How to Build a Portfolio

This page outlines that process in three easy steps:

To build a portfolio requires; an online presence, samples of your work, and your resume. Let’s look at each of these in more detail.

Step 1:

To create an online presence I suggest getting your own website or blog.

I highly recommend blogs. They are easy to understand and you don’t need to know html. They are great for beginners who are new to the internet.

For a free blog I suggest using blogger to build a portfolio. It’s easy to use and has built in applications to add adsense, photos, twitter, Amazon, and 100s of other applications.

If you don't mind paying for a blog service, I suggest TypePad. It's a blog with built-in search engine optimization, and many other features.

If you do decide you would rather have a website, keep in mind it costs a bit more money. You have to purchase a domain, and pay for hosting. You will also need a website builder program to load your pages.

Once you have a website or blog write a "Biography" page. Give a brief introduction about yourself. Write about what you like, what you do, where you live, who your family is, etc. Remember to keep it professional and related to the jobs you are applying for. If you're looking for writing positions, talk about your love of writing. If you're looking for photography positions, talk about your love of photography.

When I built my biography page, I included a photo. A photo helps make you look more personable and friendly. People can build confidence in you from a photo.

This brings me to…

Step 2:

The next step to build a portfolio is links to your work. You need to have samples of articles you’ve written. Employers want to see proof of your work to gage your writing style and skill.

Don’t worry if you don’t have any online samples. It’s easy to get some. Start with helium, ehow, and story mash. Or start writing on your blog. Every post will show a potential client your skill and personality.

If you are an experienced writing then feel free to post articles in the article directories. Some great places are: ezine articles, article base, and article click. Article directories are great because they rank high on search engines, and will help direct traffic to your blog or website. To learn more about how to increase website traffic, click here.

Take your best links to your work and put them on your blog or website. This will allow a future client the opportunity to view your work. You’ll appear professional and if you match the skill level, you’ll get the job.

Step 3:

Some people say you need an online resume. I have mixed feelings about whether one is necessary or not. I was able to earn almost $700 a month from part time writing jobs with just an online portfolio.

To learn more about writing resumes, click here. Whatever you decide, make sure you take your time and build a professional portfolio. This will be your first impression to the world.

If done right this page can open many doors and create wonderful opportunities. Remember to get a second set of eyes to go over your stuff.