On September 16th, I attended an employment panel called ePortfolios: Building Your Brand, Showcasing Your Skills. The seminar was held by the Student Professional Development Center and featured Beth Stevenson, Managing Supervisor at FleishmanHillard and Marianne Gissane, Talent Coordinator at McKinney Advertising.
While addressing several topics regarding the career search, the panel focused on the development and maintenance of your online portfolio – a place for you to showcase your most sBeth tand-out work created in college classes, at internships, or in extra-curricular activities.
For a student considering a career in design, the e-Portfolio is especially important. Marianne noted that hiring managers tend to view an applicant’s online gallery before even looking at their résumé. She stressed that candidates with talent are occasionally overlooked because they do not have samples of their work easily accessible. Marianne went on to explain that e-Portfolios, even for writers, should not be text heavy but instead should be set up as if a “photographer was displaying their best photographs.”
A visually appealing compilation of 3-5 a student’s best projects should be explained and presented on an e-Portfolio for the most positive results. Additionally, it should have an “about me” section where the student discusses their interests and does not simply regurgitate a LinkedIn profile biography. A downloadable résumé link is also a huge benefit – especially when hiring associates come across the online portfolio first.
Overall, Marianne and Beth made it clear that an e-Portfolio is a crucial step in developing one’s personal brand. These online outlets are a great way for employers to see your creative work and your ability to articulate your strengths on a digital platform – crucial skills in today’s professional world.
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