Create a Killer Portfolio and Get That Job

With so much diverse talent in the MENA region, it is unsurprising that the market is incredibly competitive. A lot of the time, candidates miss out because they do not stand out among other candidates. But, after you have refined your CV and reworked your cover letter, then tailored those for every position you have applied for, you might feel like you’ve done all there is to do.

Before you start raising your white flag, consider all the extras that often go unnoticed. By ‘extras’, I mean additional application material that might not be mandatory, but will guarantee you fall on the employer’s radar. With so many CVs to go through, any applications that are a little daring (without being too flashy) are bound to grab the employer’s attention, for better or for worse.

Ensure your employer is left feeling magnetized for positive reasons by not only going above and beyond, but doing it well.

One way to achieve this is through putting together an eye-grabbing portfolio. You might think these are only handy for designers, but you can have a portfolio no matter what kind of work you do. After all, a portfolio simply put is a collection of the best examples of your work.

For example, if you are a chef, you can include things like your menus, written recipes of your specialties, reviews at restaurants you have worked at, your certificates, any positive critiques and inspection reports. Alternatively, if you are a writer, your portfolio should include a ranged overview of your work, including different types or styles of writing you have done.

The objective is to show what you’re capable of and the various ways you have been able to implement your skills. Your portfolio is also a great storage locker for all your training certificates and any awards you have received.  

Of course, crafting a portfolio takes a considerable amount of time and effort, so what are the benefits?

Portfolios: the 411

Many hiring managers hear the same thing from every single person who applies for a position at their company – that they are the best person to hire and they want the job. Often, what separates most of the applications is a very slim variation in skills and aspirations. This becomes redundant and boring, but also makes it difficult to assess the applicants who are all talk, and those who actually do have the skills they claim to have on their CV.

One way that you can show employers that you are passionate about the position and the company is if you take the time to learn about the company and craft a tailored CV. You should definitely ensure your CV has been tailored for both the position and the company in question, but do not bank on this alone.

After all, many people are catching onto this strategy and that leads us back to square one. How can you distinguish yourself from the rest?

By showing the employer what you can do through your portfolio, they will be able to see how good you really are, throwing out any questions about whether or not you are exaggerating out the window. Not to mention the confidence it takes to let your work speak for itself as well as being honest about your skill level is incredibly impressive.

In summary, a great portfolio will enable you to:

1. Show the hiring manager what you can do as opposed to simply telling them;
2. Compile all your best work, proudest achievements and career trump cards in one place;
3. Stand out from other candidates.

The portfolio building toolkit

In order to create a portfolio, you will need:

• Real or representative examples of your work. These will be able to clearly show the hiring manager how you have put your skills into practice. If you are creating a design or art-based portfolio, be sure to include a range of your work. This should also involve work done during your leisure time. Other real examples you could include depending on your job role are: writing samples such as press releases, newsletters, scripts, reports and essays; finished product examples (photographs); testimonials from clients and previous employers and copies of any professional awards or certificates you have received over the duration of your career.
• A brief overview of your accomplishments. This list will spotlight all the special achievements you have under your belt, especially those that showcase what a valuable employee you would be. You should highlight what you did as well as how much money, time and effort you saved; problem and crisis management skills such as actions you took to avoid disaster and failure, or solutions you provided for problems; work you have done for other departments or work that falls outside the norm of your responsibilities; and examples of when you have displayed company or personal values.
• A list of bonus features. Often, we are capable of performing tasks and doing things that our past jobs have not given us the opportunity to do. For example, you could have an artistic background. However, if it has nothing to do with your job role and you have never applied these skills in a professional context,  they do not belong on your CV. That said, they could have a happy home in your portfolio instead. For instance, if you are passionate about coding and have taken classes on the side, you could mention this more extensively in your portfolio and show examples of your work. Similarly, if you are passionate about writing, but writing does not fall under the umbrella of your job description, adding it as a bonus feature without giving it too much focus will let the employer know what you are passionate about without making it seem like you have not read the job description.
• An amazing self-introduction!At the end of the day, your portfolio is representing and marketing you as a candidate for a position. However, your work cannot do all the talking. In order to assess what kind of person you are and how you will fit in the company culture, the employer will have to know a little more about you. Often it is difficult to express exactly who you are and why you are a dream candidate without appearing arrogant or as though you are exaggerating. A portfolio will allow you to neatly present all the information as to why you are a dream candidate without ‘showing off’, so to speak. This includes your top gifts and talents, your values, your long-term objectives, the problems, issues and needs you enjoy solving and catering to the most and more.

Once you have all the above items, you are all set and can assemble a fantastic portfolio. When it comes to designing and displaying digital portfolios, the gameplay is a little different. But the only real addition is that you have to ensure your portfolio has a clean design and is on a user-friendly interface. If the host website is cluttered and messy, it will kill your application faster than you can say ‘portfolio’.

Now what?

I’m sure you’ve been wondering for a good portion of this guide, “but what do I do with my portfolio? How do I show it to the employer?” Not only should you send it by email or attach it to your CV, if possible, (for example as a link in your CV if your portfolio is based on the web) but you should also bring it along to any interviews. Do not open and show it if it doesn’t feel right. For example, if the job clearly isn’t a fit, or you feel the interviewer will be turned off or overwhelmed, you might want to keep it for another day.

However, if you are feeling confident, you can mention you brought along your portfolio in case the interviewer wants to take a look at your past work.  Be warned that if they do, you need to be prepared for them to flip through the entire portfolio. This gives you a great chance to talk about all your experience and skills. You should be aware that a great portfolio can shift the rhythm of the entire interview. This might cause the hiring manager to solely focus on your portfolio and what you can offer and you might miss out on being able to ask any questions. So, time this well and make sure you get all your questions out of the way before you bring out your secret weapon.

Hopefully by now, you have already started mentally preparing your work portfolio. It gives you an unexpected edge compared to other applicants and gives the employer a clearer idea of what you are capable of.

Will you be creating a work portfolio? Do you think there are many, if any, benefits to sending one to an employer? Do you know anyone who might benefit from creating a portfolio to show their work? If so, show that ‘share’ button some love and pass on this guide to anyone who might benefit from it.

And, as always, Bayt.com wishes you all the best luck on your job seeker journey.