If you're just starting out in your professional career, good luck. It's a little scary out there, but a mix of strategy and persistence always pays off.
When you're checking job descriptions and sending off applications, you'll come across two terms: portfolio and resume. Every employer expects these two documents from applicants, and their chances of being hired will depend on their quality.
So, in this article, I'll define the nature of a portfolio and resume, detail what each entails, and mention some differences between a resume and a portfolio. Additionally, if you're looking to create a portfolio for yourself, I'll also introduce you to a tool for that exact purpose. It'll do about 50% of the work for you, save all your work forever, and prove that you don't use AI to write and update your portfolio automatically.
Let's get started.
• What is a portfolio? What is a resume? Do employers want both? What goes into each? These are among the many questions I had when I was sending our job applications at the beginning of my career. I also had these questions every time I was looking for a new job because the requirements, format, and granularity of these documents change and update with time.
• Employers now expect pristine, no-fluff resumes from candidates. These documents must clearly and briefly list an applicant's job history, educational background, skillset, and certifications. But it is not as simple as throwing in a few bullet points. A resume must contain accurate information arranged in an easily readable format.
• Portfolios are far more extensive. The best portfolios carry ALL or most of your published work, be it in text, audio, image, or video format. Portfolios must, of course, contain a bio with similar information as the resume. But the focus is on the work samples.
• But are there differences between the two? Of course. The differences lie mainly in terms of length, intent, and relevance in the journey of going from "job applicant" to "job holder."
• Finally, if you are indeed looking to build your own portfolio, consider Authory. This tool builds 90% of your portfolio for you. Check out the video on "How Authory works" — you enter the URL of the sites where your work is published, and Authory will import all your bylined work to its own database. You can now look through all your pieces in a single location.
• Authory also backs up all your imported content forever, gives you analytics data on all your publications, and can even help you prove that you do not use AI writing (a requirement for many employers).
What is a portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of finished work samples that candidates can use to prove their expertise in a chosen domain. It’s a summary of their skills, experience, and accomplishments. Think of the portfolio as proof of professional capabilities.
Basically, when you apply for a job, the employee looks at your portfolio to see if you can actually do what you claim to be good at. The ideal portfolio conveys an applicant's skillset, educational background, training, qualifications, and real-world experience. It should also say something about your work ethic, considering that your ability to work in a team environment without problems will be essential for recruiters and hiring personnel.
Employers expect portfolios to be constantly updated with the applicant's recent work via website links, images, illustrations, publications, and videos as proof of their capabilities. Almost every single industry — art, fashion, photography, software development, design, and corporate jobs — requires an accurately representative and detailed portfolio from prospective employees.
Like most things by 2024, the portfolio has also gone almost completely digital. Employers expect to look through a portfolio website with examples of your work.
Needless to say, digital portfolios are practically indestructible, are easier to share, and can be modified with much less effort than their 3D versions. For certain industries, such as graphic design, only digital portfolios are acceptable.
What should a portfolio include?
All or most of your work
Modern employers expect quality and quantity simultaneously. So the best portfolio contains as many work samples as possible. Of course, do not add work that you are not proud of, but don't leave just 5-6 publications and leave it at that.
Generally, employers want to hire folks who produce good work on a regular basis rather than doing great work intermittently. Adding lots of samples will also show extensive work experience. Recruiters can also go through your older pieces and compare them to your newer work so as to get a sense of your real-world growth.
Finding, listing, and uploading all your work might sound like a Herculean task if you're doing it manually, and it is. However, you can use a tool like Authory that can automatically import your bylined work from any URL you specify.
Your Bio
Here's where you talk about yourself. Elaborate on your chosen professional role, your background in education and work experience, your past accomplishments, and the skills and advantages you bring to your employer.
Not every bio section needs to be extensive, but don't miss any important pointers. It's not the worst practice to write extensive bios, as long as not a single line is fluff. Don't expand your bio for the mere sake of it, but don't cut it short and eliminate information about relevant skills that would actually help employers evaluate you and your real potential.
Don't forget to include your contact information and public social media accounts. If you have testimonials from clients praising your relevant achievements, showcase them loudly and proudly. Nothing convinces a possible client more effectively than another client, even if they have never met.
Philosophy statement
This isn't always necessary but might appeal to certain employers who don't just want to look at skills and experience. More than once, I have been asked some variations of the following questions during interviews, "We know you're good at writing, but tell us how you approach work. Do you care about work? What is your work ethic based on? What do you do when you're stuck with an assignment, task, or project?"
By including a philosophy statement or a mission statement in your portfolio, you are showcasing your beliefs, values, and motivations — something that can't be conveyed through a two-page-long series of work samples. You might be doing good work, but certain employers want to know exactly how you do good work. They are the ones who will respond to your mission statement.
Honestly, it doesn't hurt to have a mission statement on your portfolio. Creating one would be like covering all bases, which is why I'd suggest you do it anyway.
Certifications of excellence or expertise
This isn't necessary, but without a doubt, it is a huge advantage. For example, I have two certifications on my portfolio, both awarded by Authory (yea, it does that too!). One declares that I am a "Long Form Professional," while the other designates me as a human writer — in other words, I do not use AI to write.
Obviously, you do not need Authory certifications in particular, though they are very interesting, accurate, and trusted by employers in most industries. Find whichever institution you trust, and get a couple of certifications that apply specifically to your niche. This will not only look good on your profile, but it will also assure employers that your skills have been examined and validated by a third-party expert. Certifications prove that you're not just blowing hot air; you actually possess the skills that you proclaim on your portfolio.
What is a resume or CV?
A resume is a concise document that summarizes an individual's work history, education, skills, and abilities. Think of it as a condensed version of everything you put in your portfolio.
Usually, a resume or CV lists all the educational institutions you attended, all achievements you have completed, and a list of previous positions that you've held as a professional. Be mindful that, in a resume, you absolutely do not get to be elaborate. You must describe your role at each job you've held so far, but do so in a short paragraph, at most.
Once again, brevity does not mean you cannot be comprehensive. You just need to mention every recent and relevant achievement, skill, and experience milestone in a few lines of text. It's a challenge, but consider zeroing in on the most essential tasks you've performed in every role and set them down.
A resume is typically limited to one page though it can go into two. Resumes longer than that are generally not considered unless they display prodigious intellect or achievements.
When applying for jobs, you can expect the employer to (usually) look at your resume and then explore your portfolio. The resume gives an overarching idea of a person's professional skills and experience; the portfolio dives deeper into a person's work and interests.
What should a resume include?
Professional header
A professional header includes your name, contact information, and a line that perfectly describes what your primary professional offering is. This single phrase should lead this document that summarizes a person's value in the employment market.
You can also include your phone number and email address so that the client can get in contact to ask for more information or set up interviews.
Example:
Shreya Bose
Phone Number | Email ID
Professional summary
This is not mandatory but is very helpful. The professional summary expands on the person's skills and masterpieces. Within a short paragraph, offer a glimpse of your work history, key skills, dedication, and primary circles of expertise.
While the summary is meant to attract the attention of recruiters and managers, it should never contain anything misleading, anything that can be maliciously interpreted, or anything remotely exaggerated without fact.
Example:
Meticulous, result-oriented data analyst with 10 years of experience working with data mining operations of government and private firms.
Education
Most jobs have minimum educational requirements for candidates. This is why your resume must contain a section on your education. List the following:
- Your college/university's name
- Your chosen major/minor
- Your year of graduation
- Honors or recognition for academic activities and achievements
If you don't want to make your resume too long, just include the name of your degree and the institution that awarded it.
Example:
Master's in Applied Physics
XYZ University, 2014
Work experience
This section provides a quick understanding of a candidate's recent and earlier roles in their professional sphere. Start with your last or current job and list every position you've held over the last ten to fifteen years. Make sure, however, that you only list relevant positions.
For example, if you have been a writer for nearly the past decade, you don't need to post that 2 years of working at a library before you published your first article.
However, if you have only a year or two of writing experience, do add the "irrelevant" jobs. If nothing else, they will showcase the candidate's work ethic and transferable skills.
Whenever describing jobs, ensure that you mention actual results. Ideally, you should use real-world numbers to highlight the depth and breadth of your talent and effort.
Example:
Technology & Marketing Content Writer
Company Name | Full-time
Date Range
- Improved traffic from around 2500 organic visits a quarter to ~1M visits by developing & editing content for the Guide. Currently, the Guide draws 50% of all traffic to the website.
- Written & edited >200 articles for the Guide.
- Created and edited collaterals related to marketing goals i.e. ad copies, customer-facing emails, landing page content, etc
Skills
Work experience certainly depicts that a candidate carries and implements certain skills. But a specific section devoted to skills makes life easier for recruiters. Instead of having to read through your work experience, they can quickly glance through and judge if you make the initial cut.
Include relevant hard and soft skills. The more well-rounded you seem, the more likely you are to interview and receive the job.
Example:
Email · SEO Copywriting · Web Content Writing · Article Writing · Content Editing · Proofreading
Certifications
Have as many certifications as possible, but ensure that they actually relate to your field or the job you are applying for. This is especially true for high-skill industries like STEM and any technical specialization.
Include the official name of the certification and, again, the awarding institution. This section will establish that you walk the walk and are actually good at what you claim to excel in.
Additional accomplishments
This section only applies if you have any specific wins that relate directly to your skills and accomplishments. These are valuable tools for showcasing the fact that you go above and beyond for every task. They will demonstrate your work ethic, persistence, and attention to detail.
While it would be ideal to only list accomplishments related to the job you're applying for, don't worry if you don't have anything like that at hand. Add whatever experience and achievements will help employers get an understanding of your proven capabilities.
Difference between a portfolio and a resume
The primary difference between a portfolio and a resume lies in its format, the information conveyed, and length. While they are both essential documents, and their primary purpose is to communicate your expertise and experience, they still have different impacts on recruiters. They don't display different types of information, but the format in which they are presented varies quite a bit.
An online portfolio is a collection of work samples but is also used for showcasing someone's professional history. Think of it as an expanded version of a person's CV. On the other hand, a resume is a document that highlights your professional milestones and educational journey. An online portfolio can generally be a complete or major collection of your work, while a resume should be one to two pages at most.
So, what are the key differences between the two? Intent, length, and function in the employment journey.
Intent
The resume is an overview of your work and professional background. They are meant to get potential employers' attention and get them to call you for an interview. When applying for jobs, you lead with your resume.
A portfolio provides proof of a person's skills. It’s updated with all the proof required for potential employers to consider someone for a specific job.
For example, your resume will mention that you have been a videographer for the last decade. But your portfolio will showcase videos as proof of professional achievement.
Format
A resume is a brief document with lists of your qualifications, experience, and skills. A portfolio must showcase your work, so it carries a wide variety of content in different formats audio, video, text, web copy, email copy, and more. Therefore, the resume format differs quite substantially from the portfolio format.
Hence, a resume might be limited to one or two pages, but a portfolio is more extensive. It must chart your professional growth with proof, so it is more volume-heavy. A portfolio showcases that the candidate does indeed bring real skills to the table.
Relevance in the employment journey
All job postings ask for resumes. In present-day markets, generally, they also ask for portfolios. But it’s always easier to find a job interview that won't insist on the portfolio.
However, it's important to remember that portfolios, while often used in creative fields, are not only meant for design work, illustration, and visual careers. Times have changed, and employers expect proof of expertise at all levels.
For instance, I'm a writer, and every decently-placed company I have applied to has expected a portfolio. Do not assume that you can receive the job by showcasing a resume in most cases.
Why consider creating a portfolio with Authory?
Once you've settled the portfolio vs resume conundrum, it's time to create them.
If you want to build your first portfolio and you already have a significant amount of published work, Authory can help. This dedicated portfolio-building tool is equipped with a very significant advantage over others — it does most of the work automatically.
Basically, Authory can automatically import content from any specific URL as long as it is bylined. Essentially, you enter a URL, and Authory finds every single bylined piece on that site. Then, it imports a copy of that work to its internal databases — a repository that can only be accessed by you.
Authory can do much more — save your content forever, provide analytics on content engagement, prove that your writing is AI-free, etc. I can't list everything here. but the features that stand out are:
A self-updating portfolio
Authory will AUTOMATICALLY import a copy of every bylined piece from every site into its own database. You can also use it to import, save, and showcase email and website copy on your portfolio.
You don't have to track down links to your published work (especially older pieces). As long as you remember the URL of the site where your work exists, Authory will collate all your content for you in one dashboard.
Authory can import content from behind most soft paywalls (as long as it is a bylined piece) and some hard paywalls. However, it cannot be used to import copies of articles, podcasts, and videos you haven’t created or featured in.
Automated backups (never lose your content, ever)
All the content that Authory imports from different sources is saved permanently. You'll never have to worry about losing any of your published work. Even if the original website where it's published goes defunct for any reason, you'll always have a copy safely stored on Authory's server.
All backups are in the original format — text and/or media. No screenshots.
Continued importing of past and future content (less effort for a 100% updated portfolio)
Once you enter a source, Authory won't just import your existing publications. Anything you publish on the same site (after you've fed its URL into Authory) in the future will also be imported automatically. In other words, Authory will import your past and future content.
Other notable features that will assist you with portfolio creation, content management, and professional success:
- Ability to search through both your portfolio and your content database to find articles/audio/videos based on keywords. Prospective employers and hiring managers can use this to look for topics on your portfolio, and you can use it to find specific pieces within your Authory content bank.
- Ability to create a custom domain with a click.
- All imported content can be downloaded as high-res PDFs or exportable as HTML files — no lock-in period.
- Get a custom domain and personalize your portfolio even further.
- In-built analytics that provide real numbers on content performance (engagement, readership) across the web and popular social media sites every 30 days. You get to see how your readers/viewers are responding to your work.
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Authory is used by many industry veterans to showcase their work — 6-time Emmy award winner David Pogue, Steven Levy, Editor at Large, WIRED, Brian Fung, a Technology Reporter at CNN, and many, many more.
If you're a freelancer or even a full-time employee who wants a portfolio that stands out to prospective employers, Authory can absolutely help you build your portfolio. You don't need to worry about gathering published links or choosing the right template — Authory takes care of all that for you.
Why not try Authory for free? Sign up, create your own portfolio within minutes, and let us know what you think.
