Even if you don’t have enough material to create a portfolio, the time to start building yours is now.
Portfolios are for the driven, the go-getters, the people (in any industry) proactively carving their own path to success. They are for the personal branders. They aren’t just for artists anymore. They are for YOU.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, your portfolio is 1,000 times more effective than your resume at getting you hired. Period. If you approach employers with a portfolio in hand, you will always have a leg up on the candidates who only have a resume, no matter what industry you’re in.
Potential employers want to see one thing above all else: proof of your skills. A resume is not proof of your skills. Applicants lie on their resumes so often that employers naturally don’t fully trust resumes. So how do you build their trust? By showing them real examples of work you’ve done. Remember: any project worth doing (in school, in work or in life) will leave you with deliverables. Deliverables of a good project become braggables. Your portfolio is a thoughtful, put-together showcase of your braggables.
You need a portfolio because potential employers only know you based on your projects.
To an employer, you ARE the projects you’ve done.
A portfolio will help you win career opportunities, because it:
· Provides accountability (proof) of your work
· Guides others’ attention to your specific strengths
· Quickly identifies your transferable skills
· Elevates you above your competitors who only have resumes
Remember: potential employers are going to Google you as a pre-screen, even before they call you in for an interview. If you don’t pass their web search pre-screen, you will miss opportunities that could lead to a fulfilling, rewarding career. Just think of your potential employers’ faces when they expect to find dirt on you, and end up at your professional web portfolio. That’s why personal branding online is so powerful – it builds visibility and credibility on the web, winning you opportunities that will positively impact you for the rest of your life.
To start building your own web portfolio today, sign up for a free Brand-Yourself account. Along with your own web space, you’ll get the tools and resources you need to create a compelling online representation of yourself and your skills, including easy file uploads so you can showcase your work. Just head over to our sign-up page now to get started building your online portfolio.
