One of the most common questions I get from new content writers, freelancers is how to make an impressive portfolio. What’s great about this question, though, is that it’s one of the easiest to answer.
You don’t need special software or high-tech tools to create an awesome portfolio that will wow potential employers and clients. In fact, all you need are seven simple steps, as outlined below...
Start with one, Strong Social Media Profile
Setting up your professional social media profile, such as LinkedIn, is an important first step when building your portfolio. Whether you’re looking for freelance work or trying to land a full-time job, most employers and prospective clients check out your online presence before contacting you.
You want them to find everything they need and only what they need in one place. That means streamlining all of your networks into one easy-to-find portal. If you currently have separate Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and personal site accounts for business purposes (and we highly recommend it), get rid of some if not all of them so that you can focus on building your strongest platform in just one spot.
That way prospective employers can easily access links to articles you've written or websites you've designed without having to jump from site to site; once they like what they see there, they'll be more likely to reach out with potential opportunities.
Add your Articles, Stories, and more
One of your most important job-related assets is your portfolio. All creative professions have portfolios and all businesses want them, so in addition to creating one that highlights your expertise, you need to make sure it’s easy for people to view and access.
Look at any designer or writer’s website and you’ll likely see their portfolio featured prominently on their page; they want people to see what they can do! Here are some more tips on making an impressive portfolio Add as many examples of your work as possible, such as projects (like brochures), articles (like magazine content), videos (like explainer videos), or photos (like branded image content).
Focus on those pieces that highlight different skillsets like animation vs. design. Finally, showcase samples relevant to the clients you want to attract and connect with those companies through social media profiles like Twitter and LinkedIn. The best way to stand out?
Embed links to Pieces you are Most Proud of
A portfolio is just your best piece of work, in one place. And while you may want to let prospective employers know what you’re capable of, it’s also important to showcase your personality. For instance, use excerpts from your favorite works or moments that made you proudest. Don’t forget to include fun stuff (like Instagram photos) too! You are more than your job title; show them who you are as a person.
List all of your Published Pieces
If you’re interested in writing professionally, it’s important to build up your portfolio. To help make sure your work is on-point and at its best, it can be useful to show some of your own pieces before sending them out into the world.
Whether you’re applying for jobs or trying to submit freelance pieces, having a list of all of your published works is crucial.
You may even want to send along a pdf that includes all of your credits as well, after all, if someone wants to see what kind of work you do, you might as well give them everything at once! These days there are lots of resources online that let you upload your portfolio if yours doesn’t exist online yet, now’s as good a time as any to create one!
Tell Readers how they can reach you
If you are looking for freelance writing opportunities, reach out with your portfolio. Keep in mind that editors and business owners want evidence of your ability to tell a story (or even just write clearly).
In other words, prove that you can create content their audience will love don’t expect them to take you on as a trial-and-error prospect. And if you want something more than freelancing, try our guide:
The Next Step: How To Create A Plan For Your Freelance Writing Career. Don’t be afraid to reach out; it never hurts to send one email or make one phone call. Just remember: It is up to you to promote yourself, so keep calm and do some research!
Make sure it looks Good on Mobile!
The look of your portfolio is just as important as its content, if not more so. Visitors won’t have time to scroll through your work if it’s hard or impossible to do so on their mobile devices, which are likely what they’ll be using.
A simple template with clean, easy-to-use navigation will make sure that you don’t lose potential clients before they even get past your first page. When in doubt, check out sites like Squarespace and WordPress to see how some of today’s most popular bloggers design their portfolios.
Using examples from those sites can help you design yours better than starting from scratch even if you use a different platform than theirs.
Update it Often
Having an updated portfolio is vital as you look for job opportunities. With that in mind, you need to keep it fresh and up-to-date with your most recent work at all times.
If one of your previous employers would like to see something that’s no longer online, share it with them or make sure you upload another copy somewhere else so that it can be accessed by potential employers.
You never know when someone will request to view old pieces of content from your portfolio, but if they do ask it may give you a big opportunity. Don’t let outdated content on your portfolio stand in the way of getting new employment.
Conclusion
If you are planning on pursuing a career as a freelance writer, be sure to market yourself well and make your portfolio more than just pages of writing samples.
Show prospective clients that you’re more than just words on paper, and include anything else you think might impress them in your portfolio: photography samples, videos, brochures. However you choose to present it, your portfolio should be top-notch before approaching potential clients and shouldn’t need much editing once it’s finished.
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