If I could only give one piece of advice to college freshmen, it would be to create a professional blog or portfolio. We are in the age of the internet and creating a home for all your experience digitally is a no-brainer. It may seem irrelevant for majors that aren’t creative but it can be the difference in landing your dream internship. It’s so beneficial for your future job and even grad school interviews. When you include it in applications, recruiters are blown away and it becomes an amazing talking point. I listed below my top tips and examples in creating a great portfolio.
Why You Should Create a Portfolio Before You Graduate
The first thing everyone should add no matter what your major or career goals are is a Resume page! Interviewers want to know your experience and the first thing you want to add to your blog is a resume page. This would be a great place to tell a little bit about yourself and what you’ve done in terms of jobs and what you’re studying. Be sure to include a PDF file of your resume on this page. I would not include any blog posts on this page. If you need help creating your resume or just want career tips, be sure to check out Professional Resume Services. It’s my go-to website for all things career.
The next page you want to add is your Education page. This page is pertinent for majors that aren’t creative. You will want to include your education experience, including college name, majors, minors, expected graduation date, and GPA if you are applying to grad school. I would write blog posts on this page about work you’ve done in your classes, especially the end of the semester projects. If you are a creative or writing major, I would include samples from classes.
Examples of titles:
- BUS 375: Marketing and Entrepreneuring: Semester Project Business Plan
- Education Plans from EDU: 248 Secondary Math
- Meal Plan Project for Dietetics 499
- Teacher Assistant for Spring 2019 – Anatomy 231
Extracurriculars should be your next page. It could be a page devoted to your involvement at the school newspaper, positions held in your sorority, or perhaps you are very involved on campus with multiple things, in which I would label the entire page to extracurricular activities. This could also include clubs, volunteering opportunities, student government, etc. This is a great place to not only list involvements but also write blog posts about these experiences.
Example Titles:
- What I Learned in my time as my Sorority’s President
- My Volunteer Trip to New Orleans with the Helping Hands Club
- Threads Fashion Show 2018
- DECA Competition Fall 2019
- Internship: Summer 2017 with Jack & Ryan Agency
Lastly, if you are in a creative major then this is your time to shine! Have a page devoted to your work and be sure to include the background to the work. I would lean on mentors in your program or even professors to take a look at this page to give their creative opinion. I use Bluehost to host my website and love it. If you’re thinking of starting a blog be sure to use this coupon to get 50% off your first year. #ballinonabudget
Why You Should Create a Portfolio Before You Graduate
I hope this can help you land that dream internship or spot in your top grad school. Below are some pals of mine with amazing educational blogs!!
Josh – Public Relations Major – PR at a Nonprofit.
https://gearyjw.wordpress.com/
Kylie – Dietetics Major – Currently in Grad School for Dietetics.
https://kyliezellner.wordpress.com/
Jackie – Graphic Design at Advertising Agency
https://www.jackiekarevich.com/
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