In the 21st century, it’s now more important than ever to have an online home for yourself. This can take the form of an online portfolio, a blog, or even a simple website with a short bio and your resume. Regardless of the form, having an online presence has become a must, not an extra. Here are 5 tips to creating an online portfolio that will catch people’s eye, but still create a professional appearance.

Only include your best work, don’t throw everything online.

A common misconception about your online portfolio or website is that you need to include everything that is relevant. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Before putting content on your website, take a step back and curate the best and most relevant content. While it’s great to include many pieces, it’s also good to not overwhelm the visitor to your site. Limit your work to your best 5-8 projects and showcase your skills.

Utilize free services like Wix or WordPress, or pay a bit to get a more premium service.

Having an online presence doesn’t have to be expensive. By utilizing a free service like Wix, Weebly, or WordPress.com, you have access to many creation tools and step-by-step guides on how to use them. Best of all, you don’t have to pay for anything unless you want to buy a custom URL. If you are feeling a little more adventurous, you could always spend a bit more and get a site on Squarespace or hosting through a provider for a minimal monthly cost.

Create a bio about yourself that expresses who you are as a unique person.

You want visitors to your site to get a sense of who you are. Don’t just list out accolades or job titles, let people get to know you. What your hobbies? Where have you lived? Do you like to travel? Use this space to showcase your personality. Below this bio, go into your portfolio “rundown.” Include your name, a photo of you, your contact information and a brief professional summary of your current occupation and your future goals.

Decide what is relevant to your industry.

When it comes to online portfolios, there is no cookie cutter mold to follow. Every industry is going to be different. If you’re in the science field, published articles, research, and work you’ve done is relevant to include. If you’re going into education, inclusion of (watermarked) lesson plans you’ve created along with other instructional materials is most important. It’s up to you to decide what best fits your industry.

Keep your portfolio fresh.

As a person, you’re always changing and growing and it’s important that your online portfolio does as well. As you have new work, replace some older pieces on your site. When you have a career change, make sure you note it in your bio and your professional rundown. Most importantly, make sure you’re keeping your skills up to date. As you learn new software, include it! If you’ve improved your public speaking skills, note that! Always keep it as current as possible.

If you’re a UGA online student or alumni who already has an online portfolio, send us the link either via social or email. We’ll post it to our social media channels to highlight you!