What To Include In A Portfolio That Will Make You Stand Out
If you’re pursuing a career as a creative professional your golden ticket is your creative portfolio.
I am sure you know what a portfolio is and you most likely have many samples of your work from your time studying at a university or other educational institutions. However, job seekers looking to get into a creative field may not know exactly what to include in a portfolio for an interview.
The reason I chose to write this article is for two reasons:
- Most creative students, in general, don’t know how to put together a portfolio.
- To highlight pieces of work that employers look for during a job interview.
The goal is to diversify your professional portfolio by including a variety and high-quality samples of your work which in turn will help you stand out among other candidates during your job search.
Table of Contents
Logo Design
Beginning with the basics, you should include a logo that you designed.
A logo is a timeless addition to any portfolio. A well-designed logo in your portfolio can highlight your creativity and graphic design skills. Logos show employers that you have an understanding of combining simplicity and meaning.
Quick Tip: A tip I learned from a former professor is to include both color and black and white versions of the logo in your portfolio. It shows that not only does the logo work in its multi-color form but is still elegant in a single color format.
Print Advertising Examples
From my own personal experience, I am assuming print advertisements are what make up the majority of your work. I say that because the majority of my assignments from college centered on creating different forms of print advertisements.
Print advertisements are any advertisements you designed that include magazine layouts, posters, billboards, flyers or any other physical print.
Print advertisements are a good way to highlight your creativity, composition/layout and copywriting skills. They are always a fine addition to any portfolio.
Advertising Applications
Building off print advertisements you should include actual applications of the advertisements you created in your portfolio.
Include examples of what your work would look like in the actual setting.
Now, you’re probably thinking how can I even do this? Of course, you’re not going to want to buy actual billboard space or print of large copies of your work to hang on public walls.
The answer is Photoshop. You can build or find PSD files that allow you to upload your work which you can then export as your own.
Photography
Showcase any photography ads you have created.
Photography has always been and most likely will always play a role in advertising. Show employers that you know how to take a decent photograph and can manipulate it into being a beautiful advertisement.
Now, it is true that not everyone is a gifted photographer. Not to mention the expensive equipment, time and patience it requires to capture a great photograph, something most students tend to lack.
However, with the software today you can turn a photo, even taken from your phone, into a fine advertising piece that can be added to your portfolio.
Photography ads in portfolios break up the repetitive illustrations and designs by adding a splash of realistic imagery.
Guerilla Advertisements
If you’re not familiar with the term, guerilla advertising is when a company uses surprise or unconventional interactions to advertise their product or service.
These kinds of advertisements are what will make you stand out during the interview process. The reason being that it is one of the truest displays of creativity in the advertising world.
Creating effective guerilla advertisements requires thinking outside the box, a skill most sought after by creative agencies.
That being said, any form of guerilla advertisements you have should be included in your portfolio. It is sure to make you stand out from other candidates and will leave a lasting impression.
Web Design
Here is where we begin to stray away from what you have traditionally heard about assembling your portfolio.
There is a climbing trend in advertising for digital media. Web design is hot right now as companies begin to allocate their budget more towards digital platforms.
With that said, include in your portfolio any digital or web work you have created.
Take it even a step further by creating a website for an online portfolio. Doing this can separate you from other candidates and makes your portfolio easily accessible to employers. It doesn’t take much time to learn how to build a website.
PPC Advertisements
Staying on the course of digital advertisements, include in your portfolio any Pay-Per-Click ads or social media ads you have created.
Although these ads fall short on the creative end, they will still show the hiring manager that you have the skillset for creating and managing these kinds of advertisements.
The best part is they are easy to learn and make. Creating a Google Ads account or a Facebook Business account is simple and gives you the opportunity to create advertisements without having to spend money.
Full Advertising Campaigns
All prospective employers want to see your ability to create a project from start to finish.
In your career portfolio, include any complete projects you have done.
Although it is recommended to let visuals do the talking in your portfolio, adding the campaign objective, summary and research alongside your work will show hiring managers that you have the capabilities of handling every aspect of an advertising campaign.
Personal Information
Lastly, put some information about yourself in your portfolio. Having the last page dedicated to yourself presents ownership and portrays that you are proud of your work.
Include any social media you want them to follow, website URLs, special skills, contact information, cover letter, etc.
Personal branding is an effective way of getting potential employers to remember you. It adds a personal touch to your work.
Summary
Whether you are looking to update your portfolio or are just starting from scratch, I hope this article answered your question on what to include in your creative portfolio.
My last word of advice is to not doubt yourself or work. If you truly feel that a piece of work belongs in your portfolio than include it. The best work is kind you’re passionate about.