With the current downturn in the economy, I’ve been getting calls from a potential contractors interested in working with us at Content Solutions. If I have projects on my radar screen that match your skills, I will likely call you in for an interview to determine if you will be a good match for a current or upcoming project. Much of our discussion will evolve around your portfolio.

No portfolio, low potential of getting hired. If I’ve asked you to come in for an interview, it’s highly likely I’ve projects for which I need immediate assistance. (Immediate as defined by most of my clients means due last week.) If you come to work for me, you’ll be hitting the ground running, so seeing what you’ve already done is important. What I see in that portfolio and how you handle it during the interview process will determine your likelihood of becoming a part of my team.

As a potential employer, your portfolio is very important to me because it allows me to determine

• what skills you have
• if your experience complements the skills already present in my business
• if you’re starting out in your career, it tells me how much mentoring I’ll be doing
• your potential
• if you’re able to follow instructions
• how I can expect you to  treat my projects if you become a part of our team.

While I am looking at the content in your portfolio, I’m looking at much more than just the pieces. In fact, I’ve hired some very amazing people who had only one or two relevant things in their portfolio because they nailed all the criteria I listed above.

To stress this point even further, my first job in this industry was due to the potential my new boss saw in my portfolio. As I made the transition from being a high school English teacher to  a writer, editor, graphics artist, and web designer, my first portfolio was a paltry presentation with few pieces that I had pulled together in an afternoon. (I happened to have bumped into the hiring manager as I was dropping off an application for a different position mid-afternoon and as we set the interview for 8:00 am the next morning she said, “Oh yeah, be sure to bring your portfolio with you tomorrow.”) Literally, my portfolio was a small report cover with a few “projects” tucked into clear page protectors. These projects were

• three mini posters I had made to support a poetry unit for my classroom bulletin boards
• worksheets I had made
• a one-page news brief I had done for my department
• a copy of a wine label I had made for a recent batch of home made wine my husband and I had bottled the night before.

The day I started, I asked my manager why she chose me over all the other candidates. (I wanted to know what I did right so I could be sure to do that the next time I was looking for a job!) And she responded, “The content and packaging weren’t the best we saw. We hired you because it told us where you are right now  your career, your potential, your personality, and how you would fit into our department.”

Now that the roles have been reversed and I find myself bringing people to work for me, her words ring true. I’ve been able to say much the same thing about some people who have become indispensible in my company.

If you’re a creative professional looking to get a job or contract, your portfolio is vital and needs to represent where you are right now.

What are some of your experiences in using portfolios. The comment box is open. If you’re a manager, what are you looking for when you look at a candidate’s portfolio? Job seekers, let us know some of the things that you’ve seen hiring managers look for.