How to create a professional portfolio

How to create a professional portfolio


Discover how to create a professional portfolio to present your projects, skills and experiences and learn tips and tools for preparing the material

You can create a professional portfolio to highlight your relevant skills, experience and achievements in your field. In this presentation you can bring together projects, work and results that demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers, clients or professional partners.



The portfolio can be a promotional tool for professionals from different fields, from those dedicated to visual projects to those focused on creative and textual productions.

How to create a professional portfolio

When preparing a professional portfolio, you must first define the purpose of the presentation: whether it is to look for a job, demonstrate your professional progress or attract clients, for example. This definition will help guide structuring strategies and what content to prioritize in the document.

Then, you can decide whether to use a physical, digital or online distribution portfolio and choose a platform or tool to prepare the material.

To create a professional portfolio, follow these steps:

  1. Choose a clean and captivating visual proposal;
  2. Create a clear division of sections;
  3. Select your most significant works;
  4. Include personal and contact information;
  5. Review the content carefully.



  6. Make a selection of your best projects and organize the materials into different sections of your portfolio (Image: Rawpixel.com/Freepik)

Discover below the tools you can use to create a professional portfolio and advice for preparing the document.

Tools for creating a professional portfolio

There are several applications and tools you can use to create a professional portfolio, both for physical print and online distribution. Consult the options for the different business areas:

Canvas

Canva is a graphic design application that has a variety of tools and templates for creating portfolios. The platform can be used for free and serves professionals from different fields.

Adobe Portfolio

OR Adobe Portfolio is a Creative Cloud package tool ideal for designers and artists who already use other Adobe products, such as Photoshop and Illustrator. The application offers professional templates and integration with Behance, a social network for promoting and discovering creative work.

Wix

Wix is ​​a versatile platform recommended for design, digital marketing and creativity professionals. The solution offers templates and customization tools to create online portfolios with your own domain options.

  • Price: Free, with premium plans for additional features
  • Access to: wix.com

WordPress

WordPress is suitable for professionals in a variety of fields, including designers, web developers, writers, and photographers. The platform has a wide variety of themes and plugins for creating custom portfolios.

  • Price: Free, with upgrade options for additional features
  • Access to: wordpress.com

Square space

Squarespace is a website building platform that features a wide variety of portfolio-building templates, with layouts categorized by areas, themes, and goals. The solution has built-in analytics tools and its own customer domain.

medium

Medium is ideal for copywriters, journalists and writers who want to create a portfolio of articles and publications online. The platform has a simple interface focused on textual content.

  • Price: Free, with paid options for additional features
  • Access to: medium.com

Made of carbon

Carbonmade has an intuitive interface for creating professional portfolios with a focus on visual presentation and is recommended for design, illustration and digital art professionals.

Tips for creating a professional portfolio

To put together a good quality professional portfolio, you can follow these tips:

Take care of your work

The first step in creating a professional portfolio is to carefully select the most relevant and high-quality work. Choose projects that demonstrate your skills and expertise in the area you work in and avoid including unnecessary work or work that does not adequately represent your skills.

Maintain a clean design

Presenting a clean, visually appealing layout in your portfolio helps convey an image of competence and professionalism. To do this, maintain a harmonious color palette, use legible fonts, and ensure consistent alignment of elements.

Highlight your skills and experience

Include an introductory section that describes your skills, professional experience, and career goals. This section helps give colleagues, clients and employers an overview of who you are, your skills and areas of expertise.



Include a section about yourself in your portfolio highlighting your professional skills and experience (Image: Thought Catalog/Unsplash)

Describe your plans in detail

Each project in your portfolio should be accompanied by a detailed description that explains the context of the work, the challenges faced, your approach and the results achieved and, when possible, present numbers and data that confirm the information.

Include different types of work

If appropriate for your field, diversify the types of work in your portfolio to demonstrate your versatility and breadth of skills. This may include individual projects, collaborative projects, personal projects or academic work.

Structure the portfolio into well-defined sections

A good portfolio structure makes it easier for people to find the information they are looking for. Then divide the material into distinct sections and present your work grouped by themes or types of work, in order to provide a more organized presentation.

Include advice or testimonials

If possible, add recommendations or testimonials from clients, supervisors or colleagues that highlight your professional qualities. This can increase the credibility of your portfolio.

Ensure ease of contact

Don’t forget to include clear, up-to-date contact information. Provide your professional email or other contact details so potential employers or clients can easily communicate with you.

See also how to make a digital portfolio with tips for tips and online tools.

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Source: Terra

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