Developing an Online Portfolio
If you're a new media professional without an online portfolio, it's time to get one started. Even if you're in marketing or communications, it pays to put your work on the Web. Your Internet portfolio holds the advantage of showcasing your services 24/7, enabling potential clients to find you with just a few clicks. Find out how to develop a compelling digital presence:
Organize
No matter how talented you are, if potential clients get lost trying to navigate your website, they won't hire you to work on theirs. Keep in mind that you're not only displaying your artwork but also your understanding of information architecture. A logical arrangement enables prospective employers to easily access the information they need to make a hiring decision. For example, if you're a graphic and web designer, you might try dividing your site into the following sections: sites you've designed; animations (banner ads, buttons, Flash work); and scans of your print pieces. Label each portion clearly, and provide navigation that will be intuitive to visitors. Test your site by asking friends to find elements you'd want a prospective client to access with ease. If they're able to find the information quickly, you're in good shape.
Stick to the facts
Provide a concise explanation of each piece you're showcasing on your site. Think like a reporter when labeling your samples, and provide answers to the following questions:
- Who - Who was the client? (Be sure to get permission to use your clients' names.)
- What - What was the client's objective? What was your role in the project?
- Where - Where was the piece used?
- When - What's the approximate date of the piece (month and year)?
- Why - Why is the piece important?
- How - How did you meet the client's goal? For example, what software was used and what techniques did you employ?
Additionally, you'll want to provide links to a client list, your resume and a brief biography explaining your career path in the industry, preferably on the home page. Don't get too carried away when telling your story. The less scrolling visitors have to do, the better.
Select your pieces carefully
Too many samples can take a long time to download, and a wait exceeding 30 seconds at average modem speed is probably long enough to deter some clients. So be very choosy when deciding which pieces to display. A good rule is to include no more than 15 work samples overall.
Although the web community has largely rejected frames, they're still a useful way to navigate quickly through a gallery of work, so you might want to consider using them in some areas. People can scroll through postage-stamp-sized graphics in the narrow (navigation) frame and click on one to display the full-size graphic in the main frame.
Show your range
This is especially important if you're applying for a job that requires a wide range of skills, such as web content developer. Content developers are often expected to possess a combination of communication, design and technical skills, so links to writing, coding and web graphics would be appropriate. Alternatively, if you're a communications pro, you may want to show several types of writing – press releases, newsletters, ad copy, etc. But don't overwhelm; one to three good pieces of each type is all you need.
Zero in on your specialty
After you've demonstrated your range, show the depth of your expertise in one area. Are you known for your great toolbars? Cool rollover menus? Exciting splash pages? Provide different treatments of the same types of items to show you're not a one-idea person.
Focus on creativity
Originality – your ability to distinguish a prospective client company from the competition – is what will impress clients most. As you choose samples for your web portfolio, concentrate on those pieces that show your unique vision and ability to turn out cutting-edge material.
Keep it professional
Let your work illustrate your creativity; don't get too personal or "cute" with pictures or text. For example, one web designer, who called himself "the wolf" used a picture of a howling dog as the backdrop to his site, and divided links into the following topics: "What the Wolf wants"; "what the Wolf needs"; and "what the Wolf can do for you." Funny? Yes – and you may be able to get away with it in certain situations – but ultimately you should strive for a more professional online appearance.
Repurpose your content for the web
Don't let your site become "brochureware." If you're a writer, break up a long story and spread it over two or three pages. Include plenty of subheads, and link to new pages at appropriate points. If you can, supplement the text with illustrations to add visual interest. Finally, have a friend click through and ask him or her, "Does it make you want to keep reading?"
Perform quality control testing
Make sure the URLs you give are still displaying your work. (To avoid losing your samples when a client's site is redesigned, store copies of your best pages on your own site.) Run through all the pages to find out if there are any broken links on your site, and test on all platforms and browsers so you know what people will be seeing.
Take advantage of the medium
Internet portfolios can contain work that can be shown only on the web (Flash animations, Perl scripts, Java applets). If you include both the working item and a link to the code that produced it, you have the opportunity to show your clever implementation in addition to your well- constructed code.
Offer a quick tour
Even if you're selective in your samples, a "guided tour" that runs through five pages can be helpful. (This client-pull technique uses a META tag with a REFRESH attribute – directions can be found in any HTML book.) If the hiring manager wants to see more, he or she can go back to the beginning and click through.
Make contact information clear
You'd be surprised how many online portfolios leave visitors searching for phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. Prominently display this information – it's the most important thing you can do!
In addition to serving as an impressive addition to your repertoire of job hunting tools, a web portfolio holds another advantage – it's relatively easy to update. Be sure to revisit your site every few months to replace older work with newer pieces, and get ready to grow your client list!
Source: creativegroup.com
