Job hunting is hard. The resume that you spend so much time and energy perfecting will likely go largely unnoticed among the hundreds that employers receive for each position. Your cover letter might be scanned, at best. It’s essential to separate yourself from the crowd and an online portfolio is one major way to do just that. Below are the top seven reasons why having one is a crucial addition to your career search.
1. Increase your online presence: When an employer googles you, your online portfolio — complete with all of your professional achievements and work samples — will appear instantly, making you a more attractive candidate.
2. Display your versatile skill set: Set yourself apart from the masses by demonstrating your work and experience in a modern, relevant way.
3. Earn your interview: Applicants who go the extra mile to stand out are more likely to hear from employers in a competitive market. It’s nearly impossible to convey your personality in a standard resume, but an online portfolio brings you to life for hiring managers.
4. Show all of your work in a concise and organized fashion: Most companies require some demonstrated sample of your work prior to even inviting you in for an interview. You paste links or attach samples to your application, which inevitably get overlooked or lost in the shuffle. Job hunting is tough from the employer’s end as well. An online space where your work samples, resume, and contact information are organized, clear, and really pop will help keep you in the forefront of the employer’s mind, and help you brand yourself.
5. Demonstrate eagerness: Everyone has a resume. Everyone has probably polished it. Not everyone has taken the extra step of adding another level of professional depth to their pitch. It shows that you are eager to work, motivated to get the job, and would be someone who puts in the extra effort.
6. Showcase your talents on a platform that you create yourself: The portfolio is all about your ability to set yourself apart and get noticed by employers. There’s no better way to prove your skill set and tenacious work ethic than to provide it on a platform that you were creative enough to produce yourself — especially you aren’t even a graphic design mastermind.
7. Enhance your job search regardless of career path: You might think that having a portfolio would only really benefit someone hoping for a graphic design career but that’s not true. You can have this tool customized and tailored to your specific career goals, including writing samples, professional references, web development or design samples. The list is endless.
Convinced? Want one? Yeah? Yeah! We can help. There’s still time to participate in the Capitalista Contest. Click here for details!
Happy hunting!
xo
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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.