Lately, whenever I look up an author or scholar, I almost always come across a sleek and snazzy website attached to their name. After noticing so many of them, I began to wonder how these websites were used and why they had become so popular. Although they can often be quite different in terms of style and content, I’d argue that they might just be popular because they point the viewer to their author’s most central pieces of work.
While direct requests for portfolios are most common in the arts, I’ve noticed that many researchers and academics across a range of disciplines have taken to publishing their portfolios online. An online portfolio can be a great way to not only keep track of all your projects, accomplishments, and skills, but to demonstrate your sense of passion, organization, and initiative to a future supervisor or employer.
I’ve even noticed that many job applications now have a section where you can include “relevant website links,” providing a perfect opportunity to make your application stand out. Although many departments offer graduate students the chance to create a profile on their department page (a great thing to link to and keep up to date!), creating your own portfolio means that you have even more control over what work you can highlight. It’s an especially great medium to pursue if you have any visuals you can share from your work such as pictures from field work, slides from conferences, or graphic designs.
If you’re looking for more guidance, there are some great articles on building a graduate portfolio. Some universities, like Michigan State University, even have resources and tips for creating portfolios online. They also provide an extensive list of sample portfolios from graduate students across disciplines.
So, whether you’re thinking about creating a portfolio for the first time or working up the courage to update a long-neglected file or website, there are tonnes of resources waiting to help you make your profile stand out.