How To Create An Online Portfolio For When You Graduate University

University is the time to learn and improve on the skills needed to grab that dream job you have always wanted. It can be a busy and sometimes stressful time in your life from assignments to group assignments to exams!

This can cause students to be so focused on the present and potentially overlook opportunities that will benefit them after university.

One opportunity that should be utilised no matter if you are a first, second or third year is creating an online portfolio of your work.

This will enhance a student’s career prospects once they have finished their course and set them on course to have a great future. The earlier you start, the more prepared you will be, so don’t waste anymore time, start now!

But don’t worry if you don’t know where to begin, we are here to help – read on for some great tips on how to create an online portfolio.

1. Choose Your Best Work

The main focus of an online portfolio is the work you choose to put in it, so what makes it into the portfolio should be very selective.

All pieces of work included should be your best work – choose anything you are proud of and reflect everything that you are interested in and what works best in your chosen field of work.

The work should stand out to the employer, such as something unique that will grab the employers attention.

They can go through a lot of portfolios so something memorable can work in your favour.

On a similar note, you should include a variety of work. They should still work well together but a variety shows diversity, the range of your abilities and how creative you are.

It can be helpful to check out other portfolios for reference and inspiration – for some examples of online portfolios click here.

2. Think About The Audience

Next up on our list of how to create an online portfolio, is the importance of thinking about your audience.

Remember when it comes to sharing your portfolio with employers, you need to know the type of audience who will be looking through the portfolio.

Something to think about when putting it together – the work should relate to what the employer requires.

That could mean assembly more than portfolio or regularly updating it so you are ready to share a relevant portfolio with a potential employer.

Plus you should know who you want to attract. Tailoring your portfolio to show work that would get the right employers attention and helping to avoid the unsuitable employers will save time and effort for both parties.

3. Keep It Informative

A portfolio should tell the employer everything they need to know about you and your work.

The best way to begin your portfolio is with an introduction – a summary of who you are!

Including what your interests and hobbies are, what you have a passion for, words that best describe you, your strengths and weaknesses and what your goals are.

It gives a good impression and employers should feel that they know your character and what you can bring to the team from just reading the introduction.

Other information to include is contact information, they should know how to get in touch with you if they wish and links to any other sites such as Instagram if you have more examples of work in other places.

4. Regularly Update Your Portfolio

A portfolio doesn’t necessarily stay the same, especially through university it will continuously change and improve as you grow.

As you learn more and improve, your work will get better so your best work will change – that’s why you should continually update the portfolio – to make sure you’re highlighting your strongest pieces of work.

Also, a portfolio should demonstrate growth, include some work in various stages of progress, it shows the employer how your skills have evolved.

A portfolio that can show how someone has grown shows their hard work and that they are serious about their chosen career path. 

Not to mention, trends, techniques and technology can change quite quickly which can affect your work and what you have included in your portfolio.

Keep an eye on any industry trends so you can ensure all information and the majority of work included in your portfolio is fresh and up to date.

This shows that you can adapt to any changes that happen over time, you are continuously learning and evolving and passionate about what you do.

So, remember when showcasing your work in your portfolio to keep it progressive! 

5. Presentation Is Key

Whilst showing off your best work is the reason to have a portfolio, how you present that work is important too.

Make your portfolio stand out from the others by making it interesting whilst still having a professional look.

How you present your work is an extension of you – give the employer the impression of you that you want to give them just by how your portfolio is executed.

It shows you have pride in your work and will put effort into everything you put your mind to.

Need some inspiration? Check out some examples on webflow and creative blog.

6. Relevance

Any work you put in your portfolio should be relevant to the career you wish to go into or the job you are looking to get.

If in doubt get feedback – have one of your lecturers, fellow students or a professional review it and give pointers on how it can be improved.

Plus the work you include in your portfolio doesn’t necessarily have to all be recent or what you have completed whilst at university.

Any work you have done that relates to the job or uses the skills needed to do that job and you think it is one of the best pieces of work you have done can be included.

But make sure everything you use for your portfolio demonstrates the best of your abilities no matter where and when it was created.

Some great free tools you can use to build your online portfolio include Canva, Wix and Google Slides.

Try them out and see which one works for you! It can be fun to create your own online portfolio as you get to present your work in a way that suits you.  

We hope our guide on how to create an online portfolio has helped you out! Why not create one whilst you have a bit more time during the beginning of the academic year? 

Get ahead of the game before you graduate or just get in the routine of displaying your work if you’re in first or second year. 

Yet  to sort out your ideal living space for the next academic year? Check out our modern student accommodation in first class locations across the UK. 

If you struggle with stress whilst at university you should have a read of this blog on how to cope with exams and assignments.