It is no secret that the job market is fast paced, competitive, and has been incredibly disheveled in recent years. A simple resume is not making the cut anymore. As applicants we have a short time frame to impress recruiters and talent agents. Portfolios help create an immediate impact by allowing a visual and seamless way to exhibit your skills to future employers or clients. While a resume can simply be made on Microsoft Word, a portfolio can be trickier to put together. In this post, I will guide you through the step-by-step process of creating an effective writing portfolio!
Identify Your Writing Niche
Start off by identifying which writing niche you are looking to break into. This will influence the work samples you place into the portfolio as well as the overarching style of the portfolio. Various niches can be copywriting, content writing, blogging, ghost writing, author / book writing, poet, creative writing, legal writing, technical writing, so on and so forth.
If like myself, you select the copywriting niche, you would be inputting written samples of advertisements, social media captions, sales pitches, product descriptions, email campaigns, and short-form content posts pitching a certain product or service.
If you select the content writing niche, you would be inputting written samples of web articles, blog posts, magazine features, editorial articles, guest posts, contributing articles on large websites, and so forth.
If you select the author niche, you would be inputting written samples of short stories, short narratives, links to previously written books or e-books, any ghost writing you have done for other established authors, and so forth.
Select A Medium For Your Portfolio
There are several different platforms that you can use to build a portfolio. The most obvious is to purchase a domain from either Google Domains or Go Daddy and use it to open up a website on either Blogger, Wordpress, Wix, or Squarespace. For this you will have to spend a bit of time studying each platform to see which you find best. Then you'll have to study the features of each platform, how to post, how to create tabs, how to insert links, etc. Once that is all figured out, you can head over to sites like Etsy and purchase a website template file to import to your website. If you do not want to purchase a website template, free sites like Gooyaabi Templates have plenty of free options.
If you want to forgo the website route because it seems like too much of a commitment, you can use platforms such as Notion, Canva, and Contra to create free portfolios. On Canva, you can create a free simple webpage from hundreds of their templates. On Notion, you can simply upload your work samples and decorate the page to fit your branding. Be sure to make your Notion page publicly viewable if you want anyone else to be able to see it through the share link you provide them with.
Finally, the easiest option of them all is to create a contra portfolio. Contra lets you upload your work samples, insert pictures, and design a whole profile with your picture and a small bio. It has a clean, seamless, and beautiful layout. Best of all, you can connect your bank account to Contra and upload gigs there for clients to book. Contra also has a built in job board where you can browse and apply to writing gigs posted by others. I use Contra, it is certainly my favorite when it comes to portfolios.
Upload Polished Work Samples
Upload work samples that have been thoroughly refined and edited. Make sure you upload different types of samples. For example you may upload copy samples, short blogs, product descriptions, email campaign samples, and so forth. Make sure you include a brief statement with each sample explaining the aim and purpose of that sample, while also mentioning what that respective client was looking for and how you fulfilled it.
Include high-quality graphics and photos with your work samples if applicable. Make sure everything is neat and visually pleasing. All fonts and typing formats should be uniform and easy to read.
Include links to any published work, published web content, and any prominent social media posts.
Share Your Portfolio Link Everywhere
Whether you choose a domain or a subdomain for your portfolio link, make sure you decide on a link and stick with it. You will be sharing this link everywhere, so you do not want to change it later and create confusion or lose traffic.
Include your portfolio link in your social media bios, on Linkedin, in your resumes, and so forth. Get the word out and spread your link. The more people lay eyes on your work, the better.
Power-Packed Portfolio
Keep your portfolio updated. Keep adding new and better projects that you do. Your portfolio should exhibit your current skill level. Personalize your portfolio and really add your own touch to it. Show how you are above your competitors. This is your time to show your talents through a visual medium. A solid portfolio can open many doors. Take the time to sit down, collate your work, and create one. You'll be glad you did!
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