Creating Print and Online Portfolios

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Creating Print and Online Portfolios

• Melissa Brown
• STC Senior Member

STC DC Chapter Career Day March 20, 2004
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Who am I?

• STC member since 1995
• Twelve years of experience in TechComm field
• Active in STC Online competitions, local and
  international
• Lots of job interviews

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What will we cover?

• What do YOU want to cover?
• Background
• Why you need a portfolio
• How to obtain and organize material
• Print portfolios
• Background
• Examples
• Online portfolios
• Background
• Examples
• Q A

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Why you need a portfolio

• To show writing samples
• To back up your resume
• To catalog your past work
• To create a good impression
• To gaze at in moments of clarity

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How to get material

• School
• Work/Internships
• Caution Proprietary
• Volunteer work
• Personal work
• Your resume
• Personal Web site (caution)

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How to organize material

• Group material according to subject or media
• Avoid chronological order
• Label each piece with audience and purpose
• Limit number of pages

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Print portfolios Background

• Choose neat, clean, adjustable format
• Re-organize portfolio for EACH client or
  interview
• Remove items not applicable 8-12 pieces of your
  BEST material
• Have extra copies of samples

• DO NOT LEAVE YOUR PORTFOLIO!

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Print portfolios Examples
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Online portfolios Background

• Use it to support (not replace) print portfolio
• Showcase Web sites, graphics, PDFs
• Optimize for speed and browser compatibility
• Be aware of search engines and information privacy

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Online portfolios Examples
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Q A
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Resources

• GENERAL
• STC www.stc.org
• STC DC Chapter www.stcwdc.org
• DC Web Women www.dcwebwomen.org
• Art/design portfolio host www.portfolios.com
• PORTFOLIO EXAMPLES
• For educational purposes only!
• http//www.cybertext.com.au (Click "Samples")
• http//www.rachelworks.com (Great audience and
  purpose descriptions)
• http//www.jillcaras.comhttp//mindymcadams.com/
  resume/index.htm (Academic career portfolio)
• http//www.empower-marketing.com/portfolio.html
  (Consultant portfolio good problem/solution
  theme)
• http//www.sharyn.info
• http//zinninger.com/portfolio.html
• http//www.digitaljenn.com/creative.cfm
• http//www.jenrandall.com/core.html