Creating an online portfolio: why, who and how

Online portfolios are one of the best ways to showcase your skills.

You’ve spent a lot of time perfecting your craft with studying, work experiences and skill development — now it’s time to reap the rewards. Not only is an online portfolio an excellent addition to any job application, but it can also make it easier for recruiters to find you on the web.

According to Forbes, 56% of hiring managers are impressed by a personal portfolio more than any other branding tool. With our portfolio and CV creation tool, it’s easy to make a portfolio that will help you stand out among other applicants and help you land the job of your dreams.

Why should I create an online portfolio?

The primary benefit of having a portfolio on the web is that it establishes your brand online. When you have an active personal website, any hiring manager doing online research has a chance to find you.

Whether you’re looking for a new job or you’re a freelancer searching for clients, a personal portfolio will give you a step up on the competition. With modern CV and portfolio builders, you can present your work in whichever way you prefer. Pick an appealing design and organize your work experience and skills in the way that sells you the best.

An online portfolio isn’t just helpful for finding new job opportunities, it can be used to connect with other like-minded peers within your industry and niche. At the very least, it will help you grow your network, and it may even help you find a partner for an idea you’ve been wanting to launch.

What jobs require an online portfolio?

There is a common misconception that an online portfolio is only reserved for graphic designers and photographers. Although it’s true that for these careers it is basically essential to have such a website, there is a range of other professions that greatly benefit from having an online portfolio.

Here are some of the career paths in which having an online portfolio is highly recommended:

• Advertisers
• Architects
• Artists
• Computer Scientists
• Content Writers & Copywriters
• Decorators
• Graphic Designers
• Interior Designers
• Journalists
• Models
• Make-up Artists
• Photographers
• Programmers
• Researchers
• UX/UI Designers
• Videographers
• Web Developers
• Writers

How to create an online portfolio

Creating an online portfolio involves a number of necessary considerations. These are the most important factors to keep in mind when creating the website that will display your professional acumen:

Choose a professional portfolio template

While many people creating a portfolio will be skilled in some form of visual arts, this is not the case for everyone. However, whether or not you’re a designer, your portfolio should be aesthetically pleasing and attractive to look at.

Just like with any branding tool, the way the content is presented is just as important as the content itself. This is why the first step in making a portfolio should be to pick a suitable design.

Online CV has a wide library of professional portfolio templates to choose from. We have a variety of styles and designs so that you can use the formatting that best suits your needs.

Add your personal information

Once you’ve selected a professional design, it’s time to start filling it out with content and information. Ultimately, the goal of a portfolio is to connect with the right people to find new opportunities, which means it should be easy for people reading your portfolio to contact you.

This is why at the top of your online portfolio you should add your personal information. It’s important to clearly present your name, photo, contact information, any relevant social media links and a brief but catchy summary about yourself.

Include your work experience

It goes without saying that the work you’ve actually done is an essential part of your portfolio. After including your personal information, you can include your most important work experiences using Online CV’s step-by-step portfolio builder.

Ensure that with every work experience you include the job title, company name and your top achievements or accomplishments.

Show your education

Although a portfolio is more focused on showing your work experience and past projects, your education can also help showcase your competencies. Here it’s also important to include the school, degree or qualification you obtained alongside any relevant highlights.

Don’t hesitate to also include additional certifications or courses you’ve undertaken that demonstrate your different skills, as long as they are related to your industry.

Catalogue your top projects

This is also an important part of any portfolio. In the top projects section, you can really show your expertise and the value you can bring to the table. Depending on your profession and industry, you can add some of the following examples to your portfolio using links:

• Designs
• Videos
• Articles
• Graphs
• Lab reports
• Case studies
• Research papers
• Presentations

The Online CV version of this section is called “projects”, but you can change the name to whatever fits best to your work – portfolio, projects and work samples are what most people use.

Link your clients and testimonials

Inspiring trust is essential when it comes to acquiring new clients or applying for a job. There’s no better way to stimulate confidence in your work than with testimonials from past clients and companies.

These can be added to your portfolio through the “references” section included on all Online CV templates. Just make sure to check that they approve of you referencing them directly.

Get feedback from your peers

Making an online portfolio can be a challenging task, which also means that it’s easy to get lost in the details. To ensure you don’t lose sight of the bigger picture and include all relevant information, we recommend you run your portfolio through a second pair of eyes.

Asking a trusted friend for feedback is always a great idea, but if you can find someone in your industry to give their suggestions, that’s even better.

Add relevant skills

Another way to show your expertise is through the “skills” section. Here you can add 5-6 of your main abilities which are relevant to your particular industry. When adding skills on the Online CV builder, you can filter common skills by profession, to find those that make the most sense for your particular profile.

Let’s get started!

Now that you’ve learnt how to create a well-branded online portfolio, it’s time to actually make it. We provide dozens of professional templates alongside expert guidance and step-by-step instructions to help you create the best possible website for your career. Let’s land you the job of your dreams!

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