This article is for freelancers who have just recently set out on their own and don’t yet know what to present to a client as a resume for dating. You don’t have a website yet, you haven’t managed to create platforms on social networks, but you want to look like a professional in the eyes of potential customers. This means you need self-presentation - the “clothes” by which you are greeted.

By the way, many old-timers in the freelance market also lack self-presentation. If you don’t have it either, this article is for you.

So, a freelancer’s self-presentation includes a resume and portfolio.

What does a resume consist of?

1. Your name

Please note, not your online name, “nickname,” but your real first and last name. Unless, of course, you have a compelling reason to hide under a pseudonym. If there are such reasons, choose a pseudonym, but remember that now you are starting to build a reputation, you will live with this pseudonym for many years, so choose responsibly.

2. Information about your project and proposal

• Specialization and/or USP.

We have already talked to you more than once about the fact that a “one-man orchestra” who takes on any order is usually valued by clients less than a specialist in a certain field. Please indicate this area: for example, medical copywriting or design with character.

It’s good if, in addition to specialization, there is something that distinguishes you from all your competitors without exception and is valued by clients.

• Information about completed training.

Where and how did you study? This is not about higher education, or rather not primarily about it. Of course, if you received a diploma in the field in which you are currently working, say so. It is useful for copywriters to be philologists, journalists, and marketers. As a medical copywriter, it helps to be a doctor. But if you are a locomotive designer by training, and now you write selling texts, this information will be superfluous for the customer. Cross it out.

But we indicate the training for your current profile in full. It’s good if you can present certificates confirming your training. It’s even better if you learned from those who are an authority for your customers.

• Offline work experience.

This item may or may not be included in your resume - just like with a higher education. If you worked as a designer in a glossy magazine for 10 years, and now you do custom printing, this experience will come in handy. If you worked in the sales department of a construction company, and now you offer the development of commercial proposals for construction companies - great! If you worked as a pediatrician and are now designing websites, cross it out.

• Extra skills.

Only if they are relevant to your project and proposal. When offering a copywriter service, think about whether information about your experience in conducting psychological training or your ability to cross-stitch will help the customer make a decision. If the skills can be useful for offering a complex service, you can include them. Otherwise, we cross it out.

• Interests.

But here the point is controversial. I have come across recommendations many times not to include interests in your resume, because it definitely won’t be useful to the customer. I would argue. First, your interests tell a story about you as a person. They show how active you are in life and what you do in general. Active people are the best workers. Second, your interests may fit well with your major. For example, you are a copywriter, writing about a healthy lifestyle. And besides, you are a yoga instructor. It goes well and makes it clear that you are “in the know.”

3., which will show that other people are already happily and usefully working with you.

• Reviews and recommendations.
• Cases, that is, stories about how you helped clients.
• The list of projects with which you have already collaborated can be presented in the form of a “honor board” with logos.

• Links.

If you have a website/blog dedicated to your work, be sure to provide a link. If you don’t have a website, it’s a good idea to provide links to your personal resources - for example, pages on social networks. This, like interests, allows you to get to know you better. Just make sure that your pages only publish what you are willing to show to potential partners. And always remember this.

• Contacts.

We need multiple ways to contact you. The minimum required is email and Skype. If there is an opportunity to communicate with you through social networks, write about it. Although, for my taste, mail and Skype are enough.

But you won’t be satisfied with just a resume. The customer needs to see not only WHO you are and WHAT you do, but also HOW you do it. Therefore, a freelancer’s self-presentation package also includes a portfolio.

What should your portfolio look like?

I recommend making the portfolio not an integral part of the resume, but a separate document. Because experience says: sometimes you need one, sometimes the other, sometimes both at once. Give yourself the opportunity to present all options.

Important! A portfolio is not a collection of links to various resources based on the principle “look at this there, and this here, and I also have a publication here”. And not a lot of separate documents. Although these are the options most copywriters who want to collaborate with my agency send.

An online portfolio is an interactive document. That is, either a file or an online resource on which your work and all related information are collected. Accordingly, when a client asks to send your portfolio, you need to either attach a document to the letter, or provide one link, or both. But not a million links and not a million attachments.

What does a portfolio consist of?

There are two subtypes of portfolio: a collection of works and a presentation of achievements. You can have one option, or both options for different purposes, or even an integrated option - two in one.

What is the difference?

If you write texts or develop websites, you have a material expression of your work: texts and websites. Accordingly, in a portfolio you can collect your works, conveniently divide them into sections, add a brief self-presentation and table of contents - and your portfolio is ready.

But if you are an administrator of an Internet project or an SEO promotion specialist, then it will be problematic for you to create such a collection of works. But this does not mean that you will not have a portfolio. You will simply have it in the format of a presentation of achievements. In this document, you collect completed projects, the main results for each project, some numbers and facts that characterize you as a professional. And so on. It is enough to make a presentation of 10 slides to show your achievements to the customer.

If it is possible to add specific indicators and achievements to the collection of works, that would be great. Let's say you compiled a collection of screenshots of texts you wrote. You can add a link to the publication and a conversion rate to each.

A more advanced version of a portfolio is a marketing kit. But at the initial stages of work it is difficult to create such a document; it is better to gain experience, accumulate achievements, and then think about the marketing kit.

“What to do if there are no works and achievements yet? —

You may ask. Don't you need to make a portfolio?

Still needed! Of course, to the best of our ability.

It’s unlikely that you decided to start freelancing from scratch. It doesn’t happen that you have never studied to be a designer or done design in your life and suddenly decided: shouldn’t I start making money by design? Absurd, right? You still have some achievements and achievements. At a minimum, you studied somewhere and you have academic work. Or you were engaged in self-education, trained and also gained something. That's why.

For a collection of works by a beginning freelancer, the following are suitable:

• work completed during the training process
• work for a fictitious client
• work for review

The following are suitable for presenting achievements:

• achievements in offline work
• success in the learning process
• internship

The best way to “sell” yourself as a designer is to make yourself a quality portfolio. In it you reflect your work and attract clients. Every designer should have a portfolio. If so, first ask yourself a few questions: How much time do you spend improving your portfolio? What do you think are the best works in it? One thing is for sure - no matter how your portfolio is presented, it can always be improved

There's nothing more important than presenting the best of your work in a clear, compelling way. This article will help you achieve all this. Below are 20 tips for creating the perfect portfolio. These tips are for both physical and online portfolios. Keep these tips in your mind. Let me know what you think in the comments - I will be glad to receive a response.

Physical design portfolio

20. Size

One of the main questions to answer is how much work should your portfolio contain? For a well-rounded portfolio, you need at least 20 examples of your best work to make the best impression. Although practice shows that sometimes 5-6 really well-designed and best works are enough.

19. Relevant Examples

If you are applying for a full-time designer position, it is best to include examples that are relevant to the position. If, for example, you want to get a job as a web designer, then showing a potential employer a set of logos will not work. Real or fictitious sites and prototypes are what you need ideally.
Reference image: http://www.behance.net/gallery/14739489/PASCAL-QUIGNARD

18. Context

The designer or artist must be able to create graphics appropriate to the task. You must be able to understand the brief well. If you have lonely pictures in your portfolio, add context to them. Where did these images come from? How did the idea come about? What was your train of thought? Anything that supports the concept of the image is a must for inclusion in the portfolio.

17. Work for pleasure

The portfolio should include more than just work for clients. Design should also be your hobby. Post your own projects, because they often turn out much more interesting than custom work.

16. Keep it fresh

As experience grows, so does the portfolio, replenished with more and more new projects. This does not mean that the portfolio must contain all the work. Clean it up periodically, leaving only the best and freshest work.

15. Examples

A portfolio is not just about your work. Very good. when there are also recommendations. Highlight them boldly and attach them to your work. Moreover, provide transcripts and cases for your work; often they also serve as a plus. All this shows your capabilities. If you ever find yourself without a job, ask your previous place for recommendations, they always help.

14. Step back

Look at your portfolio from a third party perspective. Look at it with an experienced eye, instead of waiting for criticism from real clients. It is very important that you know your strengths and weaknesses. From this, you can prioritize graphics improvement and practice.

13. Demonstration of skills

Think of a portfolio as a creative biography. You need to make an impression, show that you are a professional. Make a strong note of your professional skills including communication and especially meeting deadlines. Try to give the impression that your skills include communication and meeting deadlines.

12. Sell yourself

What other creative talents do you have? Are you a good photographer? Or even a singer? You need your potential employer to know about your other creative abilities.

(picture from the site http://lizz.es/)

11. Portfolio indexing

When you read a book, or skim through it, or surf another website, you usually mark or add to your favorites pages that interest you. That is, exactly what your potential employer will do. This is easy to do - make sure that all pages have numbers (sites have unique URLs).

Online Portfolio

10. Platform

To build your portfolio online, there are several options. If you want a clean, personalized space, you can simply buy a domain and create a website for yourself. Or just set up a WordPress site yourself. If you are not ready to spend so much effort, try special sites, for example.

9. Goals

You need to make sure that you understand the purpose of creating an online portfolio. Is this a feedback tool? Or is it for employment? Answering these questions will help you better set up your portfolio and increase your chances of success.

8. Be selective

You don't have to post all your work online. Be selective - choose the best ones and different examples. No one needs to see everything. You have to make people want more, that's what your portfolio should do.

7. Present your work carefully

The London-based illustrator says: “Lay out your work carefully. The wishes for an online portfolio are the same as for physical ones: you must tell a story and show projects so that a common flow is created and everything interacts. If that means the old project has to be scrapped and replaced with a new one, then so be it.”

6. Show, don't tell

A website, like a business card, says a lot about you. More precisely, it shows a lot about you. You need to make sure that your visitors see and receive their first positive visual impressions before they start reading.

5. Keep updating

It is very important to constantly update your portfolio with new works. If you leave your site without updating for several months, people will no longer want to buy what is already posted there.

4. Update quickly

You need an effective design to update your portfolio regularly. It should be simple, two or three clicks, no more. If not, then you will get tired of posting new pictures due to the complexity of the process.

3. Photos of printed projects

Have you thought about displaying printed work in an online portfolio? Take a good camera, place your work in good lighting, use equipment if necessary. Make sure the photos turn out really well, otherwise viewers won't be able to appreciate the finesse.

2. Marking

Publish your work online. This will allow your clients and visitors to refer to your work when they talk about you.

1. How did you work?

It is important to show the final product. But what's more important is to show how you managed to achieve the final product. Give your customers an idea of ​​how you made the parts

How to create a student's portfolio?

Portfolio for a schoolchild .

folder-recorder,

files... no, not right, a lot of files,

A4 paper,

colored pencils (for drawing by the child),

Printer,

and, of course, patience and time.

The task of parents is to help children create a portfolio. Suggest how to fill out the sections correctly, select the necessary photographs and drawings.

At the moment, the portfolio has sample sections that can be supplemented with various interesting information:

Title pagestudent portfolio

This sheet contains the child’s data - Last name, First name, Patronymic name, photograph of the child, educational institution and city where the child is studying, start and end date of the portfolio.

Content – on this sheet we list all the sections that we considered necessary to include in the child’s portfolio.

Section - My world:

This section adds information that is important to the child. Example pages:

Personal information (About me) – date of birth, place of birth, age. You can indicate your home address and telephone number.

My name– write what the child’s name means, where it came from, you can indicate in honor of whom they were named (for example, grandfather). And also, indicate famous people bearing this name.

My family– write a short story about your family or, if you have the desire and time, then about each family member. Attach to this story photographs of relatives or a drawing of the child as he sees his family. You can attach the child’s pedigree to this section.

My city (I live) - in this section we indicate the city where the child lives, in what year and by whom it was founded, what this city is famous for, and what interesting places there are.

Route diagram to school – Together with your child, we draw a safe path from home to school. We mark dangerous places - roads, railway tracks, etc.

My friends– here we list the child’s friends (last name, first name), you can attach a photo of the friends. We also write about a friend’s hobbies or common interests.

My hobbies (My interests) – on this page you need to tell what the child likes to do and what he is interested in. If the child wishes, you can tell about the clubs/sections where he/she also goes.

Section - My school :

My school– school address, administration phone number, you can paste a photo of the institution, full name of the director, start (year) of study.

My class– indicate the class number, paste a general photo of the class, and you can also write a short story about the class.

My teachers– fill out information about the class teacher (full name + short story about what he is like), about teachers (subject + full name).

My school subjects – we give a brief description of each subject, i.e. We help the child understand why he is needed. You can also write your attitude towards the subject. For example, mathematics is a difficult subject, but I try, because... I want to learn to count well or I like music because I am learning to sing beautifully.

My social work (social activities) – it is advisable to fill out this section with photographs where the child took part in school life (for example, speaking at a festival, decorating a classroom, a wall newspaper, reading poetry at a matinee, etc.) + a brief description of the impressions/emotions of performing social activities.

My impressions (school events, excursion and educational events) – everything is standard here, we write a short review-impression about a child’s class visit to an excursion, museum, exhibition, etc. You can write a review with a photo from the event or draw a picture.

Section - My successes :

My studies– we make sheet headings for each school subject (mathematics, Russian language, reading, music, etc.). Well-done work - independent work, tests, reviews of books, various reports, etc. - will be put into files in these sections.

My art– here we place the child’s creativity. Drawings, crafts, his writing activities - fairy tales, stories, poems. We also don’t forget about large-scale works – we take photographs and add them to our portfolio. If desired, the work can be signed - the title, as well as where the work took part (if it was exhibited at a competition/exhibition).

My achievements– we make copies and boldly place them in this section – certificates of commendation, certificates, diplomas, final attestation sheets, letters of gratitude, etc.

My best works (Works that I'm proud of) – work that the child considers important and valuable for the whole year of study will be invested here. And we lay out the remaining (less valuable, in the child’s opinion) material, making room for sections for the new school year.

Reading technique– all test results are recorded here

Academic year report card

Parents of schoolchildren, upon learning that their child has received an assignment at school to create his own portfolio, very often fall into a stupor. And this is not surprising. After all, the design of a portfolio appeared relatively recently; almost all schools made its presence mandatory only in 2011.

It is necessary to start compiling a portfolio from the first grade; of course, a child at this age simply cannot cope with such a task, so the main work falls to the parents. But even they cannot always imagine how to correctly draw up this document.

What does a student's portfolio look like?

Various documents, photographs, works that reflect everything that a person knows and can do - all of this together is a portfolio. The child’s portfolio includes all information about him, his grades and performance at school.

If a student takes part in any sports competitions, participates in clubs, is active in extracurricular activities, or has interesting hobbies, this is also recorded in the documents.

A portfolio is created so that the student gradually begins to comprehend and realize his achievements, successes, awards, as a result of which the child has an incentive to develop his capabilities and abilities.

And if for some reason he transfers to another school, the documents will tell new teachers and classmates about him. And when entering college, the portfolios of talented schoolchildren can play a significant role.

A student’s portfolio can be of three types:

1. Portfolio of documents. It includes certificates, awards, certificates and other materials documenting the child’s achievements
2. Portfolio of works. It contains various creative and educational works, research projects, etc.
3. Reviews portfolio. It consists of characteristics given by teachers, parents, classmates regarding the student’s attitude towards different types of activities (academic, sports, etc.).

Of course, it is best if the portfolio is comprehensive and includes all types of documents.

How to create a student's portfolio?

If you approach it with creativity and imagination, creating a portfolio will not be difficult, the main thing is that both the child and the parents equally take part in this interesting activity.

Any portfolio is designed according to the following scheme: title page, various sections, appendices. All sheets can be made yourself on a computer in graphic or text programs and printed, or you can purchase sheets and ready-made forms in the store.

The title page must contain a photograph of the child, his first and last name, age, as well as class and school numbers.

The “My Portrait” (“My World”) section is filled out as follows. It indicates the child’s biography, information about his parents and friends. You can also write here your child’s hobbies, a short story about your hometown and school, etc. This is best done in the form of small notes (essays) and supported with photographs.

The student’s grades and progress are indicated in the “My Studies” section. You can also place information about your favorite subjects and teachers here, and add examples of your performance (essays, tests, etc.).

The “My Achievements” section will tell you about all kinds of certificates, medals, awards, and diplomas. You can attach real documents, or you can make copies of them. Also in this section you can write short stories about participation in events (sports, intellectual, competitions, olympiads) indicating the date of the event and the award received. The photo will bring the material to life.

All the child’s hobbies, be it poetry, drawings, crafts, etc., can be placed in the “My Creativity” section. In the “My impressions” section you can describe your emotions from trips to nature, excursions, theaters, etc.

It is also worth creating a “Feedback and Suggestions” section. In it, teachers and classmates will be able to write their opinions about the student and wishes. Don’t forget about the table of contents with page numbers for each section.

Your child's portfolio will be constantly updated with new pages, so don't forget to leave room for them.

A portfolio is an important working tool not only for actors and models. Designers, artists, photographers and needlewomen must have it. That is, all those who are interested in working from home, requiring advertising of their skills and products.

I once had a case: the needlewoman recommended to me could not show any of her work, although she had been knitting to order for about 15 years. The story that she knits the whole city did not impress me, and we parted. I know that most needlewomen also don’t think much about what and how to interest potential customers. At the same time, they want there to be a lot of orders and they are paid well. If you are one of them, then it’s time to think about how to “show your product face” and sell yourself at a higher price.

Portfolio design

The requirements for a portfolio, regardless of whether it is real or virtual, are approximately the same:

1. Everything, even in a virtual version, should look expensive, cool, solid, and creative.
2. Post only your best works, regularly updating their selection - remove outdated ones and add the best new ones.
3. Show the full range of your capabilities. That is, if you are not only an interior designer, but also create tapestries with your own hands, then the customer should know about it.
4. Give names to your works - this will simplify communication with the client.
5. Show some examples of the workflow, for example: how it was and how it is. If there is an opportunity to demonstrate a large project, for example, a house design, then it would be nice to show a step-by-step solution - research, several initial options, selection of materials, technologies, etc.
6. Each photograph should have a small description - what technique was used, for whom this work was done, etc.
7. Sell ​​yourself - add to your work reviews from grateful clients, diplomas, certificates and other evidence of your success and involvement in this profession.
8. Don't try to create a huge catalog. Your task is to show your professionalism and range of capabilities.
9. It is not necessary to use only photos - a short video presentation, if a person is interested in something, can be the last straw after which he makes an order.

If you choose a virtual option, then it should be as easy to use as the real one. That is, the customer should easily find in it those works that are closest to the project that he wants to order from you and go to them in one click.

Types of portfolio

It is customary to distinguish the following types of portfolio: achievements, presentation, thematic and complex, which combines all of the above. Since we need exactly the last option, I propose dividing the portfolio differently. Let's approach this from a purely utilitarian point of view: what should you show to a potential buyer/customer who knocks on your door, email, or just meets you on the World Wide Web? Here are the possible options:

• photo album;
• electronic portfolio;
• personal blog.

If you seriously decide to make money from your skill, it is advisable to have all three options. People are different and perceive information differently, so it will be better if you have something to offer everyone.

A beautiful photo album with large and high-quality photographs.

Albums where it’s convenient to change photos

First of all, you need high-quality photographs, and since it is irrational to constantly invite a professional to photograph the next blouse or embroidery, you will have to learn how to take photographs yourself. The main tricks of this matter can be found in the article “”. The finished photos should be placed in a good album, and choose one where it is convenient to add and shuffle photos, since you will have to regularly update the information.

How to make an e-portfolio

This is usually a digital book with photographs and captions.

Cover for a pdf file, made by me for example in BOOK MAKA

The easiest way to create it is in standard Microsoft Office programs, most of which are probably on your computer. This is Publisher, Power Point or Word. If you do it in Word, then convert the finished version into pdf format, it will look more solid. You can also use the Picasa program, where you can beautifully process photos, make photo collages and slides. You can download a special program on the Internet or find online options, like Portfolios.ru.

Working with photos in Portfolios.ru

A modern blog with a beautiful template, photographs, descriptions and easy navigation.

Examples of WordPress templates for portfolio sites

I advise you to install it on WordPress, especially since there are many special themes for this platform. Of course, first of all, they are intended for designers and artists, but they are also ideal for those who create something with their own hands (no matter furniture, cakes or blankets). The main points of creating a website can be found in the article “”. In addition, one of these days my book will be released (already published), especially for those who want to make their own blog, there will be all the necessary information for beginners, step-by-step installation of WordPress and other important points, including monetization.

You shouldn’t display works on your blog in chronological order, and it’s generally better to turn off chronology. These numbers may only be of interest to your competitors. The customer is interested in the work itself and whether you can do it even better.

The main task of the portfolio is to provide answers to the following customer questions:

• Who is this person and where is he located?
• What kind of work/projects has he done and where can I see them?
• Who has he already completed orders for?
• Is he professional enough?
• what are the prices and terms?
• how to contact the artist?

If your potential customer can easily get answers to them, then you did everything right. At the end of the portfolio, be sure to motivate the client to take action - you can place an order here, look at the price list, if you need the same cool thing, contact me this way.

If you have at least a few finished works, then immediately create a portfolio. You can beautifully design and finalize the catalog later, but you will easily lose a client due to the fact that you have nothing to show.

Women who work from home rarely think that this is a real business that requires an appropriate approach. Therefore, learn to present yourself and your work with dignity, as they deserve it. As a result, your income and self-esteem will increase.