What I Shared with Barry University Students About Portfolio Building and Presenting
I love sharing my career journey with fellow freelancers, students, and digitally curious career-seekers. Throughout my career, I often felt like I was sailing unchartered waters and didn’t have anyone to help me navigate the waves. I don’t have any career regrets, but I wish the industry would have been as open to evolution as it is now. Many things I advocated for are now the norm—things like investing in video for social media and creating remote work systems.
Whenever I am presented with the opportunity to speak with students, I tell them to bet on their work ethic, feed their creativity, operate like a business, lead with integrity, and take risks. The people who get it will find you, but to help them find you, you’ve got to have a captivating, concise portfolio.
In March 2023, I spoke in front of Barry University Media Comms students for the second time, and on this go, I focused on streamlining and presenting portfolios. Finding clear, edited ways to present my work is something I still struggle with—I even struggled with it while building out this website. I am proud of the nearly two decades I’ve spent in media and communications, but I know I can’t showcase everything all the time.
So to help the students conjure thoughtful ways to present themselves and their work, I created a list of important reflection points to consider when curating a portfolio. I also included examples of digital, interactive, and traditional presentation options.
STEP ONE: ESTABLISHING GOALS
Are you looking to get your foot in the door, learn a new skill set, work under someone you admire, or transition into a new industry?
Does your portfolio or resume reflect your goal(s)?
“For me, showcasing my versatile portfolio of capabilities has much to do with my benchmarks and goals and where I want to take my brand. Start with your overall brand goal and create a strategy that highlights, amplifies, and gets you closer to it.” - Vanessa James
Voice-over artist, host, writer (former VJ)
STEP TWO: AUDITING + ORGANIZING YOUR SKILLSET
Does your portfolio showcase that you know what you're doing OR that if you don't know what you're doing:
People have trusted you to figure it out
You've accomplished other things that prove you can figure out
You have been accoladed or noted for stellar work
You've taken the incentive to learn
You have referrals and testimonials on hand to support your work ethic or talent
You have moved the needle somehow with a story, for a client, or a brand
You have invested in yourself (time, resources, energy) to present the best version of yourself
You have done your homework
Your skills can transfer over
Your values and purpose align even if all your skills don’t - skills can be learned, values are more innate
STEP THREE: UNDERSTANDING YOUR TARGET INDUSTRY OR ROLE + TAILORING TO IT
Research the platforms and spaces where your desired job or industry engages.
Read job descriptions to see what they ask for when applying
What terms do they use?
What links do they ask for?
What qualifications can you showcase, and where can you make up for the ones you don't have?
Stay in the know and on top of listings and opportunities even when you're not looking
Select multiple platforms to showcase your skillset, tailoring your presentation to the strengths of that platform
Have multiple, emailable versions of your portfolio ready to send within 48 hours
Create templates that can be easily customized and edited
Update your portfolios multiple times throughout the year, especially when working in social media
STEP FOUR: LAST LOOKS—ASK YOURSELF
Is your portfolio:
Easy to follow
Representative who you are and what you can do
Relevant to the reader
Aesthetically pleasing but professional
Consistent in tone, style, and branding
Tailored to the person, company, or hiring manager on the receiving end
Speak to who you are but also what they need
SOME PORTFOLIO PLATFORM OPTIONS TO REVIEW
Canva
Squarespace
Wix
Wordpress
Mailchimp
LinkedIn