How can you present your portfolio to potential clients or employers without making mistakes?

1 Choose the right format

Depending on your target market, you may need to present your portfolio in different formats, such as online, print, or PDF. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to consider factors such as accessibility, interactivity, quality, and size. For example, an online portfolio can be easily updated, shared, and customized, but it may also require more technical skills, hosting, and maintenance. A print portfolio can be more tactile, impressive, and portable, but it may also be more expensive, limited, and hard to reproduce. A PDF portfolio can be a good compromise between online and print, but it may also lack some features, such as animations, videos, or links.

2 Curate your content

Your portfolio should not be a collection of everything you have ever done, but a selection of your best and most relevant work. You need to curate your content according to your goals, your audience, and your brand. You need to showcase your range of skills, your creativity, and your problem-solving abilities, but you also need to align your work with the expectations, preferences, and challenges of your potential clients or employers. You need to create a consistent and coherent brand identity for yourself, but you also need to demonstrate your adaptability and versatility. A good rule of thumb is to include 10-15 pieces of work that represent your style, your value, and your personality.

3 Tell a story

Your portfolio should not be a mere display of images, but a narrative that connects your work with your passion, your process, and your purpose. You need to tell a story that engages your audience, showcases your skills, and communicates your message. You need to provide context for each piece of work, such as the brief, the objectives, the challenges, the solutions, and the results. You need to explain your role, your responsibilities, and your contributions, especially if you worked in a team or on a large project. You need to highlight your unique selling points, your strengths, and your value proposition, but also show your personality, your voice, and your vision.

4 Test and refine

Your portfolio should not be a static or final product, but a dynamic and evolving one. You need to test and refine your portfolio regularly to ensure that it is functional, effective, and up-to-date. You need to check for any errors, glitches, or inconsistencies in your portfolio, such as typos, broken links, low-quality images, or missing information. You need to solicit feedback from your peers, mentors, or clients, and use it to improve your portfolio. You need to update your portfolio with new work, remove outdated or irrelevant work, and align your portfolio with current trends, standards, and best practices.

5 Prepare and practice

Your portfolio should not be a standalone or passive tool, but a complementary and active one. You need to prepare and practice how to present your portfolio to your potential clients or employers, either in person or online. You need to research your audience, their needs, their goals, and their questions, and tailor your portfolio and your pitch accordingly. You need to rehearse your presentation, your timing, your tone, and your body language, and anticipate any possible scenarios, such as technical issues, interruptions, or objections. You need to be confident, professional, and enthusiastic, but also humble, respectful, and open-minded.

6 Follow up and follow through

Your portfolio should not be a one-time or one-way communication, but a continuous and two-way one. You need to follow up and follow through after you present your portfolio to your potential clients or employers, and keep the conversation going. You need to thank them for their time, their attention, and their feedback, and express your interest, your availability, and your value. You need to provide any additional information, samples, or references they may request, and address any concerns or questions they may have. You need to keep in touch, stay relevant, and show your commitment, but also respect their time, their space, and their decision.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?