Career Advice
5 Reasons Why Employers Like Online Portfolios
Glassdoor Team
Glassdoor Team | Author & Career Expert at Glassdoor | 16 Sept 2017
If the technology is there, then you should use it to your advantage. Interviews are great for taking along a portfolio of testimonials, projects worked on, certificates and PR but all that content could be used to hook an employer in the first place.
A link to your online portfolio could be included in job applications, emails sent to employers, on social media such as Twitter to entice employers to click and view, you can even put a link to your portfolio in an advert targeted to employers. Having an online portfolio can give you a competitive advantage over other job seekers.
If you’re one of the many people who think that online portfolios are only for graphic designers then think again, you’re missing a huge opportunity.
An online portfolio isn’t just a place where you just display pretty pictures you can use it as a CV, add more detail and include links to companies you’ve worked at. Have a video introducing yourself or even better have a video of one of your references talking about how good you were at your job. If you’ve put reports or presentations together, then an online portfolio is a way to keep them alive. Give employers an insight into who you are, create an about me page and let them have information that they wouldn’t necessarily know from just reading a CV.
An online portfolio doesn’t need any coding skills you can set them up on Wordpress, Wix, Weebly, DoodleKit, along with many others.
Employers like online portfolios, and this is why:
Expected
These days an online portfolio is expected by many employers, if you haven’t got one then it could ring alarm bells, perhaps you’re not cutting edge. For a fast moving company, which many are in this technology driven world it could be frowned upon if you look like a dinosaur. If you’re asked for a link to your online portfolio, and you say you haven’t got one, then your competitor who has got one will probably beat you to the post.
Ambition
Employers can get a sense of how ambitious you are from your online portfolio. Having a timeline in your portfolio enables an employer to see the strategic moves you’ve made to climb the career ladder. Some portfolios have a job/career vision board which contains pictures of preferred employers, ideal job roles and locations. Show employers how ambitious you are.
Passion
If you’re someone who is passionate about the industry they’re in or want to break into, then let it shine through on the portfolio. Someone who is fired up about what they want to do will want to write about it, give their opinion and open up discussions. If you give an employer the chance to read your blog, follow your news updates, join a group and see your comments, you give yourself a chance to get your foot in the door.
Knowledge
An online portfolio can tell an employer how knowledgeable you are, not only by displaying your exam results, certificates or awards but in other ways. If you speak at local events or further afield, then just a few pictures of you on stage can give an employer the confidence that you’re knowledgeable.
Contact
For some employers trying to contact their ideal candidate can be tough work. Unless they’re experienced in social recruiting trying to find contact details can be a huge challenge, finding an online profile makes everything a breeze. The employer will be able to see your preferred way of contact, which could be a form, email, Tweet or even a telephone call and then make contact to get an interview arranged.
Give a busy employer a helping hand and get an online portfolio, you’ll be glad you did.
Glassdoor Team
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Tags:Jobs
