Online PortfoliosLawrence Gulston

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What is an online portfolio?

A website that you design to show your accomplishments using text visuals slideshows video

personal logo

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Why an online portfolio?

Most employers now prefer to view a job candidate’s work samples and personal history online

You have more space to provide lots of detail about yourself and to give an employer a sense of your skilled and enthusiastic personality

The way you design your online portfolio demonstrates skills in graphic and web design.

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Online portfolio websites

Examples of websites for creating your own online portfolio

Carbonmade

Behance

Dunked

Coroflot

AllYou

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Wordpress.com

Best value Free account gives you blog or portfolio website Lots of support, tutorials, FAQs Well designed website themes, news, forums &

features Complete management software for custom

domains

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Making a Portfolio Online

Making a website on these host websites is easy

BUT

Making it good is not! Learn to design!

You must do more than showcase your achievements You have to convert visitors into employment

opportunities

Here are the key elements:

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Know Your Audience & Purpose

Audience: the employer The employer wants to see your work So showcase your projects that got the best reactions

from professors or clients or just friends & family. Be selective. Put up only the best work on your

website.

Purpose: what is the goal? For example, getting a job, starting a career keeping a flow of work coming in building relationships, networking

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Design Carefully

Keep it simple and focussed on content.

Use more white space and fewer decorations.

Check it out in different browsers.

Invent a logo and tagline.

Create a variety of possible layouts and choose the best.

Select only your best work and describe how you created each project.

Get testimonials from professors, teachers, supervisors or clients.

Printed by me, shipped to you. With love.

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Single level oforganization

Summary of qualifications

What does her portrait tell you about Jana Remy?

Name prominent at top left

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Single level of organization

Includes video

BIO – summary of qualifications

What does his portrait tell you about Ian F. Hunt?

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Build Easy Navigation

An essential feature for busy employers

Include the fewest possible sections with the fewest levels of navigation

On this portfolio home page, just three other sections are listed across the top, easy to spot and click, then a short description of the studio with three more links to samples of her work.

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Write Clearly

Only write what is useful. Keep to the point. Don’t ramble. Edit text down to the minimum to cover content.

Put your best content at the front (home page, top of a page). Include writing samples (in PDF).

The right tone: relaxed and friendly. Be clear and coherent. Let your personal style show.

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Assert Your Personality

Home (Index) Page who you are and what you do link to About Me page

About Me education, experience, photo, goals, interests, and online

resume. This where potential employers go for answers to essential

questions about the real you. Share your point of view and how you became interested in

doing this kind of work. Use details that demonstrate your connections to other

professionals.

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Relaxed, friendly, informative

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Add links

Connect your social media accounts to your site. LinkedIn (essential), Facebook (clean), Twitter, Pinterest,

etc. Add a blog.

Add a detailed Contact page with all your contact information Phone numbers (especially mobile number for texting) Emails (use a formal one for employer contact, ie. One

with your name in it, not an alias) Mailing address, etc.

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LinkedIn: Enhance Your Profile

Add an attractive background graphic (design or landscape photo, etc.)

Add a good portrait photo, head and shoulders only

Fill in all the fields and add supporting files to demonstrate skills Summary: best qualifications Experience: paid work Courses: special certifications e.g. NAUI scuba, bronze medallion, etc. Honours & Awards Publications (if any) Volunteer Experience & Causes Projects: current and past, individual or group work Languages Skills: ones you can legitimately claim and other people in your network can

endorse. Education: high school and college Interests: these become links to connect with people with same interests

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LinkedIn: Build Connections

Grow your network. Search for people you know now or knew in the

past: teachers, co-workers, classmates, or friends. People You May Know: suggested connections

based on the people already in your network. Keep In Touch: send messages (e.g.

Congratulations) to contacts. Talk about your job search.

Find Alumni: especially for the college graduate. Important connections; they know about jobs not posted.

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LinkedIn: Look for Jobs

Set your preferences: location, size of company, etc.

Search by job title, company, location, etc.

Discover jobs in your network, based on your profile information

Save job postings and searches

Review past applications

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LinkedIn: Explore Your Interests

Companies Inform yourself about their current activities

Groups Explore your interests and join discussions about things you

know about. Follow companies and organizations you want to work for

Pulse Follow the posts of people whose ideas make a difference Explore and follow Channels and Influencers (shows you’re

interested in current ideas and developments)

Education Find new opportunities for education or connect with groups

at your school

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Update regularly

Keep your portfolio fresh. Add new experience,

work projects, community work, and so on as it happens.

Update social media content daily or weekly. Keep it clean (no sex,

drugs, or rock ‘n roll).

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