How to Build a Winning Portfolio That'll Make Everyone Want to Hire You

Think of a portfolio as a living album of your work. 

 

Whether you’re a writer, graphic designer, ad agency talent, freelance developer or any type of job seeker, a work portfolio allows you to show samples of your work that can’t be conveyed in a resume. It allows the hiring manager to assess communication skills, design, and presentation skills, and not to mention, overall technical aptitude. Like an artist builds a gallery portfolio, a tech portfolio is just as useful to demonstrate skill building over time.  

 

Just ask Crystal Crump, the Managing Director of Company Relations at LaunchCode. She is charged with (and personally committed to) helping individuals gain access to technology careers and upward mobility, all by partnering with business leaders aiming to achieve recruitment goals. In other words, she knows exactly what hiring managers want to see. 

 

“At LaunchCode, since we work with technologists who honed their skills in non-traditional ways, job candidates must demonstrate their skill and drive in creative ways, and a strong portfolio is a great way to showcase this!” says Crump. Here, she breaks down everything you need to know as you build, present and share your work portfolio. It is, after all, your life’s work.  

 

How to build a winning work portfolio… 

 

1. Be honest and make sure you're accurately listing and describing your skill sets, experience and achievements. “Hiring managers can typically tell when a portfolio lists skills that the candidate has not yet aced,” says Crump. “Plus, being honest about your interests and competency will ensure you're being matched with a position where you can thrive.”
2.  Highlight achievements, not responsibilities. When describing your past work, think about the impact of the work. For example – did your work improve system performance? If so, by how much? Also be sure to talk about the results and how it affected the overall outcome. 
3. Demonstrate how your skillset is constantly growing in your portfolio. “Hiring teams want to see you moving forward in your learning journey and demonstrating that you love to learn will prove you have the ability to quickly adapt to new industry trends or technologies.” 

 

 What to include in your winning work portfolio…
 

1. It sounds simple, but providing your bio, along with your contact information is crucial.  Says Crump, “Too often, candidates dive right into their projects and work experience but forget to talk about themselves as a person. A bio is also a great place to demonstrate passion for the industry and the type of job you're seeking.” It's also the place to talk about your goals for the future – if you're learning new skills or working through a certification, explain why and how it will help you achieve your goals.
2. Include work samples. Hiring teams want to see examples of your past work and they want to hear you talk about it. This will give them an idea of the way you work, where your strengths lie and how well you're able to communicate the moving parts of the job. If you can provide links to any public work you've completed, this is also helpful in conveying your competence.
3.  Include testimonials, references letters or any awards received. Providing endorsements from third party entities helps build credibility and allows the hiring team to see that you're a team player and have provided value to projects or employers in the past. “Listing any type of recognition or awards you've received gives you an edge over other candidates,” says Crump.

 

Finishing touches to make your winning work portfolio a homerun…
 

Don't forget to tailor your portfolio to the job you want. You should highlight your desired job title prominently – even if you are a graduate of a school or a program, listing yourself as a "Software Developer" rather than "College Graduate" shows your confidence and desire to jump into a role instead of highlighting where you came from.

Crump reminds job seekers to only share appropriate content and do not publish any company proprietary work. Last but not least, Crump advises those on the hunt for gigs and opportunities to ensure your work portfolio is well-organized, graphically appealing and most of all, very professional.