to the position. Tags