“It’s simple. You know how Upwork works; if you don’t have anything to show that you’ve done something before, your profile gets ignored. This has made me miss out on many gigs as a good writer with no portfolio” says 19yr old Susan who is a writer.
In the world today, you will find that there are many like Susan who is brilliant at what they do, but do not have proof of previous experiences, causing them to miss out on important things. This is why it is necessary to create a portfolio and keep it ready at all times.
A portfolio is a group of selected work samples by someone usually as a representation of their expertise or experiences in a certain field. For people in tech or creative fields, having a portfolio is as important as anything because it displays vital information about their works and helps attract opportunities and land gigs for them.
Why Should You Have a Portfolio?
During an interview with a women’s magazine for a writing role, Emmanuella (not a real name) was requested to submit her photography portfolio as evidence that she was truly a photographer, but she had nothing to show, despite her years of experience. This almost lost her the gig.
Portfolios, like resumés, are a vital part of a person’s career. They are proof of your competence and possession of skills relevant to the field you work in.
Steve writes “Portfolios have several important purposes, not only do they serve as a historical checklist of an artist’s accomplishments but they are also useful during exhibitions as viewers can follow these documents to look into information related to the artists for their own respective curiosities”
To put yourself in a position of better advantage, it is crucial to have a portfolio displaying your best works. This sets you off on an opportunity path. Like in the words of Lucuis Seneca, a Roman Philosopher “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”
How Do You Build a Professional Portfolio?
“When I was asked to send my photography portfolio to the editor in chief of the magazine I was looking to work with, I texted my best friend asking how I could create one and how long it’d take. I urgently needed it, lest I’d lose the job” Emmanuella told CrestHub.
To build an impressive professional portfolio that would attract the interest of a prospective employer, here are 4 important things to know:
- Compile a selected number of your best works:
A portfolio is a great opportunity to display what you can do and how good you are at it. So, a compilation of your works which can be articles, photographs, artworks, links to podcasts, voiceovers, anything at all, gives an overview of your work and the skills you possess.
The information included in a portfolio primarily depends on the kind of job you are looking to get. Be conscientious about how you present your work. - In your profile, be sure to include information about the successful and prominent individuals and companies you have worked with in the past, if any. This will further prove your competence and heighten your chances of landing the job.
- Always update your portfolio.
It is important to keep your portfolio up-to-date by including recent works. This shows how passionate you are about what you do and your growth over time. - Quality and not Quantity:
Most businesses and individuals value quality over quantity and for you to make lasting impressions on potential buyers, don’t get hung up on delivering more works at the expense of standard quality. “Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is better than two doubles” Steve Jobs would say.
