I’m in the midst of looking for my first EA gig, but in the meantime, I’m thinking about creating an online portfolio. I feel like it’s good to have one so my resume, clips, etc are all in one place. However, I have no idea how to start. Are there any websites that let you do this for free? I’m a newbie here so any advice is much appreciated. Thanks everyone!
Ed2010™
It never hurts to have an
It never hurts to have an online portfolio, especially one that gives the user/reader download capability.
Having an online portfolio also raises your online presence, and that in itself, can sometimes lead to freelance work. Of course, you can and should send clips when applying for a job. However, if there’s a posting that either doesn’t allow clip attachments or a blind ad in something like Craigslist that has a space requirement, you can always give them the URL of your portfolio.
Google has Google Sites, and they’re easy to use to create an online portfolio. You can upload anything including PDFs. If there’s a free marketing tool that you can utlize, do it.
Word of Warning
Most editors I’ve become close with have told me that online portfolios are a waste of time. Think about it: who has time to go searching through your work? You should take the time to make individual “packages” for each position you apply for. If you aren’t taking the time to tailor your applications to the specific position, why should they take the time to look over your work?
Sounds harsh, but don’t expect any hiring managers or HR people to have the time to go to your portfolio online.
Of course, if you are a graphic design applicant- different story
True that you should tailor
True that you should tailor your resume and cover letter for specific jobs, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have an online portfolio. Just don’t rely on it to do the rest of the work for you. Editors can be finicky and what works for one editor could get your resume deleted without being read by another. That’s just how it works in an industry that rewards the most noticeable and not necessarily the most talented. An online portfolio will give editors the option of seeing more of your work without having to ask for it and it could lead to unexpected offers from places you never considered.
That depends...
If you’re on the design side, one of the best sites I’ve seen is www.coroflot.com. You can upload PDFs of your layouts and create a very snazzy looking profile, complete with resume. Other designers on the site can view your information, read your resume, check out your designs, etc. It’s like Facebook for designers. A great networking tool.
I only wish they offered the same service for those of us on the editorial side. So far, I haven’t found anything great… Let me know if you have!