How can you show your personality and writing skills in your portfolio?

differentiated, attention grabbing, and endearing to the extent that the reader - likely a prospective client - genuinely wants to work with you! If possible choose content that shows you know who they/the org is (on brand and thoughtful to the reader), and don’t forget all correspondences from DMs to emails etc are all extensions of your copyrighting.

I've found that pro bono work tends to free you from self-imposed or corporate bounds and really lets my creativity flow. I've done some of my best work for free!

One thing I’ve found helpful is to consider not only pieces you’re proud of for brands, but also personal projects or pro-bono samples that showcase your voice and personality maybe in more authentic ways than paid work.

Creating a porfolio requires a strategic approach. It's not a collection of all your work. But a collection of your best work. Customizing your portfolio in line with your project requirements can also make a big difference. Sort your portfolio by content type, industry and the results.

Basically you’re responsible for showing how good the work you can deliver is by the work you show them before expecting to wow them enough to hire you. Everything they see from your social media accounts to websites etc is an extension of your “pitch” and likely will help you win (or lose) deals. Be memorably different and awesome at all costs.

Your sample work should be as tailored to the opportunity as possible. Oftentimes even making something from scratch or an augmentation of your existing work to show a prospect so they can see what working with you could be like can be a winning strategy.

If you're in a rush and need to send a portfolio for a specific client, you can also use sites likes Clippings, which display articles (URLs, PDFs etc.) in a clear and eye-catching way. It leaves room for an About Me section and social links, and is free for up to ten articles.

Providing context is always good. I like to show how my content is in alignment with the overall marketing strategy and how the deliverable I'm providing content for is helping to support and enhance that strategy. Smart potential employers will ask you the why behind the content execution. Be wary of those who only want "someone creative" do the work he or she doesn't know how to do.

The main purpose of a portfolio is to show off your work, but a personal “about me” section further engages the reader and helps present you as a competent, well-rounded professional who is enjoyable to work with. While it shouldn’t be overly long, a paragraph or two about your awards, hobbies, and topics you’re interested in can also be a nice addition to your portfolio.