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Professional Portfolio: Tips and Examples for 2024

In today’s competitive job market, it is essential to stand out from the crowd. Employers are no longer interested in just seeing on-paper qualifications and grades; they want to see practical evidence of your skills and knowledge. One of the best ways to showcase your experience, skills, and accomplishments is through a professional portfolio.

What is a professional portfolio?

A professional portfolio is a collection of materials that demonstrate your knowledge, skills, abilities, and accomplishments. It may include examples of your work, certificates, awards, testimonials, and any other valuable material that supports your professional development. A professional portfolio provides potential employers with a comprehensive view of your skills set, experiences, and achievements.

Why is it important to have a professional portfolio?

Having a professional portfolio is critical in today’s job market for several reasons. First, it provides potential employers with tangible evidence of your skills and achievements, which can be an influential factor in the hiring process. A portfolio shows employers that you have experience in your respective field and that you take your professional development seriously.

Second, having a professional portfolio demonstrates your ability to organize your work and plan your career. By creating a portfolio, you can reflect on and evaluate your past achievements and experiences, which can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses.

Third, a professional portfolio can help you to stand out from the competition. If you are up against other candidates with similar qualifications and experience, having a diverse and well-presented professional portfolio can set you apart.

A professional portfolio is an essential tool for advancing your career prospects. By investing time and effort into creating a well-structured and comprehensive portfolio, you can demonstrate your skills, knowledge, experiences and increase your chances of landing your desired job.

Types of Professional Portfolios

When it comes to building a professional portfolio, there are three main types to consider: digital, physical, and combination portfolios. Each type has its advantages and can be tailored to fit your specific needs and preferences.

Digital Portfolios

Digital portfolios are becoming increasingly popular in today’s digital age. They are created and hosted online, making them easily accessible to potential employers, clients, and colleagues. Digital portfolios can include a variety of different media types such as images, videos, and written content. One of the most significant benefits of digital portfolios is that they are easy to update and maintain, which is particularly useful if you are frequently adding new work to your portfolio.

Physical Portfolios

Physical portfolios, on the other hand, are physical collections of your work that you can take with you to interviews or client meetings. They can be made from various materials, including leather or fabric, and can be customized to fit your personal style. Physical portfolios are particularly useful if you work in a creative field, such as graphic design or photography, where showcasing your actual work in a tactile format is critical.

Combination Portfolios

A combination portfolio, as the name suggests, is a mix of digital and physical portfolios. This type of portfolio can provide the best of both worlds. It can be online, making it easy to share with potential employers and colleagues, but also include physical elements to showcase your work in a more tangible way. For example, you could include a printed booklet of your work alongside a digital version of your portfolio website.

Choosing the right type of professional portfolio depends on your specific needs and preferences. Digital portfolios are ideal for those working in digital and tech-focused fields, while physical portfolios are great if you work in creative fields. Combination portfolios can provide the best of both worlds and can be effective in many professions. Whatever type of portfolio you choose, make sure that it showcases your best work and highlights your skills and qualifications.

Planning and Organizing Your Professional Portfolio

A professional portfolio is a powerful tool that showcases your skills, accomplishments, and experience to potential employers, clients, or collaborators. However, creating a successful portfolio requires more than just gathering samples of your work and putting them online or in a physical format. To make sure your portfolio stands out and effectively communicates your value proposition, you need to plan and organize it strategically. Here are some key steps to follow.

Identify your purpose and audience

Before you start selecting or creating materials for your portfolio, ask yourself what specific goals you want to achieve with it. Are you looking for a job in a particular field? Are you trying to attract new clients for your freelance work? Do you want to showcase your development as a professional over time? By clarifying your purpose, you can better tailor your portfolio’s content, style, and message to the needs and expectations of your target audience.

Choose what to include and exclude

Once you know your purpose and audience, you can start deciding which items best demonstrate your strengths and potential to your stakeholders. Depending on your field, you may want to include different types of materials such as writing samples, design projects, presentations, academic papers, testimonials, awards, or certifications. However, you should also be selective and make sure that each item supports your overall narrative and enhances your brand. Avoid including redundant, irrelevant, or outdated work, even if you feel attached to it.

Create a logical and easy-to-navigate format

After you have collected your strongest assets, it’s time to organize them in a way that is coherent, user-friendly, and visually appealing. Consider different formats such as a website, a PDF document, or a physical binder, and think about how your content will flow from section to section. Use clear headings, subheadings, tags, or menus to help your viewers find what they are interested in quickly. Break up long texts with images, graphs, icons, or other multimedia elements that reinforce your message and style.

Balance design and content

Finally, remember that your portfolio is not only a showcase of what you have done, but also a representation of who you are and what you can offer as a professional. Therefore, you should pay attention to both the look and feel of your portfolio and the substance and quality of your work. Choose a design that reflects your personality, fits your target audience’s aesthetics, and highlights your uniqueness. At the same time, make sure that your content is well-written, coherent, error-free, and aligned with your industry standards and ethics.

By following these tips, you can create a professional portfolio that effectively communicates your value proposition, showcases your achievements, and lands you more opportunities in your career.

Essential Components of a Professional Portfolio

When creating a professional portfolio, there are several essential components that should be included to showcase your skills and experience. These components are:

Cover page:  Your cover page should be visually appealing and include your name, profession, and contact information.

Introduction and personal statement:  This section should introduce yourself and include a personal statement that highlights your goals and objectives as a professional.

Resume/CV:  Your resume or curriculum vitae should be included in your portfolio and should provide a detailed overview of your work history, education, and skills.

Work samples and project descriptions:  This section is where you can showcase examples of your work and provide detailed descriptions of your role in each project.

Professional development and certifications:  In this section, you can include any professional development courses, workshops, or certifications you have earned to demonstrate your commitment to ongoing learning and growth.

Awards and recognition:  If you have received any awards or recognition for your work, be sure to include them in your portfolio as they serve as a testament to your abilities and accomplishments.

Testimonials or references:  Including testimonials or references from clients or colleagues can help provide evidence of your skills and expertise from a third-party perspective.

Remember, a professional portfolio is a reflection of your skills, experience, and achievements, and it should be tailored to your specific goals and objectives as a professional. By including these essential components, you can create a well-rounded portfolio that showcases your strengths and sets you apart from your peers.

Designing Your Professional Portfolio

Your professional portfolio is not just about showcasing your work, it’s also about how you present it. The design of your portfolio is as important as the work you put in it. Potential clients or employers will judge your work based on how it is presented. The following tips will help you design a visually consistent and user-friendly portfolio:

Choose a consistent visual style

The first step in designing your portfolio is to choose a consistent visual style. Your portfolio should reflect your personal and professional brand. Your portfolio should have a consistent look and feel that complements the type of work you do. For example, if you are a graphic designer, a clean and minimalistic design may be more appropriate than a flashy and colorful design.

Use color, fonts, and layouts effectively

Color, fonts, and layouts are essential elements in creating a visually appealing portfolio. Choose a color palette that suits your style and brand. Stick to a maximum of three to four fonts for easy readability. Use grids or columns to organize your content and make it more accessible. Make sure your design is consistent across all pages of your portfolio.

Incorporate multimedia elements

Incorporating multimedia elements such as images, videos, and audio can add depth and interest to your portfolio. Make sure the multimedia elements you use are relevant to your work and complement the overall design. High-quality images and videos can help showcase your work in the best possible light.

Ensure accessibility and user-friendliness

Your portfolio should be easy to navigate and accessible to all users. Pay attention to the readability of your content by using appropriate font sizes and line spacing. Make sure your portfolio is optimized for mobile devices, as many users browse the internet on their smartphones. Consider adding alternative text to images so that visually impaired users can still understand the content.

Designing a professional portfolio is a crucial step in showcasing your work. Use consistent visual style, color, fonts, and layouts effectively. Incorporate multimedia elements while ensuring accessibility and user-friendliness. By following the above tips, your portfolio will not only showcase your work but also be an impressive reflection of your personal brand.

Crafting a Personal Statement

When it comes to building a professional portfolio, a personal statement is a crucial component. But what exactly is a personal statement and why is it important? We’ll explore all of that and more below.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a brief introduction to who you are as a professional. It’s typically 1-2 paragraphs in length and highlights your skills, experience, and aspirations. In a job application or portfolio, the personal statement is often the first impression a reader has of you.

Why is it important?

As mentioned, the personal statement is often the first thing a reader will see. It’s your chance to make a great first impression and establish yourself as a highly skilled and capable professional. Additionally, an effective personal statement can help you stand out from other applicants and showcase your unique talents.

Tips for writing an effective personal statement

When crafting your personal statement, keep the following tips in mind:

Be concise: You only have a few paragraphs to work with, so make every word count. Stick to the most important information about your skills, experience, and goals.

Focus on your strengths: Your personal statement should highlight your unique qualities and what sets you apart from other professionals in your field.

Be specific: Use concrete examples to illustrate your experience and achievements. This will help paint a clear picture of who you are as a professional.

Avoid clichés: Phrases like “hardworking” and “team player” are overused and don’t showcase your individuality. Instead, use language that is specific to your experiences and accomplishments.

Edit, edit, edit: Make sure your personal statement is polished and error-free. Have someone else read it over for feedback and make any necessary revisions.

By following these tips, you can craft an effective personal statement that will make a great impression and help you stand out in your field.

Tips for Showcasing Your Work Samples

When putting together a professional portfolio, it’s important to carefully consider the work samples you include. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Choose the right type and number of work samples:  Be thoughtful about which projects you include in your portfolio. Consider showcasing a variety of work that demonstrates your range of skills and expertise, while also highlighting your strengths. However, don’t overlook the importance of quality over quantity. It’s better to showcase three to five exceptional examples of your work than to include a lengthy list of mediocre accomplishments.

Provide context and description for each sample:  It’s not enough to simply display a project and expect the viewer to understand its significance. Instead, provide some background information about the project, such as the client, the goals, and your role in its creation. Additionally, include a brief description of your thought process and problem-solving approach. This will give potential employers a better understanding of your skills and experience.

Highlight your unique skills and achievements:  Don’t be afraid to showcase your accomplishments and highlight your unique strengths. This is your chance to stand out from other candidates, so make sure to emphasize what makes you special. Additionally, consider including testimonials from clients or supervisors that highlight your talents and abilities.

Keep your work samples up to date:  It’s important to keep your portfolio current by updating it with your latest and greatest work. Be sure to also remove any outdated or irrelevant projects that no longer showcase your current skill set. Aim to update your portfolio at least once a year, if not more frequently.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to create a professional portfolio that effectively showcases your skills and expertise while also highlighting your unique strengths and achievements.

Using Social Media and Online Platforms to Showcase Your Portfolio

In today’s digital age, social media and online platforms have become crucial tools for showcasing your professional portfolio. Whether you’re a graphic designer, writer, or marketing professional, it’s essential to have a strong online presence to promote your work and attract potential clients.

Here’s an overview of popular online platforms that can help you showcase your portfolio:

LinkedIn : LinkedIn is a professional social networking site that allows you to create a profile highlighting your skills, experience, and achievements. You can also showcase your portfolio by adding multimedia content to your profile, such as videos, images, and links to your work. With over 700 million users, LinkedIn is an excellent platform for networking and connecting with potential clients.

Behance : Behance is an online platform that focuses on showcasing creative portfolios, including graphic design, photography, and illustration. It’s a great platform to showcase your work and get inspiration from other creatives. Behance allows you to create a free profile where you can upload your work and curate your project display.

YouTube : YouTube is a video-sharing platform that offers great opportunities for showcasing your work in a dynamic and visually compelling way. If you’re a video producer, filmmaker, or animator, then YouTube is an ideal platform to showcase your portfolio. You can create a YouTube channel and upload your videos, along with descriptions and links to your other online profiles.

Now that you know about the popular platforms, here are some tips to optimize your profiles or pages:

Choose a professional profile picture : Your profile picture is your first impression, and it’s important to choose an image that reflects your professionalism.

Craft a compelling headline : When creating your profile or page, be sure to craft a succinct and compelling headline that conveys your expertise and value.

Showcase your best work : It’s essential to highlight your best work in your portfolio. Choose a selection of projects that showcase your skills and experience, and provide context and details on each project.

Include a call-to-action : Encourage potential clients to reach out to you by including a call-to-action (CTA). Invite them to contact you for more information about your services, or to view your complete portfolio.

Once you have optimized your social media profiles or pages, it’s time to start sharing and cross-promoting your portfolio.

Here are some best practices for sharing and cross-promoting your portfolio:

Be consistent : Create a consistent brand identity across all your online profiles and share your work regularly across multiple platforms.

Leverage hashtags : Use hashtags relevant to your industry or niche to make your content discoverable to potential clients and followers.

Engage with your audience : Engage with your audience by responding to comments and messages, and share relevant content to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry.

Tailoring Your Professional Portfolio for Different Audiences and Goals

When it comes to creating a professional portfolio, it’s essential to keep in mind who your target audience is and the goals you want to achieve. No two job applications or industries are the same, and showcasing the same strengths and accomplishments for every audience will not yield the best results. Here are some tips on how to tailor your professional portfolio for different audiences and goals.

Adapting to Specific Job Applications or Industries

The first step in tailoring your professional portfolio is to research the job application or industry you are targeting. Each job application will have specific requirements and expectations. For instance, if you’re applying for a marketing job, your portfolio should feature your marketing campaigns, while if you’re applying for a teaching job, your portfolio should highlight your teaching experience.

Similarly, each industry has its own unique set of skills and qualifications that employers are looking for. It is important to showcase your specific skills that match with the industry requirements. For example, If you are applying for an AI developer position, you might want to include a list of AI programming languages you are skilled at.

Showcasing Different Strengths and Accomplishments for Different Audiences

Once you have researched the audience and job application, it’s time to tailor your portfolio content to showcase your strengths and accomplishments that align with the specific requirements. Your portfolio should demonstrate how your skills and experiences are relevant to the specific industry, job, or company.

For instance, if you’re applying for a leadership role, you should include projects you have led and their impact on the organization, while if you’re applying for a creative role, you should showcase your creative work.

Using Your Portfolio to Demonstrate Growth and Learning Over Time

Finally, your professional portfolio should demonstrate how you have grown and learned over time. Employers want to see evidence of personal and professional development, and one way to show that is by showcasing a range of projects that demonstrate different skill sets at different levels of expertise.

For example, you might include early projects that showcase your learning journey and later projects that demonstrate your mastery of advanced skills. You can creatively show growth by providing examples of projects that showcase progress and development over time.

Example Professional Portfolios: What Works and Why

In this section, we will review a range of professional portfolios from different industries and fields. Our analysis will focus on identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each portfolio, as well as highlighting key takeaways that you can apply when creating your own portfolio.

Review of Professional Portfolios

We have selected a diverse range of professional portfolios from various industries, including design, education, and marketing. Each portfolio showcases a distinct style and approach, which demonstrates how to tailor your portfolio to your industry or field.

Our analysis of these portfolios will include an evaluation of the following:

• Design and layout
• Content and organization
• Navigation and user experience
• Use of multimedia (e.g., images, video, audio)

Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses

Through our analysis, we will identify the strengths and weaknesses of each portfolio, taking into account their intended purpose and target audience. We will highlight successful elements such as clear and concise storytelling, engaging visuals, and easy-to-follow navigation. We will also provide constructive feedback on areas that could be improved, such as organization and presentation of content.

Key Takeaways and Lessons for Creating Your Own Portfolio

We will conclude this section by sharing key takeaways and lessons that can be applied when creating your own professional portfolio. These takeaways will include actionable advice on how to showcase your skills and achievements effectively and how to create a portfolio that is engaging and relevant to your audience.

This section will provide a comprehensive review of professional portfolios from different industries and fields, with an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses. We will also offer key takeaways and lessons that can be used to create a successful and effective professional portfolio.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Professional Portfolios

Are you considering creating a professional portfolio? Perhaps you have already started, but are unsure about the best strategies for success. Here are some of the most common questions and answers regarding professional portfolios.

Who needs a professional portfolio?

Ideally, everyone who is seeking to advance their professional careers should have a professional portfolio. However, certain professions may require them more than others, such as designers, photographers, artists, writers, architects, and other creative professionals.

Even if you are not in a creative field, having a professional portfolio can still be beneficial, as it showcases your skills and accomplishments. It gives you a competitive edge and makes you stand out in a crowded job market.

When should you start building your professional portfolio?

The earlier you start building your professional portfolio, the better. Starting early allows you to collect and curate your work over time, making it easier to compile a finished product later on.

Ideally, you should start building your portfolio in college or the early stages of your career. However, it’s never too late to start. Even seasoned professionals can benefit from having a current and updated professional portfolio.

How often should you update or revise your professional portfolio?

You should aim to update and review your professional portfolio regularly. It’s important to keep it updated with your latest work, accomplishments, and achievements.

In general, you should aim to update your professional portfolio every six months to one year. However, if you have a lot of new work to showcase, it’s better to update it more frequently.

What are common mistakes to avoid when creating a professional portfolio?

One common mistake when creating a professional portfolio is not tailoring it to your audience. It’s essential to understand who your audience is and what they are looking for. You should curate your work accordingly and highlight your most relevant and impressive pieces.

Another mistake is including too much or too little information. It’s important to strike a balance between showcasing your work and overwhelming your audience. You should aim to include only your best and most recent pieces.

Finally, not paying attention to the presentation can also be a mistake. Your portfolio should be well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to navigate. It should showcase your work effectively and make it easy for your audience to view and understand.

A professional portfolio is an essential tool for advancing your career. By answering these frequently asked questions, we hope to have provided you with some useful tips and strategies for building a successful professional portfolio. Remember to keep your portfolio updated and relevant, and showcase your best work in a professional and visually appealing manner.

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7 Simple Tips To Make A Killer Portfolio That Stands Out

Learn how to craft a dynamic record of your skills to attract recruiters and potential clients. Includes samples and tips to start today!

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Your resume tells recruiters, hiring managers, and interviewers about your skills. On the other hand, a portfolio shows those skills in action. We’re going to give you everything you need to create your portfolio today.

What is a Work Portfolio? 

A work portfolio is a collection of projects and work samples that showcase your skills. A work portfolio can be digital and should also include information that you would include on a resume, such as work skills and work history. Unlike a resume, a portfolio is a curated selection of things you have worked on that build a story about your career skills. 

In creative careers, a portfolio can be a physical collection of sample work that someone can flip through in a meeting or be left behind after an interview.

Why Do I Need a Portfolio? 

You need a work portfolio to document your skills and accomplishments. Even if an employer doesn’t require a portfolio, this can give you a competitive edge and make you stand out from other applicants. A work portfolio is also a dynamic record of your skills that can attract the attention of recruiters and potential clients. 

How to Make a Portfolio, Step-by-Step 

Believe us when we say you won’t regret the time you invest in creating a great portfolio. Portfolios give recruiters a chance to connect with you on a personal level and be inspired by your work. Plus, creating a portfolio can be a lot more fun than writing a resume! We take you through the process step-by-step and even include examples of great portfolios. 

1. Gather the highlights

Do you have screenshots, files downloaded, and data gathered? This becomes difficult if you haven’t gathered information before moving on to a new job! Before you build your portfolio, gather everything you think you’ll need to present your best work. 

Items to Gather: 

• Data and reports 
• Case Studies
• Images of Completed Projects
• Links (check that old links are still live)
• Client feedback, reviews, recommendations
• Awards, rewards, grants, residencies, etc.
• Transcripts of credentials and licenses
• Volunteer history
• Record of career development
• Logos of clients you’ve worked with (with client permission)
• Updated professional headshot
• Up-to-date resume

Pro Tips: 

• Make it a practice to write a one-page case study after completing major projects. This will serve you well when you make a portfolio (all data and information are easily accessible), but it’s also a good way to track your personal growth and look for ways to excel on your next project. 
• If a lot of your work is in digital communication or on websites, save PDFs of live web pages. That way, if a website gets updated or pulled down, you still have a record of your work. 
• Ask designers to send you mockups and final design files at the end of a project so you can keep a catalog of all digital assets you were involved with. 
• If your portfolio is on Instagram, that’s a nice starting point, but it’s not enough for recruiters who want to see all the most important information in one place.
• Do you have learning certifications? Make sure to include portfolio items that showcase your soft skills, like negotiation and communication. Believe it or not, studies have shown that improving your soft skills is directly related to an increase in salary. You might have also invested in courses that you can add to a portfolio. In our soft skills course, you receive a certificate once you complete all the lessons. Check out our ultimate course here:

Master Your People Skills

• Create a Memorable Presence
• Communicate with Confidence
• Achieve Your Goals

Have a question about the presentation or People School? Email Science of People support .

2. Write your big idea summary

The first thing people see when they come to your portfolio should be a summary on the home page. 

This attention-grabbing blurb is a great way to inject personality into your portfolio while giving a big-picture view of what you offer employers. It can include your big idea or big differentiator. 

Ask yourself: What do you want people to remember about you? Here is an example headline:

Action Step: Use Vanessa Van Edwards’ techniques for writing an elevator pitch to craft an intriguing and personable summary. 

• Write down one line that describes you best.
• Expand with your mission statement, problems you solve, or something that makes you stand out.
• Add some spark by wrapping things up with a memorable tagline or statement. 

Get the step-by-step process to Nail Your Elevator Pitch (Summary) . 

3. Rethink your resume & start curating

Have you updated your resume recently? If you haven’t, you’ll likely find it challenging to put together a portfolio. Your resume should act as a foundation point for putting together a portfolio. 

Action Steps: Once your resume is updated, consider what job you hope to acquire. What skills and experience are needed for that job? Even if you don’t have the job experience, brainstorm how your past experiences have equipped you with the skills to succeed in this new career. 

Make sure your list uses good action verbs like:

• Change Agent
• Constructed
•  Resourceful

Click here to get over 300 more action verbs! 

Once you have a list, start curating projects and accomplishments you want to highlight on your resume. Include up to 10 in your initial list, then pair it down to your top 3-7 projects. 

4. Include assets in your portfolio

There are a number of basic assets you should have in your portfolio. Start with the basics and move to assets that impress.

• Your name, job title, and contact information
• A headline or elevator pitch—this can include your values and vision
• Accomplishments and work history
• Education and credentials
• Professional development activities
• Testimonials, recommendations, companies you’ve worked with
• Project highlights
• Samples of previous work 
• Awards and press

“Your portfolio should also include experiences and capabilities that are customarily left off your resume yet fundamentally make you, you. For example, my status as an orphan, globetrotter, insatiable handstander, and mental-health advocate are all essential components of my portfolio. They power the work that I do.” —April Rinne, Harvard Business Review

Pro Tip: If you don’t have much work experience and your list of accomplishments feels short, don’t worry! Flesh out an empty portfolio with some of these things:

• Recommendation letters from teachers
• Photos of a science project or other school assignments
• A personal essay
• A paper you wrote for school
• Writing you had published in the school newspaper
• School activities such as drama club, yearbook, or sports
• Volunteer activities
• Organizing an event at church, at a club, or for a family event
• Personal art projects
• A cover letter
• Certifications from courses

5. Do this to improve your portfolio

Building a great portfolio will take time, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. As you build your portfolio, think about the story you want to tell. Decide what parts of your career are most important, not in terms of your personal feelings but the work you want to do in the future. 

You may treasure your memories of being a nanny or working for a nonprofit in East Asia, but do they contribute to the narrative you’re building for your portfolio? They may! But also, they might not. 

Remember: you have more room for fun in a portfolio than a resume, but you still need to treat every inch of your portfolio as prime real estate. 

• Don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through. A portfolio should tell us a career-focused story of you.
• Use the same font(s) throughout and stick to a color palette. Use a tool like Coolors to find a nice color scheme.
• Choose the best and most compelling information and projects to include.
• Include a contact page or a contact form; your goal is to make it as easy as possible for people to contact you. 

6. Choose your platform

The most important decision you’ll make about your digital portfolio is what platform to use. Different platforms will offer different functionality but require more time and budget. 

Pro Tips: Simple is often best. Look for an option that showcases your skills and accomplishments. 

We’ve gathered the 4 most common platforms for setting up a portfolio and ranked them in order of ease of use. 

Take Advantage of LinkedIn for Your Work Portfolio

The fastest step to building your portfolio is getting started on LinkedIn. There’s no setup or costs involved, and while we’ve included this as a bonus platform, this should be your first step because 77% of recruiters rely on LinkedIn . 

Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Set your profile picture with a professional headshot
• Fill out all the sections
• Remove buzzwords like “strategic,” “passionate,” or “creative” 
• Give and request a few recommendations
• Get in the habit of posting regular updates

Examples of Great Profiles

• Dr. Carol Parker Walsh has optimized every inch of her LinkedIn profile from her job title down to the honors and awards section. 
• Tonya Parham does a great job of providing all the relevant information and taking advantage of the option to add links and images in the experience section.  
• We might be a little biased, but we love everything about our founder, Vanessa Van Edwards’ profile. We especially love the captivating use of color in her profile picture and banner. 

Keep going with 15 More Profile Tips to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Pop !

Keep it Simple With Google Docs

This option is totally free! We recommend it if you’re looking for an entry-level position, need a portfolio for an internship, or for a university application. 

Pros  

• Easy to use and no need to learn a new tool
• Completely free
• Great way to organize your files and documents
• Easy to update as needed
• Less suitable for mid-career or later-career portfolios
• Limited customization
• Less visually appealing

Check out this tutorial that walks you through building a portfolio on Google Drive and learn about some things to include. 

Use Canva for a Website or PDF Portfolio

It’s not surprising that Canva, the design-made-easy platform, expanded into website building . The great thing is that this platform has two (free or paid) options! 

• Publish a website portfolio using the website templates
• Create a PDF portfolio by simply searching “portfolio” in the search bar on Canva
• Easy user interface
• Beautifully designed templates
• Ability to create a digital portfolio that isn’t a website 
• Option to purchase a domain or use an existing domain
• Free and paid options 
• No options for optimizing your website for SEO
• Best used as a landing page (one-page website) or downloadable PDF.

This video from Le-An Lai Lacaba walks you through the process of creating a portfolio on Canva as a PDF, but it also gives tips that are relevant for creating a website in Canva. 

Customize Your Portfolio Website Using Wix

One of the first platforms to offer easy website building, Wix is more complicated than Canva but still very accessible. With more functionality and customization available, Wix is a great option for a multi-page site. 

• Dynamic user interface
• Large selection of templates 
• Drag-and-drop editor
• SEO Optimization tools are relatively new. Web designers have differing opinions on how effective WIX optimization is
• Some lagging in edit mode
• Long URL if you don’t purchase a domain

Get Fancy With Squarespace

While Wix may have been one of the first easy website builders, Squarespace entered the stage as a solid middle ground between Wix and WordPress. Possibly more robust than Wix, Squarespace is still much easier than WordPress. 

• Easy shop setup. Some people have services or products they end up including in a portfolio website.
• Less, but better, selection of high-quality templates
• Most commonly recommended platform 
• Recent updates have made the interface less clunky and easier to use
• Snap-grid instead of drag-and-drop  (for some, this is a negative, but many prefer the structured editor)
• No free options
• Less control over SEO optimization than WordPress
• Although it’s easier to use than before, using the editor still isn’t as intuitive as Canva or Wix.
• People either love it or hate it. Translation: trial it for yourself before committing to pay

Use WordPress for a Full Website

WordPress has dominated website creation for a long time. While some people debate its ranking as the #1 choice, it still stands out as one of the most powerful platforms for creating a website. 

We only recommend WordPress if you:

• Want total creative control and customization
• Expect to expand your portfolio into a full website
• Already have some experience with web design and development (or you’re willing to learn it)
• Have time to invest in making it look professional or have the budget for someone else to create it for you
• Plugins for anything and everything you can imagine
• Full control over customization and SEO 
• Strong Content Managing System (CMS)
• Easier to make it responsive (mobile-friendly) 
• Can be vulnerable to hackers
• Requires regular maintenance and updates
• Choosing the wrong theme can slow your site WAY down
• The power of customization can cause problems with making changes later (don’t customize code unless you know what you’re doing)
• Expect to purchase a website template or create a custom site – there isn’t a large selection of good free ones

Inspiration for Building Your Own Successful Portfolio

We’ve gathered 3 very different portfolio examples to help inspire you in the process of creating a career portfolio. 

1. Yan Holtz – Data Science

This portfolio demonstrates that you don’t have to be a photographer or graphic designer to put together a visually compelling portfolio. Whether you’re in business or another career focused on data and numbers, a digital portfolio is just as important for your career development as it is for those in creative careers. 

What We Love

• Eye-catching and visually compelling
• Clean design with easy navigation
• Good selection of projects and testimonials
• More information is provided when you hover or click
• Big picture view of his career timeline
• The style of the portfolio and writing gives us an idea of Yan’s personality and communication style — direct and to the point. 

2. April Rinne – Author, Speaker, Advisor, Global Citizen

In a world where few people have one career for a lifetime, this portfolio stands out because it showcases the many aspects of who April Rinne is. As you look at April’s portfolio, be inspired to consider what matters to you, even if it wouldn’t traditionally fit on a resume. 

• Gorgeous illustrations uniquely replace a traditional headshot
• Compelling writing
• The home page provides the most important information, but every section provides a deeper dive into her work.

3. Barbara Hitching – Trauma Coach

We chose this portfolio to show you don’t have to include a list of high-profile clients and breathtaking projects to catch the attention of recruiters and clients. If your career or passion is focused on helping people, or you’ve traditionally done work with classified/private information, you can still create a compelling portfolio. 

• Good professional headshot that communicates Barbara’s personality
• Visually arresting use of black and white that contrasts with the other site colors
• An interesting summary that piques our interest
• Use of plugins for booking appointments
• Icons to show quick facts
• A good example of a portfolio that is also a full website

Bonus Tip: How to Set Up a Custom Domain and Choose Hosting 

If you choose a platform like WordPress, you’ll need to purchase a domain name and a hosting site. This can be combined or purchased separately. 

For other platforms, like Wix, you’re already purchasing hosting, but you’ll still need a domain. You may have the option to purchase the domain directly through them. 

Fast Facts: 

• A domain or domain name is the location where your website exists. More simply, a domain name is the name of your website. You have control and authority over your domain name.  
• Hosting is a service that allows you to publish content on your domain. Your website will consist of data, and someone has to “host” that data so that it isn’t lost and is accessible to other people.

Choosing Your Domain

For a work portfolio, purchasing a domain name that corresponds to your name makes sense. No need to get fancy! For example, if your name is Jenny Jane, then JennyJane.com is a great domain name for your portfolio. That is if nobody has taken it yet. 

Pro Tip: Check if a domain has already been taken using Google Domains . You don’t have to purchase through Google Domains, but we find it’s the quickest tool for checking if a domain has already been taken. 

Unfortunately, JennyJane.com IS taken, but you can also choose from .org, .us, .info, etc. For a work portfolio, it may look a little strange to choose JennyJane.org. You could go with something like JennyJane.site or JennyJane.us (or whatever country you live in). 

If your name is taken and you don’t like any of the alternate endings to .com, try adding your middle name, an extra word before or after your name, or even try to purchase the domain from the person who owns it. 

Pro Tip: If you don’t have the budget to get your domain name, use Bitly.com to tidy up your URL. For example, if you set up your portfolio on Wix, you’ll end up with an outrageously long URL that looks something like: 

https://JennyJaneIsGreat.wixsite.com/portfolio/home

With a shortlink tool like Bitly, you can turn that link into: bit.ly/JennyJane  

Top Places to Purchase a Domain and Hosting:

If you go with a platform like Canva, Wix, or Squarespace, you won’t need to worry about hosting, but you’ll need to think about your domain. These platforms usually offer you to purchase the domain through them, or if you prefer, you can sometimes bring in the domain that you purchased elsewhere. 

Some platforms, such as WordPress, will require purchasing domain and hosting. We’ve included a list of highly rated places to get your domain and hosting. 

• HostGator Cloudways

Portfolio FAQ s

Employers are looking for these things in your work portfolio: an overview of your work, personal vision, curated examples and samples of things you have worked on, and highlights of accomplishments and awards. 

Having a website is the best option for a work portfolio. It can be as simple as a one-page website. When providing a digital portfolio, we don’t recommend sending attachments or a link to Google Drive—unless they request this. According to one survey , 71% of employers were strongly influenced by the quality of a portfolio. 

Key Takeaways for Creating a Work Portfolio

• Choose the best platform for your needs. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should look professional.
• Gather all the most important information for your portfolio before getting started.
• Include your contact info, a summary, accomplishments, work history, best projects and work examples, testimonials, and awards. 
• Make sure your resume is up to date; if it isn’t, this is a good chance to update it. A resume provides a foundation for your portfolio.
• Don’t include everything you’ve everything worked on or created. Instead, curate the best. 
• Include some of your personality, but avoid telling your whole life story.
• Regularly update your portfolio, ideally once a year. 
• Keep records of data, case studies, and digital assets so that you never lose important information that you’ll want in your portfolio. 

Is imposter syndrome keeping you from creating a portfolio that really stands out? Don’t hold yourself back! You have something special to offer, and it’s ok to present yourself in the best light possible. Vanessa Van Edwards and Dr. Kevin Cokley understand the struggle and have tips that they’ve used in their own lives to overcome imposter syndrome . 

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How to Make a Portfolio: Telling Your Professional Story

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What does a portfolio look like, examples of how to make portfolios, contact information, a call to action, physical portfolios, digital platforms, get feedback, update regularly, physical portfolio, digital portfolio, advanced features, what is a portfolio, what should be included in a portfolio, how do i organize my portfolio, should i include a personal statement in my portfolio, how many items should i include in my portfolio, can i include group projects in my portfolio, do i need both a physical and digital portfolio, how should i handle confidential or sensitive work, how often should i update my portfolio, how can i make my portfolio stand out.

Digital or physical, your portfolio tells your professional story. Your story must be compelling and persuasive, regardless of your level of experience. Novice or old pro, you must impress.

Yes, résumés and CVs are important. Your résumé can be part of your overall portfolio.

But at some point, you should know how to make a portfolio.

In this job market, people are looking to see what you’ve accomplished. Don’t just tell them about your value—let them see it for themselves visually. This is even possible for writers, programmers, and other text-based professionals.

Your portfolio is a visual showcase of your talents. This visual approach makes a lasting impression. Make it a good one.

So, let’s discuss how to make a portfolio.

Do I need to make a portfolio?

Whether or not to make a portfolio depends on your purpose.

Artists, creatives, gig workers, and anyone doing creative or project-based work are now expected to have a portfolio. A résumé alone is not compelling enough to stand out from the crowd, especially in a saturated market.

Other types of job seekers can benefit from a portfolio, too. In both the analog and digital worlds, there are few opportunities that don’t seek and value a creative person who can communicate well. Your portfolio is your chance to stand out from the crowd and shine.

How do you decide whether or not to put in the effort required to make a portfolio?

Determine the purpose of your portfolio. Is it for a job application, college admission, artistic showcase, or another position or opportunity?

If you intend to move your audience to action, you’ll need to know precisely what you want them to do after viewing your portfolio.

Then, you’ll want to design your portfolio to appeal to the audience you seek to influence. They have expectations. You must know them and exceed them.

Knowing your audience is crucial.

Certainly, you have something you want to achieve. But you need to be valuable to your audience. An impressive portfolio is one thing. A persuasive portfolio is another.

Consider who will view your portfolio and what they might be looking for in a potential candidate for a job or other position.

Where do they stand in their industry? How senior are they? Are they decision-makers or only recommenders? How can persuading them to see you as valuable help them achieve their goals? By achieving their goals, you achieve yours.

Keep your audience’s needs in mind as you make your professional portfolio.

Portfolios can vary widely in appearance based on your work experience, the kind of work you produce, the medium you choose, and your personal style.

This article is not a recipe for a one-size-fits-all portfolio. Rather, it’s a look at what a compelling and persuasive portfolio contains. How it ends up is up to you.

Concentrate on the story you want to tell as you collect your work examples.

Covering every type of the innumerable variety of portfolios is impossible. But the best portfolios have certain elements in common.

Here are some recommended articles on making a portfolio for specific industries and niches.

Creating and Hosting an Instructional Design Portfolio

12 Essential Tips to Create & Share a Digital Art Portfolio

Crafting a Copywriter Portfolio: Share a Professional PDF

Hosting Your Three.js Portfolio on Tiiny.host

Your Concept Artist Portfolio: Share the Perfect PDF

How do i create my own portfolio.

To begin organizing your work, you must first gather and curate it. Here’s what this means.

Bring together all your potential pieces or projects. This may be a big task and may require many steps. If you can’t gather the actual workpieces, find or create representative examples of the points you wish to make.

Now, choose only the works that best represent your skills, style, and the purpose of your portfolio. It’s not wise to dump everything you’ve ever done on your audience. You need to be selective. Quantity by itself is limited in persuasiveness unless quantity production is the overwhelming goal.

Emphasize quality over quantity. One or a few stunning examples are more persuasive than many average samples.

Reflect on your goals: Which examples apply directly to what you wish the audience to think and do?

Now, you’ll describe and reflect on your examples.

How do I build up my portfolio?

Each entry in your portfolio needs a bit of explanation. What might be obvious to you is not necessarily what your viewer gets from it. Gently guide them to the significant points of your presentation and see that they understand what you’ve chosen. Don’t hit them over the head with detail. Just give a friendly overview of how your work solves the problem it was designed to solve.

Provide context for each piece or project (title, date, medium, purpose). Tell them what the piece shows—what it was intended to accomplish and how it succeeded in its task.

Now, you can add a human touch. Briefly discuss the process, inspiration, and any challenges faced. Don’t hesitate to add a personal side to your description, keeping the tone professional.

Once you’ve done this for all your best and most wonderful examples, you can organize them into a story flow.

How do I organize my portfolio?

There are many ways to organize the information in your portfolio. Presenting your work in a strictly chronological order is good for résumés but not so much for portfolios.

In a portfolio, you want to tell your story. A story has a beginning, middle, and end. It usually describes a journey from where you started to where you ended up.

You can tell your story by ordering your examples logically. You can also order them thematically or based on a continuing or repeating pattern.

Devote individual sections within the portfolio to highlight the points you want to make.

For instance, if you are an artist wishing to show (rather than tell) your audience about your wide variety of styles, you can dedicate a section to each style and give multiple great examples.

Or, a programmer may emphasize various technologies they have mastered and dedicate a section to each.

Rely on your personal style to make these decisions.

• Add your professional biography or résumé.
• Make sure to include how you can be contacted.
• Include a personal statement to outline your professional goals
• Include recommendations and testimonials from credible sources.

To conclude your portfolio, include a call-to-action that clearly and directly tells your viewer what to do after finishing their time with your portfolio.

Here is where you state whether you wish to be considered, hired, or other goal you seek.

Make it brief, to the point, and professional. Don’t be overly promotional. Just be honest and help the viewer to know how to react to what they’ve just seen. Tailor it specifically for your intended audience.

Now, we’re going to move into the logistical side of making a portfolio. You will make some choices and commit to following through.

How do I make a portfolio for a job?

The portfolio you make can be digital or physical. You must choose whether to do one, the other, or both. Making both is a lot of work. But, based on your audience’s expectations, it may be quite worth it.

Often, physical portfolios take the form of a formal scrapbook or high-quality binder. High-quality prints of selected visual images are essential.

These elements are arranged according to your story. The layout itself should support your story.

For digital portfolios, choose an appropriate platform, whether a website, PDF, or digital gallery. Depending on how you wish to distribute your online portfolio, you may choose one, two, or all three.

Be sure to make your digital portfolio easy to view on all devices. This is called Responsive Design. Make the aesthetics resonate with your work and your personal style.

• Your website is interactive. Your viewers can access the sections which most appeal to them. They will not necessarily access all of the information and won’t access it in sequence. Your story is told non-linearly. This can be quite impressive and persuasive but is a lot of work.
• PDFs are industry-standard for digital portfolios. They retain the quality of the images and text but are minimally interactive, if at all. But PDFs are easy to distribute and ensure viewers have the same experience reading and viewing your portfolio.
• A digital gallery is a mostly sequential display of images or screens, like a presentation. It tells your story linearly and visually.

If you want easy, inexpensive, and professional delivery to many people or a select group, you can host your website, PDF, or digital gallery online with a free service such as ours, Tiiny.host .

• Have peers, mentors, or professionals review your portfolio. After all, that’s what you made it for.
• Keep your source material handy. Make adjustments based on the feedback received. You will learn a lot from your audience and can hone your persuasive portfolio’s message as time goes on.
• You also have the opportunity to modify your portfolio to appeal to multiple audiences, one audience at a time.

These suggestions fold right into the next topic.

Regularly update your portfolio with new work. Remove older or less relevant pieces over time.

Nobody wants old information. They want to see what you’ve been up to recently. As time goes on, hopefully, your work gets better and better. You want your audience to see you at your best.

Publish and share

If you have made a physical portfolio, have copies ready for presentations. You’ll often need to make an appointment to show your portfolio to important decision-makers.

Be strategic and careful about who sees your physical portfolio. You want to make the best presentation possible to increase acceptance and persuasion to your final goal.

Fewer great presentations to targeted decision-makers are better than many mediocre performances for anybody who will listen. Prepare yourself to present your work and answer your interviewer’s questions.

If your portfolio is digital, publish and share it online, on social media, and through email.

I’ll give you an example.

Hosting your digital portfolio with Tiiny.host

Whether your digital portfolio is an interactive website, a graphic PDF, or a digital image gallery, you can host any or all on our automated web service, Tiiny.host .

Traditional web hosts require a lot of work.

• You need special secure software to upload your files.
• You must configure your files to display them properly.
• It takes both talent and time to pull it off.

Tiiny.host has a better way that saves you time and money.

This whole process takes a matter of seconds.

After you navigate to the Tiiny.host home page , do this:

• Give your portfolio website a name.
• Drag and drop your zipped website, digital gallery, or PDF onto the form.
• Click the “Upload file” button and sign in or register for a free account.

That’s it! You’re done with your part.

In a moment, your digital portfolio will be live on the web. You’re now ready to share it with the world.

If your portfolio needs more advanced features than our free tier provides, you can inexpensively upgrade to our paid tiers.

Advanced Tiiny.host features include:

• Password protection.
• Removal of Tiiny.host branding.
• File, PDF, and website editing.
• Built-in analytics.
• Custom domains
• Integrations
• Team member support

See our features and low costs at Tiiny.host/pricing .

There is a lot in this article, but there was much that I couldn’t cover. If you have any questions, reach out to our great customer service team. There is no cost or obligation to request help. Our basic service tier is free to use, and so is our customer support.

You can reach them at Tiiny.host/help .

Now that you’ve invested time and effort into making your professional portfolio, you want hosting to match the high-quality standards you’ve shown in your work.

Host your portfolio for free with Tiiny.host.

FAQ: How to Make a Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of work samples that showcase your skills, experiences, and accomplishments. It can be used for job applications, academic submissions, or as a professional showcase.

Include relevant work samples, such as projects, designs, written pieces, or research. Tailor the content to the field you’re applying for, emphasizing your best and most relevant work.

Organize your portfolio logically, either chronologically or by category. Start with your strongest piece, and ensure each item is clearly labeled with a title and date.

Yes. A brief personal statement or introduction can provide context about your career goals and how your work aligns with these objectives.

The number of items can vary, but typically 10-15 high-quality samples are sufficient. Focus on quality over quantity.

Yes, but make sure to clearly define your role in and contributions to the project.

It depends on your industry. Digital portfolios are versatile and widely accepted, but some fields may also appreciate a physical portfolio.

For confidential work, only include it if you have permission. Alternatively, you can provide a summary or case study that illustrates your involvement without revealing sensitive information.

Regularly update your portfolio to remove outdated work and add new, relevant pieces. This keeps it fresh and reflective of your current skills.

Personalize your portfolio to reflect your unique style and skills. Also, ensure it is well-organized, professional, and aligns with the industry standards of your field.

3D Artist Portfolio: Create, Host, and Share Your Best Work

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Personal statements, portfolios and interviews

A personal statement is an essential element of the UCAS application form whereas only selected courses at some universities ask for a portfolio and invite applicants to interview.

Primary page content

Personal statements.

The personal statement has a limit of 4,000 characters – so it counts every letter, space and punctuation mark. In it, you need to address three key areas:

• Why do you want to study your chosen subject?
• What relevant skills/knowledge/experience do you have?
• What do you do when you’re not studying (eg play a sport, part-time job, volunteering etc)

This is a formal piece of writing, so no text speak or emojis, but your writing style should be conversational. This needs to be a persuasive piece of writing as you want the admissions tutor who reads it to make you an offer for a course or invite you to interview. The statement should focus on your subject interest – do not mention any courses or universities.

Writing the statement is a creative piece of work. Start by thinking of all the things you could include, then edit these ideas down to focus on the key things you want to say. Focus on your strongest examples that show you in the best light.

Watch the videos below for information and advice about how to write an effective personal statement.

Providing a portfolio of your creative work is often compulsory for applications to art, design and architecture courses. Some courses, such as journalism, may ask to see examples of your work.

Portfolio requirements vary from course to course, and from university to university so always check what you need to do. If you are applying to Goldsmiths for Fine Art or Design, you can read our portfolio advice .

You need to consider how your portfolio complements what you’ve said in your personal statement, and how it demonstrates the influences on your work and creative expression. Be aware that the portfolio might be photographs of your work rather than the work itself. If this is the case, make time to get some good images of your work.

Interviews and auditions  

If you are invited to an interview or audition, always see this as a positive – the university wants to meet you and find out more about you. Always confirm your attendance or if you cannot make the date/time allocated to you, ask if it can be re-scheduled. The content and duration of an interview or audition varies from course to course, and from university to university. Always check the following:

• Location : both the address of the campus, and the building and room where the interview or audition are taking place. Allow plenty of time to get to the university.
• Contact details: ask for a name and their number/email so that you have a contact if anything happens on the day or you’re running late.
• Format: is it part of an applicant day and will you meet other applicants and see campus? How long will the interview or audition take? How many interviewers or panel members will you meet? Is it an individual or group interview with other applicants? Will there be any individual or group tasks?
• Dress code: what is the dress code? Be mindful that nerves may make you hot or cold.
• Question preparation: consider the questions that are likely to be asked by the interviewer(s) and prepare your answers (eg Why have you chosen fine art? Why do you want to study on this course at this university? What skills or experience do you have that are relevant to this subject?). Also, write down three to five questions that you would like to ask the panel about the course or the university.
• Re-read your personal statement: Is there anything you’d like to add to the examples you’ve used? Is there anything you want to talk about that is not in your personal statement?
• Portfolio/audition: do you need to take a portfolio of work to the interview? If so, what do you want to say when you’re presenting it to the panel? Do you have to give an audition? If so, what are the requirements and why have you chosen your audition piece(s)?
• Interview essentials: ensure your mobile is fully charged and you have data or wifi access. Switch your phone to silent before you go into the interview room. Have some tissues and a bottle of water with you.  

Find out about writing your personal statement

Selecting examples for your personal statement

How to Write a Work Philosophy in a Portfolio

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Unlike a traditional resume, a work portfolio is a more comprehensive overview of your career, including your work history, academic background, project samples and other relevant items. While it’s not necessary and may not be a good idea to include a long work philosophy on your resume, putting one in your career portfolio can be a big positive. Reviewing how to write a work philosophy will help you create one that gets potential employers more interested in you.

What is a Portfolio?

A portfolio originally referred to the physical case that people put samples and documents in. Artists and models used portfolios to show their samples to prospective employers, agents or clients. Business people used portfolios to share specific documents.

Today, a portfolio is a collection of documents or samples that showcase or provide information on a specific area. A common example is an investment portfolio, which is a collection of financial products. A career portfolio might contain:

• Value statement/work philosophy
• Work samples
• Licenses, certificates, diplomas

What is a Work Philosophy?

A work philosophy, or values statement, tells people about your personal core values for your career, not just your business or job goals, explains Portfolium.com . These can include giving back to the community, creating the right work/life balance, working as an entrepreneur, being involved with diversity or continuing to pursue education so you can move to the top of your field. You can find 17 examples of work philosophy statements listed by Free Resume Builder .

When including a work philosophy in your career portfolio, you’ll need to be careful that you are not simply talking about yourself and letting potential employers know they have lots of work to do to make you happy. Try to keep your philosophy in the context of helping any business you work for. Your work philosophy should be just as good for an employer as it is for you.

List Your Values

Start outlining your work philosophy by listing your professional and personal values. See where they intersect and how they might be valuable to an employer. Try to come up with examples of things you’ve done during your career, or would like to do in the future, that align with your values and make things better for clients, coworkers and employers.

List Your Goals

Employers want to know if you’ll stay with them, and what will make you want to work with them. If you can show them your short, mid-range and long-term goals, they’ll get a better picture of whether or not you are a good fit. For example, one of your goals might be to earn a certificate in a specific business area or get certified by your industry’s trade association or professional society. Make sure to discuss how this would benefit an employer.

Formatting Your Philosophy Statement

Give your philosophy statement a heading, such as “Career Philosophy” or “Values Statement.” Start with a strong sentence that sums up your main belief. You can expand on that in the following sentences or using bullet points, but if you can make your point immediately, it might encourage others to want to read the rest of your statement.

Consider using bullet points, even if you are going to list several (or more) sentences. Avoid long, wandering paragraphs that don’t allow recruiters or HR managers to quickly see that you have personal values they want to see in their employees.

You don’t always have to say why you have certain values – just sharing that you have these goals might be enough. A work philosophy can be a simple, one-sentence summation of your beliefs regarding your career, such as:

​ “I believe that business social media campaigns should educate consumers, get them into a company’s marketing funnel, provide valuable demographic data for marketers and not violate user privacy.” ​

• Free Resume Builder: 17 Great Examples of Work Philosophy: What is Your Philosophy Towards Work?
• Portfolium: Professional Philosophy
• Watch your language when writing the philosophy. Make sure every word you use has a clear, specific meaning. It is easy to use filler words or fluff to make the philosophy sound more grand, but filler does not help you meet your goals and may only confuse a reader.
• Proofread your work philosophy, and ask someone you trust, such as an adviser or co-worker to read it over.
• Include the work philosophy on its own page in your portfolio, before your resume or CV.

Steve Milano is a journalist and business executive/consultant. He has helped dozens of for-profit companies and nonprofits with their marketing and operations. Steve has written more than 8,000 articles during his career, focusing on small business, careers, personal finance and health and fitness. Steve also turned his tennis hobby into a career, coaching, writing, running nonprofits and conducting workshops around the globe.

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14 Fantastic Professional Portfolio Examples

A professional portfolio is a powerful tool to advance your career. That’s because it’s a great showcase of your expertise and dedication, using real-world samples and examples of your work.

These examples may come from your studies, previous work experience, and even hobbies. What really matters is that you  use your earlier experiences to land a new job, more clients, bigger professional network, or recognition.

It’s easier to understand this concept by checking out a few exceptional examples of professional portfolios:

Professional portfolio examples

What is a professional portfolio?

A professional portfolio is a physical or digital document containing work samples. Whether a professional portfolio should be a digital or physical document depends on the standards in your field. If you’re not sure, just know that nowadays, digital portfolios are the standard.

The work samples in your portfolio can be

• organized into galleries or folders , or
• included in case studies that reveal the process behind them.

Case studies mix visuals and text to demonstrate professional skills and processes in practice. Galleries achieve the same while remaining almost purely visual: grids, feeds, carousels, etc.

Who needs a professional portfolio?

In some professions, having a portfolio is mandatory to land a job. In all other cases, you should consider having a professional portfolio if you think it could advance your career: get new clients, grow your professional network, and help you reach more people. But also, wanting to have a portfolio is reason enough.

The 4 purposes of a professional portfolio

1. back up your resumé.

Almost all jobs require a resume listing your skills, achievements, educational background, and work experience. However, there are many fields where you also need to submit a professional portfolio.

Such fields include design, architecture, engineering, artistic fields, and everything that’s heavily visual. In many of these professions, the portfolio is weighted heavier than the resume.

There are many reasons for this, two of the most important being taste and precision. Using your work samples – drawings, designs, layouts, and whatnot – you can prove that:

• You’re familiar with industry standards and practices , and
• Your work and taste are fit for the potential employer.

2. Show your personal taste

Since portfolios are a more substantial format – mostly websites – they provide the perfect canvas for you to showcase more of your work, your personal taste, or your process. There’s an important takeaway here:

Throughout your career, you might have been influenced to make choices that don’t necessarily represent your aesthetic preferences, and that’s a valuable asset: it shows that you can adapt. But in the case of your portfolio , you are the commissioner. Therefore, how it looks will give your potential employer or client a better idea of your taste.

So, choose your portfolio layout, colors, fonts, whitespace, and visuals wisely.

3. Reveal more about yourself

A portfolio can also contain your professional manifesto. Many professionals use their About page to tell their story of becoming who they are today – their inspirations, goals, and struggles. People find it much easier to relate to such stories than a timeline of work experience.

People find it much easier to relate to stories than a timeline of work history.

4. A hub for all your professional material

Portfolios are also practical. They are like a one-stop hub for everything relating to you as a professional: samples of your work, case studies, resumé, and contacts. This is especially beneficial if you do freelance work since a potential client can check out your work, your accolades, and contact you from the same place.

Create a professional portfolio in 8 steps

Step 1: choose your platform.

Unless you’re specifically requested to submit a physical or PDF portfolio, you should go for a portfolio website. To build one, the first step is choosing the best portfolio-building platform for you. You can go for dedicated portfolio builders – such as ours, UXfolio, that’s made for UX designers – or general website builders. Both comes with its own benefits:

Website builders

With website builders you can create any type of website: e-commerce, blog, landing pages, portfolios, and more. They usually have a vast gallery of templates that can be altered for your purposes. However, website builders can be overwhelming and distractive for those who just want a professional portfolio.

Portfolio builders

As their name suggests, portfolio builders are more specialized. Their templates are designed for portfolios, and their features are aimed at people who want to build something simple yet expressive. Because of their limitations, portfolio builders will keep you focused on all the essentials that are necessary to land a job.

Step 2: Pick a template

Once you have the platform, you should take a close look at its template gallery to find the template that’s best for you. While browsing, keep in mind that those are just templates , nothing but a foundation: you will be able to customize them according to your liking.

What makes a good portfolio template?

Above all, a good portfolio template is usable. Think of the people who will come in touch with it, and make sure that the template you choose will be convenient for them to use. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel: if something works or is the industry standard, there’s a good reason for it.

Our advice is simple: it’s hard to miss with a clean and streamlined portfolio template. 

Step 3: Customize your template

The next step is to add your personal touch to the template. For most people, this is the most enjoyable part of portfolio building. Customization means that you can play around with colors, fonts, images, page layouts, and all the fun stuff.

If you’re easily distracted or prone to procrastination, we suggest you keep this step for last. Yes, the look of your portfolio is important, but it’s only second to content.

Step 4: Add your work samples

This is the part where your professional portfolio fulfills its purpose, which is to showcase your skills through samples and examples. Depending on your profession, this step can be time consuming, but here are a 5 pointers that’ll make it easier:

• Feature your best work only (“kill your darlings”).
• Leave out everything that’s irrelevant or outdated.
• Lead with the most impressive samples/projects.
• Be frugal with your words (keep the copy to a minimum).
• Create order with whitespace, visual hierarchy, and font styles (weight, size).

Step 5: Create an About page

According to our data, About pages are extremely popular among portfolio visitors. Not only do they click on them, but they also spend a considerable amount of time reading them.

This reflects our time as we realize how vital company culture is. Today, HR managers are looking for people who, on top of being qualified, are also a good fit. An About page can help them in this quest.

What to write about on your About page?

If you’re not sure what to write about, just answer a few questions from this list:

• Why did you choose your profession?
• What was your journey to becoming a professional in what you do?
• What are your inspirations? Where do you find inspiration?
• What motivates you to do what you do?
• What is your favorite part about being
• Who are your professional heroes, and why?
• Your favorite books that relate to your profession.

You can also upload an image of yourself (if you feel like it). This doesn’t have to be a professional portrait unless you’re working in one of those serious professions (looking at you, architects). For the rest of us, a high-quality selfie will do.

Step 6: Fill in the details

By this time, the most challenging steps are behind you. The rest can be done on autopilot with a nice playlist in the background:

• Upload your resume in PDF format and make it easy to find. Always use a downloadable format so it’s easy to save. Remember: the wheel doesn’t need any reinventing.
• Add your contact information or a contact form (preferably on a dedicated contact page). You can use a mail-to link for your email address to make everyone’s life easier.

Step 7: Find your domain

Having a domain with your name makes a big difference. It signals that you take your career seriously and makes a portfolio feel complete. If your name is already taken, try with various abbreviations, add your title, or try different top-level domains (.info, .net, etc.).

Step 8: Test your portfolio before sharing it

Now that’s everything set up, send the link to your portfolio to that one friend (or more) who loves you enough to be honest. You can also ask a colleague or classmate to check your portfolio. The purpose of this is to make sure that everything works as it should.

How to utilize your portfolio?

On top of sending it with your applications, your portfolio can help you in many different ways. Here are a few ideas on making the most of it:

• Ask for portfolio reviews in Facebook groups, Slack communities, or online forums. With the feedback you’ll receive you can polish your portfolio. Also, in the process you can find new opportunities and build your professional network.
• Share your portfolio on LinkedIn and in professional communities. LinkedIn is given, as its purpose is to promote yourself. Other professional communities (Slack channels, Discords, Reddits, Facebook groups) have dedicated channels or days where/when you can do self-promo. This makes it less awkward, as everybody else will be self-promoting.
• Reach out to people you look up to in your profession. No, this doesn’t have to be pushy or awkward. Just ask for their professional opinion on your work and for career advice. This, also, can help you perfect your portfolio and build your professional network.

If you’ve read this far, you’re ready to take the first steps toward creating an impressive portfolio for yourself. If you want to learn more about portfolio building and portfolios in general, check out some of our relevant guides and articles:

• 18 Digital Portfolio Examples & a Guide for Yours
• 3 Portfolio Cover Page Tips with Great Examples
• 49 Stunning Portfolio Templates & a Guide for Choosing Yours

If you’re looking for a portfolio builder that was made for UX/UI and product designers, try our product, UXfolio !

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Understanding Financial Portfolios

Managing a portfolio, hybrid portfolio, portfolio investment, aggressive, equities-focused portfolio, defensive, equities-focused portfolio, income-focused, equities portfolio, speculative, equities-focused portfolio.

• Time Horizon and Portfolio Mix

The Bottom Line

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Financial Portfolio: What It Is and How to Create and Manage One

Tara Anand / Investopedia

What Is a Financial Portfolio?

A portfolio is a collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, commodities, cash, and cash equivalents, including closed-end funds and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

People generally believe that stocks, bonds, and cash comprise the core of a portfolio. Though this is often the case, it does not need to be the rule. A portfolio may contain a wide range of assets, including real estate, art, and private investments.

You may choose to hold and manage your portfolio yourself, or you may allow a money manager, financial advisor, or another finance professional to manage your portfolio.

Key Takeaways

• A portfolio is a collection of financial investments like stocks, bonds, commodities, cash, and cash equivalents, as well as their fund counterparts.
• Stocks and bonds are generally considered a portfolio’s core building blocks, though you may grow a portfolio with many different types of assets—including real estate, gold, paintings, and other art collectibles.
• Diversification is a key concept in portfolio management.
• A person’s tolerance for risk, investment objectives, and time horizon are all critical factors when assembling and adjusting an investment portfolio.
• Portfolio management is an important financial skill for active investing.

One of the key concepts in portfolio management is the wisdom of diversification —which simply means not putting all of your eggs in one basket. Diversification tries to reduce  risk  by allocating investments among various financial instruments, industries, and other categories. It aims to maximize returns by investing in different areas that would each react differently to the same event. There are many ways to diversify.

How you choose to do it is up to you. Your goals for the future, your appetite for risk, and your personality are all factors in deciding how to build your portfolio.

Regardless of your portfolio’s asset mix, all portfolios should contain some degree of diversification, and reflect the investor’s tolerance for risk , return objectives, time horizon , and other pertinent constraints, including tax position, liquidity needs, legal situations, and unique circumstances.

The word “portfolio” comes from the Latin “ folium,” meaning to “carry leaves” (as in papers). Stock and bond certificates were once only issued in paper form, from which this terminology was adopted. Portfolio is also used to describe an artist’s collection of works, for similar reasons.

You can think of an investment portfolio as a pie that has been divided into pieces of varying wedge-shaped sizes, each piece representing a different asset class and type of investment. Investors aim to construct a well-diversified portfolio to achieve a risk-return portfolio allocation that is appropriate for their level of risk tolerance. Although stocks, bonds, and cash are generally viewed as a portfolio’s core building blocks, you may grow a portfolio with many different types of assets—including real estate , gold stocks , various types of bonds, paintings, and other art collectibles .

Carla Tardi / Investopedia

The sample portfolio allocation pictured above is for an investor with a low tolerance for risk. In general, a conservative strategy tries to protect a portfolio’s value by investing in lower-risk securities. In the example, you’ll see that a full 50% is allocated to bonds , which might contain high-grade corporates and government bonds, including municipals (munis) .

The 20% stock allocation could comprise blue-chip or large-cap equities, and 30% of short-term investments might include cash, certificates of deposit (CDs), and high-yield savings accounts.

Most investment professionals agree that, though it does not guarantee against loss, diversification is a key component for reaching long-range financial goals while minimizing risk.

Types of Portfolios

There can be as many different types of portfolios and portfolio strategies as there are investors and money managers. You also may choose to have multiple portfolios, whose contents could reflect a different strategy or investment scenario, structured for a different need.

The hybrid portfolio approach diversifies across asset classes . Building a hybrid portfolio requires taking positions in stocks as well as bonds, commodities, real estate, and even art. Generally, a hybrid portfolio entails relatively fixed proportions of stocks, bonds, and alternative investments. This is beneficial, because historically, stocks, bonds, and alternatives have exhibited less-than-perfect correlations with one another.

When you use a portfolio for investment purposes, you expect that the stock, bond, or another financial asset will earn a return or grow in value over time, or both. A portfolio investment may be either strategic —where you buy financial assets with the intention of holding onto those assets for a long time, or tactical —where you actively buy and sell the asset hoping to achieve short-term gains.

The underlying assets in an aggressive portfolio generally would assume great risks in search of great returns. Aggressive investors seek out companies that are in the early stages of their growth and have a unique  value proposition . Most of them are not yet common household names.

A portfolio that is defensive would tend to focus on consumer staples that are impervious to downturns. Defensive stocks do well in bad times as well as good times . No matter how bad the economy is at a given time, companies that make products that are essential to everyday life will survive.

This type of portfolio makes money from dividend-paying stocks or other types of distributions to stakeholders. Some of the stocks in the income portfolio could also fit in the defensive portfolio, but here, they are selected primarily for their high yields . An income portfolio should generate positive cash flow.  Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are examples of income-producing investments.

A speculative portfolio is best for investors who have a high level of tolerance for risk. Speculative plays could include  initial public offerings (IPOs) or stocks that are rumored to be takeover targets. Technology or healthcare firms in the process of developing a single breakthrough product also would fall into this category.

Impact of Risk Tolerance on Portfolio Allocations

Although a financial advisor can create a generic portfolio model for an individual, an investor’s risk tolerance should significantly reflect the portfolio’s content.

Time Horizon and Portfolio Allocation

Similar to risk tolerance, investors should consider how long they have to invest when building a portfolio. In general, investors should move toward a conservative asset allocation as their goal date approaches to protect the portfolio’s earnings up to that point.

For example, a conservative investor might favor a portfolio with large-cap value stocks, broad-based market index funds, investment-grade bonds, and a position in liquid, high-grade cash equivalents.

For example, take an investor saving for retirement who’s planning to leave the workforce in five years. Even if that investor is comfortable investing in stocks and riskier securities, they might want to invest a larger portion of the portfolio in more conservative assets such as bonds and cash, to help protect what has already been saved. Conversely, an individual just entering the workforce may want to invest their entire portfolio in stocks, as they may have decades to invest, and the ability to ride out some of the market’s short-term volatility .

How Do You Create a Financial Portfolio?

Building an investment portfolio requires more effort than the passive, index investing approach. First, you need to identify your goals , risk tolerance, and time horizon. Then, research and select stocks or other investments that fit within those parameters. Regular monitoring and updating are often required, along with entry and exit points for each position. Rebalancing requires selling some holdings and buying more of others so that most of the time, your portfolio’s asset allocation matches your strategy, risk tolerance, and desired level of returns.

Despite the extra effort required, defining and building a portfolio can increase your investing confidence and give you control over your finances.

What Does a Good Portfolio Look Like?

A good portfolio will depend on your investment style, goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon. Generally speaking, a good degree of diversification is recommended regardless of the portfolio type, in order to not hold all of your eggs in one basket.

How Do You Measure a Portfolio’s Risk?

A portfolio’s standard deviation of returns (or variance ) is often used as a proxy of overall portfolio risk. The standard deviation calculation is not merely a weighted average of the individual assets’ standard deviations—it must also account for the co-variance among the different holdings. For a two-asset portfolio, the standard deviation calculation is:

σ p = (w 1 2 σ 1 2  + w 2 2 σ 2 2  + 2w 1 w 2 Cov 1,2 ) 1/2

A portfolio is a cornerstone of investing in the markets. A portfolio is composed of the various positions in stocks, bonds, and other assets held, and is viewed as one cohesive unit. The portfolio components, therefore, must work together to serve the investor’s financial goals, constrained by their risk tolerance and time horizon.

Portfolios can be constructed to achieve various strategies, from index replication to income generation to capital preservation. Regardless of the strategy, diversification is seen as a good way to reduce risk without sacrificing the portfolio’s expected return.

Perry J. Kaufman, via Wiley. “ Trading Systems and Methods ,” Pages 681–733. John Wiley & Sons, 2019, sixth edition.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “ Portfolio .”

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What is a Portfolio?

A portfolio  is a compilation of academic and professional materials that exemplifies your beliefs, skills, qualifications, education, training ,  and experiences. It provides insight into your personality and work ethic.    

Choosing the most relevant academic and professional experiences and putting them in an easily understood format will show an employer proof of your organizational, communication, and tangible career-related skills.    

If you’re ever struggling with what work samples to choose, how to organize your portfolio, or other career-related concerns, reach out to our Career Services Office for one-on-one help and support.  

What should be included in my portfolio?     

First, save everything you create and decide later what you want to include in your portfolio. Some items may be more relevant to the work you’ll do in one position than another, so it helps to have a variety of samples.  You can present your materials in your own creative style, and these are some of the top items to include:  

• Statement of Originality : A paragraph stating that this is your work and that it is confidential. It should also indicate if any parts of the portfolio should not be copied.
• Work Philosophy : A brief description of your beliefs about yourself and the industry you hope to enter.
• Resume : An overview of your skills and work experience. You may also choose to include documentation of your certifications, diplomas, degrees, awards, professional memberships, or community service experiences.
• Work samples : When selecting items for your portfolio, consider what work will best demonstrate your skills, competencies, and achievements, especially in relation to the type of work you’d be doing for this potential employer.
• Works in Progress : List career-related projects or activities you are currently working on that would add to your list of skills and qualifications for that career field.
• Academic Plan of Study : You can include a copy of your transcript which includes the classes you have taken and grades you have earned in those classes, as well as a listing of those classes you plan to take.
• References : A list of three to five people who can verify your professional qualifications. Professional references may include faculty members, internship supervisors, employment supervisors and supervisors of other activities such as community service projects.

How should I present my professional portfolio?

Depending on your field of interest and samples, you may choose to build a digital portfolio on a website, or physical copy such as a 3-ring binder. If presenting a physical portfolio, be sure to use high quality paper and bring extra copies for an interview committee.   

13 mins read

Writing Portfolio 101: What It Is, What It Should Include & How to Build One Really Fast

Are you creating your first writing portfolio? Or, updating it to meet current trends & impress modern clients? Either way, this article has you covered.

Shreya Bose

Written by Shreya Bose , edited by Protim Bhaumik , reviewed by Eric Hauch .

24. Jun 2023 , updated 20. Nov 2023

Writers, I’m not going to pretend you don’t know that you need a portfolio. Unless you are literally starting out with your writing career (and you've been chilling under a rock so far), you know a writer is defined by their work... and a professional writer shows their work in their professional online portfolio.

But not every portfolio is equal. Some don't make the cut when potential clients are evaluating them, and their failure is only sometimes because the actual work in the portfolio is sub-par. Sometimes, the portfolio design, its non-navigability, or the lack of relevant information disqualifies the portfolio and its owner.

So, in this article, I'll detail the essential elements of an online writing portfolio that actually gets you hired. I'll also throw in some writing portfolio examples, and introduce you to a tool that lets you collate your writing samples into an industry-best portfolio website within minutes.

So, what should go into your writer's portfolio?

A succinct but comprehensive introduction.

Keep things short, unless you're a winner of multiple major awards or you've studied in two different Ivy League schools. Otherwise, briefly mention what you do, who you've worked with, and any outstanding achievements (awards, Guinness Book Record for deep ocean diving, etc.).

If you're a freelance writer or you run a freelance writing business, you can include a line or two from a notable client testimonial.

ALL your work in ALL formats (text, audio, video)

This is the heart of all portfolio sites. If you're a writer or journalist, showcase your articles. If you're a photographer, display your best photos. If you're a graphic designer, exhibit videos, websites, animated elements, and still images you've worked on.

If you've produced content across different formats (text, audio, video), include all of it in your own portfolio. This is especially true if you have a creative writing portfolio. It indicates that you're comfortable working with multiple content avenues and makes you an asset for companies looking to expand their presence on numerous social channels.

A portfolio builder like Authory lets your import your work in different formats (text, audio, video, and social media posts).

Potential employers want to see writing portfolio sites showing off that you stay good at your job over time and aren't just a one-hit-wonder. The fact that you've written one great article a year isn't as great as writing one great article each month or week

Your digital portfolio should display this, and the best way to do so is to import ALL (or most) of your work in ALL formats — and display them accordingly on your portfolio.

Read More : Why your portfolio should include ALL your work in ALL formats (audio, video, text)

Real-world results

Nothing speaks like real-world results. Writing portfolios that showcase some real-world results are usually the ones that get more attention.

If you've got a few years of experience, you should have some numbers to indicate your competence. Have you written 50 articles in a year, perhaps? Have these articles driven organic traffic up 34% during that year? As a content marketer, have your skills driven greater engagement with a site or an even higher number of signups or purchases?

What to look for in your ideal portfolio builder

No matter what domain you work in, your portfolio page builder should come with the following essential elements:

1. Easy to set up & use

Writers need a portfolio builder that's super easy to set up and maintain because our focus needs to be on the actual writing. You cannot spend days copy-pasting links to your published work, and structuring headers, footers, section descriptions, and adjusting imagery for your portfolio.

For example, Authory’s setup process is exceptionally low-effort. All you do is enter the URLs of the sites on which your work is published, and Authory will find & import all your bylined content to its own database. That way, you have a complete repository of all the work you've ever done, at your fingertips.

2. Should look good

A portfolio showcases your best work, and it needs to look amazing. It also needs to load quickly, be searchable, navigable, and look great on any device, desktop or mobile.

You don't need award-winning designs gracing your portfolio, but your portfolio should be easy on the eyes and easy to look through.

Your portfolio should also look great on desktop and mobile screens, so pick a portfolio builder like Authory that automatically makes all portfolios responsive.

3. Should allow categorization

Typically, writers work for various organizations, publications, and clients. Since a prospective client is unlikely to go through work unrelated to their industry, it makes sense to share only what's relevant.

For example, let's look at Marijana's freelance writing portfolio: authory.com/MarijanaKostelac

Marijana is a content marketer who has written for different domains, all of which are on her portfolio. In order to showcase her work in some sort of order, she showcases them in different Collections: e-commerce , creator economy , email marketing , content marketing , and video marketing . She can share each of these Collections separately so that the client only sees what she has achieved within the relevant field.

4. Should support different content types

Creators produce content in many formats, and a good portfolio builder should be able to include all of them. Your portfolio should be able to flawlessly showcase content in text, audio, and video formats, as well as from different platforms like podcast sites, social media platforms (like LinkedIn and Twitter), etc.

5. Should be up-to-date

Keeping your portfolio up-to-date is extremely important, as recent work is usually the most relevant to your audience. As a writer, more often than not, my portfolio site is a little dated because I am more focused on my day-to-day rather than updating. But this oversight always impedes my ability to get more work as potential clients miss out on my latest pieces.

And that's why a self-updating portfolio — a portfolio that automatically updates itself with your new work — is a game-changer.

Authory, by default, offers you a self-updating portfolio. Once you add your sources (URLs of sites where your work was published), Authory automatically updates your portfolio whenever you publish on those sites again. So, anytime a new bylined piece shows up on any one of the sites you previously fed into the system, it'll show up in your Authory database (and you'll get an email notification notifying you every single time).

6. Should back up your content

Sites go down, files go missing. But, as writers, few things are as bad as losing our writing, published or unpublished. While a portfolio doesn't necessarily have to act as a backup tool, your professional life will be so much easier if it does.

Losing my work is something I've dealt with more than once, and I do not recommend the panic I felt every time I realized that work I've done for a client was taken down from their website. And... I hadn't backed it up.

Authory backs up your content automatically. Just add your sources, and anything Authory imports will be automatically backed up. The original site may go down, but you'll always have your copy on Authory.

How to efficiently create a portfolio with ALL your work (and very little effort)

Authory is a dedicated portfolio-building platform, which allows users to create a professional work portfolio in literally a few minutes. To create a portfolio with ALL your content (in different formats), follow the steps below:

• Sign up for Authory (for FREE) using this link .

Once I choose “Continue with Google” and enter my email ID, the tool automatically fills in the fields for my name (taken from my email data).

• I chose my profession as “Writer” and then click “Next Step.”

In the next screen, I see that Authory has already automatically found the “sources” — websites where my bylined articles are published ( nytimes.com & washingtonpost.com , for example). Of course, if it has missed a source, I can add it manually (just the site URL), OR I can choose to add all my sources manually.

• Click “+ Add.”

Authory will take up to 48 hours (often less) to import every bylined article to its database. Once the process is complete, you can segment your articles, videos, podcasts, audio files, and social media posts into relevant “Collections” — think of them as folders within your Authory database.

Creating a Collection on Authory

Once all your work has been imported by Authory, go to the “Collections” tab on your Authory dashboard.

• Click “+Create Collection.” You’ll see that I already have a set of Collections in the mix.

• Add a name and description to your new Collection. Click “Add.”

• You’ll be taken inside your new Collection. Click “Go to Content” next to the “Manually” option.

• Once you click “Go to Content,” you’ll be taken back to your main content dashboard. Since Authory has already imported your pieces, you can select the ones you want to slot into this particular Collection.

• Select the relevant files (articles in my case), click “+ Add to collection” to the bottom right (highlighted above), find the name of the Collection you created, and click on it.
• Go back to the “Collection” tab you clicked before on the dashboard. You’ll see your new Collection.

Adding your Collection to your Authory portfolio

• Now that you’re done creating a Collection(s), it’s time to add it to your portfolio. Go to the “Portfolio” option on your dashboard.

• Click the “Content” drop-down to the left. Click “Add collection.”

• Choose the Collection you just created — “New Collection,” in my case.

• And voila! Your new collection has been added to your portfolio.

• To check the final product, click “Go to portfolio” on the left.

• You’ll be taken to your portfolio in a separate window. This is what clients will see when you send them your Authory portfolio.

If you’d like to explore this example portfolio, feel free to do so: https://authory.com/shreya-bose

Writing portfolio examples that deserve your attention

David pogue.

David Pogue is a six-time Emmy winner, a New York Times bestselling author, and a five-time TED speaker. He is also a correspondent for "CBS Sunday Morning", a periodic host of "NOVA"; as well as the host of the “Unsung Science” podcast.”

Erin Rupp writes about productivity, well-being, and self-development. Her work stands out because of her depth of research, as well as insights from her own experiences.

Alex Hargrave

Alex Hargrave is a Reporting fellow at E&E News. Her portfolio page showcases a number of impressive writing samples (some of them in PDF).

Mary Ann Gwinn

Mary Ann Gwinn is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and book reviewer for the Los Angeles Times, Minneapolis Star Tribune, Seattle Times, Kirkus Reviews, and other publications. She is also a Pulitzer jurist.

Why use Authory over other portfolio builders?

As demonstrated above, Authory doesn’t just give you the space to copy-paste links and assemble a digital portfolio. It literally does over half the work: finding all bylined content you’ve ever published, importing it automatically, saving it permanently (again, automatically), and enabling you to organize your pieces into different collections.

A self-updating portfolio (no need to keep adding new work manually)

Authory will AUTOMATICALLY import a copy of every bylined piece from every site into its own database.

These sites are called "sources." You add as many sources as you want, and every single bylined piece from every single source will be imported automatically.

You don't have to track down links to your published work (especially older pieces). As long as you remember the URL of the site where your work exists, Authory will collate all your content for you in one dashboard.

Authory can import content from behind most soft paywalls (as long as it is a bylined piece) and some hard paywalls. However, it cannot be used to import copies of articles, podcasts, and videos you haven’t created or featured in.

There isn’t any need to manually upload/copy-paste your content. That said, if you happen to have any non-bylined content, you can always do so manually in those cases.

Automated backups (never lose your content, ever)

All the content that Authory imports from different sources is saved permanently. You'll never have to worry about losing any of your published work. Even if the original website where it's published goes defunct for any reason, you'll always have a copy safely stored on Authory's server.

All backups are in the original format — text and/or media. No screenshots. This is super important because it lets you search through your content database, making it a valuable research tool.

Continued importing of past and future content (less effort for a 100% updated portfolio)

Once you enter a source, Authory won't just import your existing publications. Anything you publish on the same site (after you've fed its URL into Authory) in the future will also be imported automatically. In other words, Authory will import your past and future content.

Authory also sends email notifications for every new piece it imports, so you'll always know if something you submitted has been published.

Many Authory customers have also observed that Authory notifications reached their inboxes faster than Google Alerts .

Apart from these, you also get a slew of miscellaneous but necessary features:

• Ability to search through both your portfolio and your content database to find articles/audio/videos based on keywords . Prospective employers and hiring managers can use this to look for topics on your portfolio, and you can use it to find specific pieces within your Authory content bank.
• Ability to create a custom domain with a click.
• All imported content can be downloaded as high-res PDFs or exportable as HTML files — no lock-in period.
• Get a custom domain and personalize your portfolio even further.
• Multiple, low-effort options for customization to make your portfolio visually appealing and easy to navigate.
• In-built analytics that provides real numbers on content performance (engagement, readership) across the web and popular social media sites every 30 days . You get to see how your readers/viewers are responding to your work.
• Allows creation of newsletters with a couple of clicks. After setup, Authory will automatically send your newly published content to subscribers.
• Widgets to display your personal portfolio on other sites, such as your personal website (if you have one).

Authory has been chosen by quite a few well-known names in my domain, people who could have picked any tool in the world, but decided that Authory best met their needs. There's 6-time Emmy award winner David Pogue , Steven Levy, Editor at Large, WIRED , and Brian Fung, a Technology Reporter at CNN , to name a very few.

Get started with Authory for free and see for yourself what works for you!

Seasoned writer & editor working with B2B & B2C content since 2017. Writes about music on weekends. Trying to overcome caffeine addiction.

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Learn what the top 7 Contently portfolio alternatives are and which one you should choose to build your portfolio.

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15 of the best design portfolio examples

The best design portfolios come in all shapes, sizes and formats.

Getting your portfolio right is vital – it can be the difference between getting hired or not. And there's no end to how creative you can be with your portfolio design. If you need to update yours, looking at a few examples is a good place to start, which is why we've collated this list of the best design portfolios around.

To start building your design portfolio, you need a platform to create it on. Check out our best website builder roundup, or you can head over to the best portfolio templates for pre-existing designs. But for now, just scroll down to indulge in some of the best design portfolios, listed in no particular order.

Top design portfolio examples for inspiration

01. bruno simon.

Paris-based creative developer Bruno Simon has approached his portfolio in an unexpected way. You can actually drive a virtual car between his projects and experience using a keyboard. In 2019, it won Site of the Year at  awwwards , and it's not hard to see why. We wouldn't recommend this type of portfolio to everyone, but if you can make the design of your portfolio show off the skills you want to highlight, then you should.

Gus is a creative strategy company rather than a straight design site, but we think there are plenty of lessons to be learned from its brilliant site. It's cleverly laid out on a grid, and strikes an irreverent tone while giving the reader exactly what they're looking for, with an easy to navigate UX. We particularly like the ' frequently asked questions ' section.

03. Good Habit

London branding and design studio, Good Habit , has a fun and fresh portfolio that beautifully displays its work. A plainer Studio section outlines what the studio does, while the brands section displays projects with large format photography intermixed with sections of texts. It really works.

04. Studio Feixen

This Switzerland based design studio is absolutely jam-packed full of fun and characterful work. Studio Feixen perfectly showcases its vibrant work with a mix-match style portfolio that abstains from a 'less-is-more' approach. Despite the examples being framed in a range of different sized shapes on the portfolio page, the site still looks cohesive.

05. RoAndCo

Founded by creative director Roanne Adams, NYC-based RoAndCo offers beautifully crafted design, branding and creative direction to clients in fashion, beauty, tech and lifestyle. Viewing RoAndCo’s portfolio is an experience in itself, in keeping with the studio's work ethos. Projects are presented in an editorial-like fashion, allowing the viewer to flick through split-screen images, animated web presentations and full-screen video. It's a carefully considered design portfolio and a pleasure to view, whether you're browsing on a computer or a mobile device. 

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06. Robin Mastromarino

Paris-based interface designer Robin Mastromarino employs some neat UI animation touches to keeps things fresh on his design portfolio site. His projects appear as though they're on a wheel, juddering into view, which is an engaging effect. The images in each case study respond to scrolling by warping slightly. It's an effect that we wouldn't recommend for every creative, but for a UI design specialist, this strikes the right note and gives a taster of what the designer can do. 

07. Active Theory

Entering Active Theory 's portfolio website is like visiting a whole other world. It employs a moody, almost cyberpunk aesthetic throughout, and to great effect. From the atmospheric homepage animation with mouse-activated glitch effects to the trippy About page, the setting all gels together to form a cohesive package. The studio keeps things cleaner for its project pages. Each example features a full-screen animation overlaid with a short blurb and relevant links to further information, including detailed case studies hosted on Medium.

08. Raw Materials

Raw Material' s site is a feast for the eyes. The Work section is particularly fun, with more detail on projects shown through diagrams and images. We also like the 3D models in the 'Hello' section, which also appear in 'Contact'. Overall it's a fun fresh site that makes the studio stand out from the crowd.

09. Velvet Spectrum

Velvet Spectrum is the online moniker of visual artist and designer Luke Choice. He shows that simplicity can also make an impact on his homepage, which shows a montage of uber-colourful thumbnails that lead through to visually arresting super-size examples of his work for maximum impact. The black background keeps things clean and helps the work stand out. It makes for a simple but highly effective design portfolio.

10. Locomotive

Locomotive , a studio based in Quebec, Canada, specialises in crafting digital experiences, so it's taken care to make its design portfolio site an all-round delightful and engaging experience. Playful, entertaining animations bring the site to life, and not just on the homepage. It seems like thought and effort has been put into every detail. Little surprises keep the viewer's interest while they browse through the site, making this a perfect example of how animated flourishes can be used effectively without them becoming gimmicky or distracting.

11. Studio Thomas

Named after its two creative directors, Thomas Austin and Thomas Coombes, Studio Thomas in East London creates visual communication for both physical and digital worlds. Its portfolio is a superb example of Brutalist web design with plenty of neat touches. Projects are presented in an orderly but eye-catching way with clear visuals and wireframe models. The site perfectly reflects the studio's explorative and experimental attitude, and it backs up the studio's claim to offer "design for bold brands."

12. Buzzworthy Studio

Describing itself as a "badass digital studio in Brooklyn", Buzzworthy Studio really needed to come up with the goods to back up that claim, and happily, its portfolio does the job. It features dazzling web techniques from the off. Bold typography and animation combine to grab your attention, and a strong eye for aesthetics ensures that viewers stick around to explore all of Buzzworthy's projects. It's one hell of a calling card.

13. Xavier Cussó

This stunning portfolio site for Barcelona-based designer Xavier Cussó was built by Burundanga Studio. It shows off Cussó's work with bold colours, in-your-face typography and practically every animation and parallax scrolling trick in the book. But that doesn't make it feel overloaded. The animation makes and impact and maintains the viewer's attention throughout.

14. Merijn Hoss

Illustrator and artist Merijn Hoss takes a more pared-back approach, but his design portfolio is still very effective. Hoss creates beautifully detailed psychedelic works of art, but his profile presents his work in quite a simple, clean format. It's one of the most traditional approaches we've included on this list of design portfolios and isn't nearly as flashy as some of the previous examples, but it works well because the colourful thumbnails really pop out of the gallery's white background, putting the focus on the artist's work. Click the thumbnails, and large project images and a short description are revealed. Hoss's design portfolio is proof that you don't need all the bells and whistles to make an impact.

15. Malika Favre

Illustrator Malika Favre uses a full-screen edge-to-edge tapestry of thumbnails to entice visitors into viewing her vibrant artwork in more detail. The colours and layout already draw attention, while the arrangement of animated pieces within still artworks serves even more to keep eyes on the screen. Once clicked, the thumbnails reveal a full-screen gallery presentation of the work featured. It's displayed on complementary coloured backgrounds that show off her work to great effect and makes for a bold, colourful presentation that grabs the viewer's attention.

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Ruth spent a couple of years as Deputy Editor of Creative Bloq, and has also either worked on or written for almost all of the site's former and current print titles, from Computer Arts to ImagineFX. She now spends her days reviewing mattresses and hiking boots as the Outdoors and Wellness editor at T3.com, but continues to write about design on a freelance basis in her spare time. 

• Rosie Hilder

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How to Write an Effective “About Me” Page (Examples Included!) 

An “About Me” page is one of the most crucial elements of any personal website, portfolio , or blog. It’s where visitors get to know who you are, what you do, and why they should care. Whether you're a freelancer , entrepreneur , or creative professional , this page can make or break a visitor’s first impression of you.

Let’s dive into the essentials of creating a standout one pager about yourself, provide actionable tips, and share examples to inspire you.

Add an “About Me” to your resume or portfolio and then put it to the test! Apply to these open jobs on The Muse »

What is an “About Me” page?

An “About Me” page is a dedicated section on your website where you introduce yourself to your visitors. This page goes beyond a simple biography and a list of your credentials; it's an opportunity to convey your personality, share your story, and connect with your audience on a deeper level. 

It often includes key elements such as a brief professional summary , personal anecdotes, and highlights of your skills and experiences. By providing a narrative of your journey, accomplishments, and aspirations, you create a relatable and authentic presence that can engage and build trust with your visitors.

An “About Me” page serves multiple purposes:

• It outlines your mission and vision, helping visitors understand what motivates you and what sets you apart.
• It can serve as a platform to showcase testimonials, notable projects, and any media coverage or recognition you have received.
• Your story helps humanize your brand. People connect with people, not faceless entities. 
• It lets visitors know what they can expect from your site and how you can help them.
• A well-crafted “About Me” page can improve your website’s SEO for Google by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases.

Where can you usually find “About Me” pages? 

An “About Me” can be a valuable addition to various platforms and contexts. Here are some common uses:

• Personal website: Whether it’s a blog or a personal brand site, an “About Me” page helps visitors understand who you are and why they should follow you.
• Portfolio: For creatives like designers, writers , and photographers, an “About Me” page showcases your background and expertise, helping potential clients or employers get to know you better.
• Resume: Adding an “About Me” section to your online resume provides a personal touch and highlights your unique strengths and career journey.
• Business website: Entrepreneurs and small business owners can use an “About Me” page to share their story, mission, and the values behind their business.
• Freelance profiles: On freelance platforms, an “About Me” page can differentiate you from other freelancers by highlighting your experience and skills.
• Social media profiles: Sites like LinkedIn benefit from a detailed “About Me” section, helping you network and connect with potential employers or collaborators.
• Author pages: For writers and authors, an “About Me” page helps readers connect with you on a personal level and understand the inspiration behind your work.
• E-commerce sites: Store owners can add an “About Me” page to build trust with customers by sharing their journey and the story behind their products.
• Professional associations: Members of professional organizations can use an “About Me” page to share their professional background, expertise, and contributions to their field.

Checklist for “About Me” pages 

What to include in an “About Me” page? Effective content should include the following elements:

• Your name and profession : Clearly state who you are and what you do.
• A photo : Adding a photo humanizes your profile and makes it more relatable.
• Your story : Share your background, journey, and what inspired you to pursue your path.
• Your values and mission : Explain what drives you and what you aim to achieve.
• Your skills and expertise : Highlight your key skills, qualifications, and achievements.
• Testimonials : If applicable, include testimonials from clients or colleagues to build credibility.
• Contact information : Provide a way for visitors to get in touch with you.

How to write an “About Me” in 5 steps

Writing an “About Me” page involves balancing personal storytelling with professional insights. Here are five tips to help structure yours.

1. Start with a strong—and catchy—opening

Begin with a compelling hook that grabs the reader’s attention. This could be an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a bold statement about your mission.

2. Who are you?

Provide a brief introduction that includes your name, profession, and a high-level overview of what you do. Make sure to keep it concise and engaging.

3. Tell your story

Narrate your journey—how you got started, the challenges you’ve overcome, and the milestones you’ve achieved. This is where you can infuse your personality and make your story relatable.

4. Highlight your expertise

Explain what you do and how you can help your audience. Call out your skills , qualifications, and any notable accomplishments.

5. Include a call to action (CTA)

A call to action is a prompt that tells your visitors what to do next, like contacting you, following you on social media, or checking out your portfolio. Make sure your CTA is clear and compelling so they know exactly what action to take.

Bonus tips on writing an “About Me” page

To write an “about me” paragraph that not only introduces you effectively but also engages your audience and enhances your online presence, follow these recommendations:

• Know your audience: Understand who you are writing for. Tailor your tone and content to resonate with your target audience.
• Be authentic : Authenticity is key. Be genuine in your storytelling and avoid overly formal language.
• Keep it concise: While it’s important to provide enough detail, avoid overwhelming your readers with too much information. Aim for clarity and brevity.
• Use visuals: Incorporate photos, videos, or infographics to make your page visually appealing and engaging.
• Optimize for SEO: Incorporate relevant keywords naturally throughout your “About Me” page to improve search engine visibility.
• Update regularly: Your “About Me” page should evolve as you grow. Regularly update it to reflect new experiences, skills, and achievements.

“About Me” template text

How to write an “About Me”? Here’s a simple and general template to get you started:

[Your name]

[Your profession/title]

Introduction:

Hi, I’m [Your name], a [Your profession] with [number] years of experience in [your field]. I’m passionate about [your passion] and have dedicated my career to [your mission].

Your story:

My journey began [describe how you started]. Over the years, I’ve [mention key milestones and achievements]. My work has been featured in [mention notable publications or collaborations].

Your expertise:

I specialize in [mention your key skills and areas of expertise]. My clients have included [mention notable clients or projects].

Call to action:

If you’d like to [mention what you want your readers to do next – contact you, follow you, etc.], feel free to [provide contact details or a CTA].

“About Me” page examples for different scenarios

You might be looking for information on how to write your “About Me” page for your new blog, maybe your LinkedIn profile, or other context. These could have some differences, so find the “About Me” paragraph example that suits you best.

For a website: “About Me” blog example

Hi, I’m Sarah, a passionate travel blogger who has visited over 50 countries. I share my adventures, tips, and travel guides to help you plan your next trip. My journey began in 2010 when I left my corporate job to explore the world. Since then, I’ve been featured in numerous travel magazines and have collaborated with top travel brands. Follow along as I explore new destinations and share my insights.

Portfolio “About Me” example

Hello! I’m Mark, a freelance graphic designer with over 10 years of experience in creating stunning visuals for brands. My work includes logo design, branding, and digital marketing materials. I started my career working for a design agency, but my passion for creativity led me to freelance. My clients include Fortune 500 companies and startups alike. Take a look at my portfolio to see my work and let’s collaborate on your next project.

For your resume: What is an example of best “About Me”?

I’m Emily, a marketing professional with a decade of experience in digital marketing and brand strategy. I specialize in SEO, content marketing, and social media management. My career highlights include leading successful campaigns for high-profile clients and earning industry awards. I’m currently seeking new opportunities to leverage my skills and drive impactful marketing initiatives.

Other type of site: “About Me” example

As a bestselling author, I’ve always been passionate about storytelling. My journey began with a love for reading, which soon transformed into writing my own stories. Over the years, I’ve published five novels and numerous short stories. My work explores themes of love, loss, and resilience, drawing inspiration from my personal experiences. When I’m not writing, you can find me at book signings or conducting writing workshops.

Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol taking over as Starbucks chief executive; Narasimhan steps down

Niccol will start in his new leadership role sept. 9, replacing starbucks ceo laxman narasimhan, who stepped down "with immediate effect," the company said tuesday..

Chipotle CEO Brian Niccol will be leaving the fast casual food chain to take over as the chief executive of Starbucks , the companies announced Tuesday.

Niccol will start in his new leadership role Sept. 9, replacing Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan, who stepped down "with immediate effect," the coffee chain said in a press release . Niccol's last day as CEO of Chipotle will be Aug. 31, the restaurant announced in a separate press release .

In the meantime, Starbucks CFO Rachel Ruggeri will step in as interim chief executive officer.

Narasimhan's abrupt departure comes as the chain's stock shares had fallen 17% for the year and in the wake of an open letter penned by former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz blasting the company's leadership. Though Schultz did not name Narasimhan in the LinkedIn post , he wrote that the chain’s U.S. operations are the “primary reason for the company’s fall from grace.”

Starbucks shares were up more than 23% in Tuesday morning trading.

Who is Brian Niccol?

Niccol has been CEO of Chipotle since 2018 and chairman of the company's board of directors since 2020.

Niccol, who is credited with turning around Taco Bell during his prior tenure as its CEO, took the reins from Chipotle founder Steve Ells. In one of his first tests as CEO, he helped the chain respond to a foodborne illness scandal by retraining all the chain's workers nationwide.

Niccol also said in a second-quarter call with investors this year that employees would be coached in "consistently making bowls and burritos correctly" in response to rampant complaints about portion sizes. The complaints sparked a viral challenge on TikTok in which customers would film their Chipotle orders being made to pressure workers to add more food to a bowl or burrito.

Niccol was also at the helm in July last year when the company began testing the Autocado . The prototype was designed to cut, core and peel avocadoes before they are hand-mashed to assist in making guacamole.

Starbucks lauded Niccol's tenure as one in which Chipotle's revenue has nearly doubled and the company's stock price has increased by nearly 800%.

"I'm incredibly proud of the work that has been accomplished since I joined Chipotle in 2018," Niccol said in a statement. "The strategic priorities this team has put in place have positioned Chipotle to win today and enable future growth. It's hard to leave such a great company and all of the talented people I've had the pleasure to work with, but I depart knowing the business is in great shape and poised for growth with a strong, experienced leadership team."

Chipotle's board has appointed Chief Operating Officer Scott Boatwright as interim CEO as the company begins a search for Niccol's permanent replacement.

"I'm excited for the new opportunity to lead the business moving forward," Boatwright said in a statement. "We have a world-class organization full of talented leaders who are passionate about our brand and purpose."

Taking over as CEO of Starbucks

Niccol is stepping in at Starbucks as Narasimhan is stepping down, less than a 18 months after taking over the Seattle-based coffeehouse chain in March 2023 .

Mellody Hobson, who chairs the Starbucks board of directors, said in a statement that the company is "thrilled" to hire Niccol, who the board believes will be a "transformative leader."

“His phenomenal career speaks for itself. Brian is a culture carrier who brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record of driving innovation and growth," Hobson said in a statement. "Like all of us at Starbucks, he understands that a remarkable customer experience is rooted in an exceptional partner experience."

Starbucks has plans to revamp some of its stores, including  technological upgrades at its new U.S. locations and 1,000 other ones.

“I am excited to join Starbucks and grateful for the opportunity to help steward this incredible company, alongside hundreds of thousands of devoted partners,” Niccol said in a statement. “I have long-admired Starbucks iconic brand, unique culture and commitment to enhancing human connections around the globe.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]