University Career Services

What should I include in my portfolio?

219 Hanes Hall

Web: careers.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-6507

1. Resume:
As a creative, how your resume looks is
critical. Think of it as a typographic design
that communicates your education,
experience, and skills.
Keep it clean, simple, but visually
interesting.

DEVELOPING A
CREATIVE PORTFOLIO
What is a portfolio? A portfolio is:

Proof of your skills and competencies

shown through documentations of your
previous work.
Always a work in progress. You will change
the content of your portfolio as you grow.
and gain further experience.

Why create a portfolio?

To apply for scholarships, grants, and/or

graduate school
To demonstrate your talent, skills, and
abilities to prospective employers during
your job search

How do I present my portfolio?

1. Hard Copy Format
Use a leather-bound binder with a spine
that opens and closes to accept sleeves.
Copy your files to a CD/DVD or store it on
the web as a backup.
2. Digital Format
Make it easy to access, navigate, and view.
See sites listed on page 2 to get started
3. Guidelines for both formats:
Its really the content that matters.
Consider your work before how you think
about how you showcase it.
Structure the portfolio with a beginning,
middle, and end. It does not need to be
structured chronologically. Key tip: The
final piece leaves a lasting impression, so
make it your best.
When presenting in person, gauge the
energy and attention of the interview. Do
not provide extraneous information or
explanations.

2. Sample Work:
Include 12-20 pieces. Think quality vs.
quantity and select your best work.
Demonstrate diversity in media application
(print, broadcast, web, etc.) as well as
product and audience.
Can include: newsletters, articles, scripts,
logos, stationary, direct mail pieces,
brochures, press kits, ads, posters, banners,
websites and/or website copy, photography,
etc.
Do not show work that is considered
confidential by an employer or client.
Write brief descriptions or captions including
the project name, date, purpose, and target
audience. Your portfolio should be selfexplanatory in case you are unable to
narrate.
3. Sketches and Photos:
If you include a personal photo on your
online portfolio, be sure it is professional.
Use sketches in conjunction with final pieces
to demonstrate thought process.
Show photos of events you have organized.

Example of a digital student portfolio template on web.unc.edu

COPYRIGHT2011 UNC-CHAPEL HILL

University Career Services

What resources exist to help get me started?

1. Digital Portfolio Sites:

219 Hanes Hall

Web: careers.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-6507

PORTFOLIO SPECIFIC SITES

DESCRIPTION

http://carbonmade.com/

Can upload 35 photos for free/basic account

Targeted toward designers

http://shownd.com/

Tag your skills and be found by others

Targeted toward designers and artists

About shown at the top of the portfolio

Upload PDFs for articles not published yet
Targeted toward journalists and writers

Upload files, pictures, certifications, blog

Targeted toward students

Internet-based, multimedia resume

Can email and save visual CV as pdf
Privacy and sharing options

Tag your skills and be found by others

Includes About Me, Education, Experience, and links to social
media sections on homepage

http://flavors.me/

Create tags
Imbed social media pages into site

https://about.me/

Bio home page with links to social media

Includes analytics

http://dooid.me/

Variety of clean and simple themes

Add QR codes

http://wix.com

Large variety of customizable templates

Drag and drop editor

http://web.unc.edu/

Login with your onyen and password

Powered by Wordpress, but with UNC themed sites

http://wordpress.com/

Includes free and premium blog themes

Add multiple pages

Owned by Google, use Google account to login

Customizable, free blog template builder
Add multiple pages

Free blog with hundreds of themes

Includes bookmarklet and ability to email posts
Third party apps

http://www.cuttings.me/

http://corp.epsilon.com/
PROFILE PORTALS
http://www.visualcv.com/

http://zerply.com/

BLOGS/GENERAL SITES

http://blogger.com/

https://www.tumblr.com/

COPYRIGHT2011 UNC-CHAPEL HILL

2. Professional Associations: Show your portfolio to as many people as you can. Attend portfolio reviews
organized by local professional associations. View a critique constructively and make edits as you see fit.

ASSOCIATION

LOCAL/STUDENT CHAPTER

American Institute of Graphic Arts

http://www.aiga.org/

AIGA Raleigh:
http://raleigh.aiga.org/

American Advertising Federation

http://www.aaf.org/

Raleigh-Durham Ad2 (32 & younger):

http://www.aaf-rdu.org/
UNC Ad Club

Public Relations Student Society of America

http://www.prssa.org/

Carolina PRSSA

Ed2010: Young Magazine Editors

http://www.ed2010.com/

Carolina Association of Future Magazine Editors

3. Look at Examples
Other Resources:

Commarts.com
Howdesign.com
Idonline.com

Printmag.com
Oneclub.com
Dandad.org
Cmykmag.com

Example of a digital student portfolio, created on flavors.me.

University Career Services

219 Hanes Hall
Web: careers.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-6507

Example of hard-copy portfolios from stepinsidedesign.com

COPYRIGHT2011 UNC-CHAPEL HILL