A career portfolio highlights your skills and abilities. It makes you stand out as a potential candidate. When you have a professional career portfolio, it will be your time to shine! 

Career portfolios are gaining popularity as they provide in-depth information on an individual's skills, performance, and abilities. A career portfolio always shows potential in a candidate who is applying for a specific job. 

If you are wondering who should have a career portfolio and how often it should be updated then you are in the right place. 

Let's dig in. 

Tips On Who Should Have A Career Portfolio And How Often Should It Be Updated 

A career portfolio can help you sell your skills and move forward, especially if you are a beginner, and a portfolio is suitable for creative professionals such as: 

Writers 

If you are a content writer, you can easily showcase your writing samples to potential employers. Nowadays, online portfolios showcase the work samples and that makes job search easy for you. 

Copywriters 

Just like writers, copywriters can showcase their best work via career portfolios. A portfolio is a collection of your skills and accomplishments. It highlights the work experience that can help you land more jobs. 

Graphic Designers 

As a graphic designer, you can take advantage of the career portfolios and show your best work. Previously, you may keep your work in a three-ring binder. Nowadays, you can upload your portfolio electronically. 

Artists 

Artists have the opportunity to display their artwork via career portfolios. Nowadays, you can also upload your work on social media. There is Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and a lot more! 

Actors 

Actors also use career portfolios to showcase their best performance. In addition, they can provide the contact information in the portfolio so that relevant people can contact them. 

Others 

Ideally, every person can take advantage of career portfolios. It gives information on your professional development activities. A portfolio can highlight your career history and career goals. Even if you are finding a job, you can still make a portfolio and showcase your best work or awards and recognitions to stand out from the crowd. Cutthroat and intense competition on the market and a professional portfolio can help you achieve a competitive edge. You have samples to show rather than experience. 

Best Time to Update Your Portfolio 

It's wise to update it quite often, mainly if you have recently applied for a job. You have to constantly update your portfolio as you are still establishing your career. So as soon as you see an exciting job application, make sure your career portfolio is updated. The listing of professional activities, your personal information, and your skills must be there! Even if you are volunteering community service or doing some pro bono work, mention it. 

In short, a career portfolio is your virtual representative that speaks on your behalf. 

What to Include In A Career Portfolio? 

Depending on what field you belong to, a career portfolio may include your personal information, work sample, business projects, resume links, and a lot more. 

You can use LinkedIn to host your portfolio. It's even possible to use Twitter for the same purpose. But, ideally, you have to see what's recommended by your potential employer so that you can create a portfolio on that specific platform. 

Generally, you can add: 

• You can add a personal statement. It's more like how you will introduce yourself to the world and what titles you plan on using in the statement. 
• Show your professional license. 
• You can display the artwork if you are an artist. 
• You can include your published articles if you are a writer. 
• You can include brochure designs if you are a graphic designer. 
• You can display the advertisement or catchy headlines that made you a successful copywriter. 
• Include your career summary in the portfolio. You can also add your resume. 
• Include your transcript. 
• Show your skills and abilities. 
• Volunteer work, if any! 
• The documents and data have to be ready so that you feel ready to grab the job opportunity. 
• And a lot more! 

Wrapping It Up 

A career portfolio is vital for creative professionals and everyone who has information beyond the resume and cover letter. You can introduce yourself professionally and showcase your best work, transcripts, awards, achievements, and so much more. 

You can use Teal's AI Resume Builder to help you build an effective resume today! In addition, you can link it to your career portfolio.