We’ve been hearing a lot about “portfolio” lately, but I think there are quite a few people who wonder if it has anything to do with web-based creative work.
Along with this, questions such as “What is a portfolio?” and “What does it do in the first place?” may arise.
In fact, the use of a “portfolio” is not limited to web-related work.
In this article, we will explain what such mysterious portfolios are and what they mean, mainly on the web.
If you understand the basics of a portfolio, you will definitely find it very useful in your future work. Please refer to it.
What is a portfolio?
When literally translated into English, the word portfolio has the meanings of “paper clip,” “document bag,” “art book,” “work collection,” “securities (list),” and “a company’s assortment or product line.”
The origin of the word is the Italian word “portafoglio” which means “billfold”.
A billfold is something you can carry around with you.
Although such a portfolio has various meanings, there are two important points.
① “It’s grouped together.”
② “Changes can be made depending on the situation, such as replacement.”
There is no set format, and “I don’t know how to create it.”
I think there will be some opinions like this.
That’s where I find it difficult, but to put it simply, you can think of it as “a collection of things you’ve created that will help the other person understand you and ensure that your content is conveyed.” Probably.
Therefore, a portfolio can be said to be a tool for self-expression, and there are various patterns of portfolios.
Since it is something to be shown to the other person, it is necessary to change the contents depending on the situation. If your work is updated, be sure to update it regularly.
There is also the opinion that “portfolios should be prepared and carried with you on a daily basis as they serve as materials for self-introduction.”
If you carry something with you that allows you to express yourself reliably in any situation, you will be able to respond immediately to sudden business opportunities.
The analysis method and framework used for customer satisfaction surveys is called portfolio analysis. This is an analysis method that uses items such as products, services, personnel, prices, etc. as satisfaction levels, represents them in a two-dimensional graph, and then identifies important items that need improvement.
Why portfolio is important
So why is a portfolio important?
It is difficult to convey your own “skills,” “feelings,” and “sensibilities” to others using only documents such as a resume or work history, but if you have a portfolio, you can convey yourself more specifically to others.
You can use it for web-based employment, which you often imagine.
However, as I mentioned at the beginning, there are various types of portfolios other than web ones, so I would like to introduce them to you.
various portfolios
There are various portfolios, but what are they?
There are four main types of portfolios depending on the industry.
1. Creative portfolio
2. Education portfolio
3. Financial portfolio
4. Business portfolio
creative portfolio
The easiest portfolio for everyone to imagine is a creative portfolio.
Creative type includes “web type” and “design type”.
When changing jobs in the creative field, you will need to highlight your accomplishments and what you have done so far.
That’s when a portfolio comes into play.
Web-related people often create a “portfolio site,” which is a portfolio of “websites and
homepages
that they have designed.”
People in the design field, such as graphic designers and painters, tend to compile the works they have created so far on paper, PDF, etc.
By summarizing them, you will be able to explain “yourself” in a concrete manner, which will be useful when getting a job or getting a job.
From here, we will explain how to create a creative portfolio and give examples of its contents.
Web page portfolio
- Create a website for web page results
First, create a website to post your achievements. On this site, I will be posting all the web pages I have created so far.
Post the web pages you have created so far on the site you have created.
- Link to web page
- What type of web page is it?
- What was your intention and what effect did you aim for?
- What technology was used to create it?
I will write down the contents.
Be careful not to simply post the web page you have created.
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design portfolio
① Main visual of the work We will post visuals that will give you an idea of the overall feel at a glance.
Even if you are particular about the details, it is important that the content is easy to understand at a glance.
② List the projects and plans you have been involved in so you can see what kind of things you have been involved in.
If you have a website, post the URL so others can see it.
③ Make sure that you can see what part of the project you were responsible for.
In addition to your design skills, be sure to include whether you can also do web-based coding, and what programming languages you know.
④What is the concept?
Visuals alone are not enough to convey your message to others.
For this reason, I write about my work, such as “Who was it made for?” and “What is the intention?”
Having this description will help the other person understand your work more specifically.
⑤ What I paid particular attention to When designing the design, write down the points that you have devised yourself and the points that you are particularly particular about.
By describing the purpose of the design, such as how you provided value to the user, and the basis of your own ideas, you will be able to provide a deeper explanation.
Summarize your work by writing about the contents mentioned above, but don’t just list everything, but try to show things like “what you’re good at” or “your most recent works.”
You need to be careful because too much information can have negative effects.
Education portfolio
In terms of education, a portfolio is “education that comprehensively learns and evaluates various things,” and such an educational method is called “portfolio education.”
When it comes to evaluating education, we tend to focus on test scores, but this “portfolio education” is also effective for those who demonstrate “talents other than studying.”
The key to “portfolio education” is to be able to accurately assess the person’s original abilities, as the “processes and procedures” are frequently checked and evaluated.
- Contents of education portfolio
The main contents of the education portfolio are as follows.
① What kind of activities did you do? At the time of the activity, what questions did you have and what problems did you try to solve?
More detailed content, such as what you found out through your research and what you want to investigate further.
②What kind of realizations and discoveries were made?As mentioned above, the key is to “dig deep into the matter.”
By making the content specific, you can clarify the educational process and help you notice the various talents of the other person.
financial portfolio
A financial portfolio refers to the composition of assets such as stocks held for management purposes. Simply put, a financial portfolio is a combination of various assets.
Originally, securities were often stored between sheets of paper, which is why the name “portfolio” was given to them.
By building a portfolio, you can reduce risk and stabilize asset management.
Business portfolio
A business portfolio allows you to visualize the businesses that generate a company’s profits.
By visualizing it, it can be used as a tool to select which management resources to use effectively.
Advantages include “able to make management decisions quickly” and “risk hedging.”
What are the important points in a portfolio?
The important point in a portfolio is to “convey your background, skills, etc. in an easy-to-understand manner.”
Of course you can post your works, but you can also create a concrete portfolio by adding information such as “your style and field of expertise” and “what you want to do in the future and your vision for the future.”
In particular, a web-based portfolio is very important for getting a job or getting a job as an individual.
No matter how great your work is, it’s meaningless if it doesn’t get through to the other person.
To make yourself look attractive, think about a design that is easy to understand.
In your portfolio, it is important to convey your thoughts and skills related to the design.
Is your portfolio paper? Web?
Portfolios can be on paper or online.
You may be confused as to which one is better, but it is best to have a paper portfolio ready when changing jobs.
This is because depending on the communication environment at the interview venue, you may not be able to view your portfolio on the web. Another important point is that you are not influenced by the digital knowledge of your interviewee.
Paper portfolios have the advantage of being able to be handed to the other person and making it easier to convey information under any circumstances.
The great thing about web portfolios is that you can see digital movements and 3D angles.
Also, it is not possible to display source code etc. with a paper portfolio, so if you need such content, you will need a web portfolio. In such cases, we recommend using a paper portfolio as a complement to a web portfolio.
By playing a complementary role in your paper portfolio, your web portfolio becomes even more appealing.
In the case of a web portfolio, you can learn by looking at various top-notch people’s sites and gallery sites, so it is very easy to study on your own.
A variety of people, including designers, photographers, and artists, post their portfolios on the web. We recommend that you use it as a reference.
Referring to top-notch, high-quality portfolios is a shortcut to creating a good portfolio yourself.
summary
What do you think?
There were many different portfolios, and the contents were diverse.
Although they are diverse, they all have the same basic point: they are organized in a systematic manner that is easy for the other party to understand.
For creative people, a portfolio is very important from the perspective of “leveraging your individuality” in order to get people to know you specifically.
Particularly when changing jobs, having a portfolio will definitely give you an advantage in ensuring that hiring managers evaluate your skills and enthusiasm.
When creating a portfolio, you will be able to organize your mind between tasks, and as a by-product you will gain “thoughts that will be useful for interviews and self-promotion”.
A portfolio is “a way to let others know about you.”
However, if you only aim to “build a portfolio”, you will lose sight of the important purpose. Be sure to keep that in mind.