The Covid-19 pandemic that began in late March caused countless changes as we
moved to a new normal. One of the most significant changes was that online
portfolios became a popular way to showcase creative work and document
professional growth. With the world shifting to an ‘all-electronic’
environment, it’s still important to have a paper version for when you need
it—especially if you’re applying for jobs you’ve never done before.
Marketing students who are passionate about digital marketing and social
media will find themselves in a unique position as the world shifted to
online learning. With their existing knowledge and skills, they can easily
capitalise on this opportunity and build an incredible online portfolio that
will attract a whole host of employers.
Here, we’ll identify the essentials of an online marketing portfolio (and
some nice-to-have additions) that every student should have in their arsenal.
Essentials
An online marketing portfolio should contain the following:
- A website that’s representative of your work
- A blog to document your progress
- Social media profiles for your industry
- A cover letter to introduce yourself to the employer
- An impressive resume
Starters
To get started, begin by creating a website featuring your work. Depending on the
nature of your studies, you may decide to use a free platform like
Wix, Squarespace, or HubSpot, or create a fully
managed WordPress site. Whatever you use, make sure that you use a suitable
domain name that’s reflective of your work. Since most people use the web to
research prospective employees, having a website that’s easy to find,
understand, and connects well with the search term’marketing student’ will
impress potential employers.
A crucial next step is to establish a blog alongside your website. A
blog is a great way to document your journey to becoming a marketer,
showing potential employers a glimpse of what you’ve been up to throughout
your studies. Not only does it demonstrate your knowledge of the subject
matter, but you can use the blog to showcase key skills like copywriting,
creative thinking, and information gathering. Establishing a blog is
also a good idea because it allows you to write about topics that are
relevant to your studies or career and helps drive traffic back to your
portfolio website and resume.
To create a truly representative portfolio, get creative and find ways to
integrate your website and blog. For example, you can interview subject
matter experts, provide valuable tools and resources, or even create
case studies and blog posts about your findings.
Finishers
Once you’ve got your blog set up, continue to establish yourself as an
authority in your chosen field by way of guest posts on relevant websites.
Writing for a wide audience is an excellent way to establish yourself as an
authority in your industry, and it will also help you to gain valuable
contacts who may be able to refer you to potential employers or
colleagues.
An important element of your online portfolio is the cover letter. A cover
letter should generally be short and sweet, not more than a few paragraphs
long. It should provide the employer with a clear indication of what they
can expect from you, and it should be written in a way that encourages them
to engage with you further. One or two sentences describing the
transformation that digital marketing has enabled you to undertake is ideal
for this purpose.
A short, sweet resume is also advisable. Many people still find the
resume indispensable in today’s workforce. Including a short resume is
also a great way to prevent your application from being overlooked in
hinders due to lengthy faxes or emails.
An impressive online portfolio doesn’t have to be expensive. You don’t
need to commit a large amount of money to purchase quality domain names,
hosting, and custom-made resumes. With many of the tools mentioned above,
free versions are available. You can also use online tools to establish your
portfolio and track its performance, ensuring you continue to drive
traffic to it.
The world has changed, and so has the way we’ll find employment. With
many of us now operating from home and learning online, portfolios have
become a popular way to present work and illustrate skills. Having a
portfolio that’s representative of your work is a great way to gain
employment, especially since many of us are now operating remotely due to
the pandemic.