What is Portfolio? How to build a professional Portfolio and common mistakes

What is a Portfolio? The job market is becoming increasingly competitive. To stand out among millions of candidates, you need to equip yourself with an impressive portfolio. So, how do you build a professional portfolio that catches the attention of employers? Follow today’s article by FPT Shop to find out!

What is a Portfolio?

A portfolio is a visual document that showcases a person’s projects, achievements, skills, and experiences in their field. Simply put, it’s like a small exhibition room that displays the work the author has done. It is widely used in job applications or reports about a company or business.

This method is preferred because it allows candidates and organizations to demonstrate their practical skills through the projects they have completed, rather than just presenting a profile of achievements without clear evidence.

Currently, portfolios are widely used in fields such as Photography, Design, Advertising, Media, and many other creative professions. A good portfolio will impress employers and bring you closer to your dream job.

Essential Information in a Portfolio

Each person will have their own way of expressing their portfolio, but in general, a good portfolio should include the following information:

Introduction about yourself

The introduction section will help employers know some basic information about the candidate or the company. Just like when you read someone’s profile, the first thing you need to know is who you are learning about. Likewise, in a portfolio, you should provide basic information about yourself for HR to get an understanding of you. This section may include:

• Full name
• Date of birth
• Portrait photo
• Summary of expertise
• Skills
• Education level (including relevant certificates and degrees)
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Short-term and long-term career goals
• Contact information (such as address, email, phone number, social media)

Try to adjust the introduction section to match the job description provided by the employer, especially the skills and work experience section.

Notable Projects and Achievements

The main purpose of a portfolio is to provide visual evidence of your skills. So, this section can be considered the most important part of the portfolio.

Depending on your profession, you can choose your own way to present your portfolio. For example, using images, lesson plans, charts, or articles that you have created. You can also mention notable achievements or positive feedback you received from those projects.

Select high-quality and relevant projects that best meet the requirements of the employer, prioritize “quality over quantity”. In this section, the ability to logically distribute information and the unique style of the individual will be highly appreciated.

Common Portfolio Formats

Print Format

This is the most widely used format. When attending an interview in person, candidates will print their portfolio and bring it along. Typically, the print version will be in color on A4 paper, either in landscape or portrait orientation.

However, this format often has some issues such as uncertain colors or being prone to tearing or getting wet. Gradually, companies and businesses are transitioning to the PDF format mentioned below.

PDF Format

When applying for a job, candidates will save their portfolio as a PDF file and send it via email to the recruiter. In this format, all the formatting of the original portfolio will be preserved, and none of the information can be changed. With its convenience and speed, this format has become increasingly popular.

Website Format

This is where candidates can freely express their personal style. If candidates are limited by sound, images, or motion, all those limitations can be overcome in this format.

MP4 Format

This is a way to create a motion portfolio using the MP4 format. This format is often used by designers or video editors. If used well, this format can definitely impress employers.

What is the Difference Between a Portfolio and a CV?

Although both CV and portfolio serve the purpose of introducing oneself and demonstrating skills to employers, they are very different in terms of approach and presentation of information. Specifically:

Features	Portfolio	CV
Scope	Mainly used in creative fields such as Design, IT, Arts, Writing.	Applicable to almost all fields.
Purpose	Presents evidence of projects, products, and achievements in your field of work.	A summary record of education level, work experience, skills, and basic personal information.
Form	Relatively long, presented on multiple pages. Visual, often includes images, models, samples, or illustrations of work done.	Prioritizes simplicity, usually condensed into 1-2 pages. Mainly textual content, not visual, focuses on information and text format.
Format	Flexible, can be print format, website, PDF, video, or any suitable presentation format.	Usually in print format, PDF, or Word.

Should I Have Both a Portfolio and a CV?

Whether to have both a portfolio and a CV depends on the industry and your job application approach. Sometimes, having both a portfolio and a CV can highlight your skills, but sometimes it can be cumbersome and not suitable.

• Use Both a Portfolio and a CV: Use a portfolio in addition to a CV when your job requires a high level of visual and creative skills. Industries such as design, photography, advertising, and media often evaluate candidates through the work they have done. So, in this case, providing both a CV and a portfolio will help employers see a clearer picture of your actual capabilities.
• Use Only a CV: In traditional fields such as finance, accounting, and management, employers often evaluate candidates based on work experience and education. In this case, a CV may be sufficient to provide essential information, and there is no need to include a portfolio.

Conclusion

This article has explained the concept of a portfolio and how to build an attractive portfolio for job applications. Hopefully, candidates can successfully apply these techniques to their job applications and achieve their dream job.

Find out more: 

• Download impressive Word CV templates for job applications here!
• Create an easy, professional, and impressive CV with Canva!

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