Why You Should Have an Online Portfolio
Throughout college we’re told to learn, push ourselves and do whatever possible to be prepared to obtain a job after we graduate. Whether it be finding an internship, participating in student organizations or projects in class that strengthen your skills, all of this be displayed in some form. Most choose to display that experience in a resume.
A resume is a nice way to concisely show the skills and experience you have but there are a few reasons why it isn’t always the best option. First, no one wants to read lengthy resume. Employers and advisors have different opinions on how you should format your resume or what you should include, but most of them agree that your resume shouldn’t be beyond one page. Trying to sum up four years of experience can be difficult and like the example above can make your resume look cluttered. Second, dealing with design problems. While there are tons of fonts, templates and formats you can use for a resume, sometimes you can’t showcase your personality in it. For those reasons and a few others depending on the field you’re going into, an online portfolio could be the better option for you.
Students planning to work in fields like journalism, public relations or advertising should think about creating a personal website or online portfolio. You can use a website to write about your interests, give PR related advice and showcase your past experience. A website gives you a platform to show viewers your personality, talents and what you can offer to the company you decide to work for after graduation.
Having an online presence you can control is also important because it gives employers an easier way to find information about you. Being able to maintain a website is a feat that most students don’t even consider doing while in school so adding that link to a resume or job application makes a great first impression. I really enjoy being able to gain public relations experience through PRSSA and GrandPR but I also have other interests that I’ve been able to highlight through my personal website, itsmarcelj.com. My website has given me a way to reflect on my time in college, write about my biggest interest music and has even lead to me getting a writing job. Before you add another page of achievements to your resume think about going on a platform like Squarespace or Wordpress and creating an online portfolio.
It’s feels awesome being able to look back at the content I created, reflect on it and get others reactions. The beauty of online portfolios is that you aren’t bound to specific guidelines and there are infinite ways to represent yourself through your site. Think outside of the 8 x 11 resume document and try something new, you’ll thank yourself later.
Marcel Jeremiah is a junior majoring in Broadcasting and minoring in Public Relations. He is involved in a few student organizations and co-hosts a weekly radio show on GVSU's radio station "The Whale". Marcel has plans to pursue a career in radio and entertainment PR, and he is currently interning for GR's 105.3 Hot FM. In his spare time, Marcel enjoys writing about music on his personal blog (itsmarcelj.com) and music site FDRMX.