The lack of work experience is a common hurdle many new freelancers and job seekers face. This can create a 'catch-22' situation, where clients and potential employers demand experience for projects, yet obtaining experience requires securing those very projects.
Fortunately, there is more than one way to build your portfolio and showcase your skills and talent. Simply put, if you don't have enough experience for your CV, then create some.
If you don't have enough experience for your CV, then create some.
This article highlights 6 great portfolio tips, detailing how you can develop or participate in projects to build a strong profile, even with zero work or client experience.
Source: Wix Media
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1. Create personal projects
i. Get ideas for personal projects from job listings
Search for job adverts in your desired field on Google or other search engines. You can also use online job marketplaces like LinkedIn, Indeed, Upwork and Freelancer. This will provide you with relevant examples of the work companies are interested in. Then identify 3 to 5 listings that pique your interest and create your own projects using these as guidelines.
Unsure what career fields to focus on? Use my AI-assisted job search template to help find suitable careers based on your current education level and experience.
If you are bold enough or feel like additionally challenging yourself, consider creating and submitting speculative work to a job advertiser. Do so by completing the advertised project or a portion of it, and sharing it with the hiring manager. Include a cover letter where you reference the job posting and express your interest in the position, briefly highlighting your suitability for the role as showcased by the project you provide.
While success is not guaranteed, this can be an attention-grabbing strategy that can demonstrate your initiative, skills, and fit for the position, potentially leading to a job offer. This approach aligns with the "pro bono work" strategy mentioned later, where you offer your expertise at a discounted or free rate to build your portfolio and gain experience. However, it is important to note that this is an optional and potentially time-consuming method, that requires careful selection of projects and professional communication.
ii. Use free educational resources for inspiration
In addition to using job postings for ideas to develop personal projects, you can use free resources from top universities or online courses in your field of interest. Do so, by searching for assignments and project topics that they give to their students. You can even go further by registering for some of the courses they administer, to gain additional skills as you develop your portfolio. Free online courses can be found on many websites including edX, Coursera, Hubspot, Harvard, Yale, and MIT.
iii. Develop projects driven by your own interests and passions
Developing projects based on your interests and passions is another great way to add experience and work examples to your portfolio. It enables you to highlight your best skills and top interests, whilst showcasing your creativity and demonstrating your ability to self-motivate and independently design, and complete projects.
Unsure what career fields to focus on? Use my AI-assisted job search template to help to find suitable careers based on your current education level and experience.
2. Volunteer or complete pro bono work
You can build portfolio experience by volunteering your services for free to non-profit organisations, community initiatives, or friends and family. Only asking for testimonials, references and/or referrals in exchange. This will enable you to build your skills, interact with different types of clients, and demonstrate a commitment to using your expertise for good. However, be mindful that some volunteer positions are just as competitive as paid positions and difficult to secure, especially for international volunteer positions.
You can also take on work at discounted rates or pro bono (freely, especially for the public good) to build your client base and reputation. This can be achieved by actively reaching out to potential clients and highlighting your interest in collaborating with them. To make a strong impression, showcase your initiative by attaching a sample project based on a specific job posting of theirs. Alternatively, you can provide a company analysis, where you thoroughly research their business, identify a problem they face, and propose a solution you could deliver through your services.
3. Create case studies of your previous work
Any projects completed for work, school, volunteering or personal endeavours can be documented and presented as relevant experience in a portfolio. To effectively present them, consider the following format:
Describe Project Goals: Briefly outline the project's objectives and purpose.
Describe Work Performed: Explain your specific role and responsibilities in the project. Highlight the skills and expertise you applied.
Explain Challenges Faced: Discuss the major obstacles encountered and how you tackled or overcame them.
Showcase Solutions: Detail the strategies and methods used to address the challenges.
Quantify Results Achieved: Highlight the impact of your work, quantifying the work whenever possible, (e.g., increased efficiency by 20%, reduced costs by 15%).
Please make sure to confirm permission for collaborative projects or projects with non-disclosure agreements. Additionally, any proprietary or personal information (even your own) should not be included.
4. Start a blog or social media presence
You can enhance your experience by creating content to share your knowledge and expertise.
Similar to the process of developing your own projects, it shows a great personal drive, a capacity to manage your time and an ability to plan and develop an idea.
Additionally, it positions you as an authority, demonstrates your passion, and potentially attracts clients who find your insights valuable.
5. Contribute to open-source projects
Several platforms offer individuals the opportunity to collaborate with other professionals by participating in open-source projects. These projects can be freely accessed, studied, modified, or distributed by anyone, for any purpose. Tech-related fields offer the most open-source opportunities, with projects that have active communities offering the greatest professional exposure and feedback.
Open source projects enable job seekers as well as working professionals to demonstrate their skills, develop collaborative spirits, contribute to valuable causes, and showcase their commitment to the profession. You can also highlight your participation in them within your portfolio to gain recognition from potential clients.
For software developers, some great places to search for open-source projects are Google Opensource and GitHub. Technical writers can try the Apache HTTP Server Project, and the Gnome Documentation Project, and designers can contribute to Mozilla and WordPress open-source projects.
6. Participate in contests and challenges
Many platforms and websites hold design, writing, or other creative contests. Participating allows you to push your boundaries, receive feedback from professionals, and potentially win awards that can enhance your portfolio and credibility.
Look at the Design Educates Awards 2024 and The Alpine Fellowship Writing Prize 2024 for some great places to start for designers and writers respectively, (P.S. Make sure to browse the linked sites for other competitions and challenges.)
Pick one of these great portfolio tips to get started
The beauty of all these experience-building strategies lies in their focus on empowering your individual initiative.
By proactively developing your portfolio, you unlock numerous benefits that include learning new skills, refining existing ones, and demonstrating your drive and commitment. This enables you to not only build a strong foundation for your career but also empowers you to adapt and thrive in an ever-evolving work landscape.
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