Looking for a new job? How do you make your resume stand out among the hundreds that sit on an HR manager’s desk? Aside from these great resume tricks, you can also make an online portfolio.
An online portfolio can help you showcase your work in a way that a traditional resume can’t. IT developers can display screenshots of applications they have created, and links to any websites they have created and managed. Writers can also show scans of their printed articles. These all help the HR manager see, in living color, your talent and experience—and in a multi-media age, that’s possibly the best way to communicate. Here are some tips for making an online portfolio.
Why should you put your portfolio online?
Most HR managers will ignore emailed portfolios, because of potential viruses. Thick, physical portfolios will only get buried under the paperwork. So an emailed link is safer and somehow feels easier to digest than a 3-inch thick folder of documents. (Plus, you don’t have to worry about your portfolio getting lost—or spending on making multiple copies!)
Make it user friendly
The best online portfolios are easy to read, which also means that the HR manager doesn’t have to go through the trouble of downloading multiple files (like Word documents and PDFs). Spend some time organizing the website so navigation is easy and almost intuitive. HR managers don’t have the patience to figure out what to click and where to go. So do a road-test: show your online portfolio to friends, including those who have absolutely no internet skills at all, and see how easily they find and remember information.
Add labels and descriptions
Don’t just upload images. Explain why it’s significant (ex: this brochure was a rush job made in just three days, but increased customer sales by 45%).
Streamline your portfolio
Include information that’s relevant to your industry and desired job—no more, no less. Nobody really wants to see your personal photos of hobbies or interests.
Use video and pictures
An online portfolio is a great way to include video clips and other visual media like graphs or charts.
Invest in a domain name
If you’re a freelancer or a consultant you may want to invest in a domain name, so your portfolio can be a ‘living document’ where you can keep adding work samples or letters of recommendation from happy clients.
Photo from techbuddy.us
Great idea! An online portfolio is also great for hobbyists to share what they made or did.