Now, more than ever, showcasing your work online is essential. With Zoom meetings becoming the new in-person interview, an eye-catching digital portfolio is important for all of us college students who are looking for positions in creative fields after graduation. So, of course, you need some good portfolio tips. Sure, social media is a fantastic tool for reaching fellow art and film lovers, or showcasing your comedic creativity. However, it might not be the best way to communicate your full set of skills when seeking out future employment opportunities. Your digital portfolio is a crucial reflection of yourself to jobs and hiring managers.
Portfolios are your professional digital presence and proof of your skills and experience — whether you’re in fashion, marketing, graphic design, film, photography, or any other visual-based field. These five tips and tricks will definitely make your digital portfolio stand out.
Plus, if you need templates for building your resume, CV, or digital portfolio, there are so many fabulous tools for crafting colorful and unique backdrops for your accomplishments. You can use the likes of Canva, Wix, and Adobe to start building your digital portfolio. Check out these five portfolio tips for post-grad success.
01. Keep It Simple
There’s no need to overcomplicate your portfolio. Eliminate unnecessary items that don’t relate to what you’re aiming for in your career life. Stay up to date with your best and recent projects. Feature quality creations that reflect your overall work. Make sure your portfolio is easy to use through simple titles with proper heading sizes and organization tabs. Recruiters look through countless portfolios in short periods, so it’s important to make sure your finest work captures their attention! Keep it short and straightforward.
02. Showcase Professional and Personal Work
Even if you don’t have professional experience yet, it’s important to show that you know how to create assets for a client or customer. By crafting professional or mock professional projects for a company, it allows employers to have a better understanding of what you could do for them. Personal creations also serve well in a portfolio, as long as they are reflective of the work you want to be making.
03. Keep It Consistent
With a consistent color palette and typography, your portfolio looks more professional and reflects your style. Choose a combination of fonts for your heading and body text that emulates your theme. Your portfolio should mirror your creative aesthetic. However, it is key to not make your site background and coloring too busy so that it distracts from your work, and instead frames it.
04. Make Sure It's Interactive
The most common portfolio website templates offer animation and interactivity options. By incorporating videos and gifs of your projects, you can attract the attention of hirers. Showing your work in progress gives others a better understanding of your process and your way of thinking. Integrating buttons linked to your other social media is a quick and easy way to show off your LinkedIn, Behance, professional Instagram, etc., and give viewers another efficient way to contact you.
05. Create Your Own Personal Branding
Personal branding is a visual reflection of both your personality and your work. Whether creating and using a logo or a distinctive font, having personal branding makes you appear more professional. You can look at examples on Behance and Pinterest to find the vibe of personal branding that you are most attracted to as a reference. Branding decisions can be made with a full name, parts of your name, or a pseudonym name for your portfolio website that can be kept consistent across your other professional media. Give your portfolio viewers a sense of who you are since they want to potentially work with you.
Your digital portfolio displays your talents and potential. Having a stand-out, professional-looking portfolio that showcases your abilities puts you at an advantage for new, exciting professional opportunities. Keep these portfolio tips in mind as you begin your post-grad journey.
Featured photo by @whatsthebeaword
This article was originally posted on July 14, 2021.
