How do you tailor your writing portfolio to different job opportunities?

1 Know your goals

Before you start working on your portfolio, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it. Are you looking for a full-time job, a freelance gig, or a long-term collaboration? What kind of writing do you want to do, and for whom? What are the requirements, expectations, and preferences of the hiring manager or client? Knowing your goals will help you narrow down your options and focus on the most relevant and impressive aspects of your work.

2 Choose your samples

Once you have defined your goals, you can start selecting the samples that best demonstrate your abilities and suitability for the job. Ideally, you should choose samples that match the style, tone, and topic of the writing you want to do. For example, if you are applying for a marketing copywriter position, you should include samples of web copy, landing pages, email campaigns, and social media posts. If you are applying for a technical writer position, you should include samples of user manuals, tutorials, FAQs, and documentation. You should also consider the quality, length, and diversity of your samples. Choose samples that are well-written, error-free, and up-to-date. Avoid samples that are too long, too similar, or too outdated. Aim for a balance of different types of writing, such as informative, persuasive, creative, and analytical.

4 Optimize your portfolio

Once you have formatted your portfolio, you need to optimize it for search engines and humans. You want to make sure that your portfolio is easy to find, relevant, and appealing to your target audience. To do this, you should use keywords that describe your skills, expertise, and niche in the title, introduction, headings, and descriptions. Additionally, you should use keywords that match the job description or client's needs in your samples. Testimonials from previous or current clients or employers can also be used in the portfolio to highlight your achievements and value. Finally, calls to action should be included that encourage the audience to contact you, hire you, view more of your work, ask questions, share feedback, or request a quote. This will help you rank higher on search engines, build trust and credibility with your audience, and generate leads and conversions from your portfolio.