From Creative Lives In Progress

https://www.creativelivesinprogress.com/article/a-guide-to-creating-your-pdf-portfolio

Written by Creative Lives in Progress
Illustration by Dionne Pajarillaga

A guide to creating your PDF portfolio

Applications for creative roles will often require you to have a portfolio of sorts; and today, that can take many forms – from social media profiles to printed objects. In this guide, we’ll be focusing on the trusty PDF portfolio – a condensed and curated version you’ll need for job applications. Here’s what to include, how to make the edit, and some all-important details for curating a great PDF portfolio.

What is a portfolio?

A portfolio is a printed or digital document that showcases your best work. Used predominantly when applying for a job or internship, your portfolio is considered to be just as important as your CV and cover letter.

Portfolios can vary across different disciplines. For example, those working in film and animation might opt for an online showreel, whereas photographers might prefer a large-scale, printed portfolio that shows off their images.

While your work should speak for itself, when done well, your portfolio could also be considered a project in itself, or even an extension of your practice.

How is a PDF portfolio different?

Today there are lots of different ways to present your work – from Instagram and Behance, to a personal website – and each has its own role to play. For example, you might use your Instagram account to document process or inspiration, while your website shows a longer selection of finished projects.

For applications, though, a PDF portfolio is usually the standard format. This will be an edited, tailored and well-curated selection of your work that helps a potential employer understand more about you and your suitability for a role. As they are commonly uploaded as digital files, they tend to be no more than 10MB in size.

What goes into a PDF portfolio?

We’ll go into these in more detail below, but generally speaking, this type of PDF portfolio is made up of:

• A cover page
• A selection of projects (normally between five and ten)
• An end page
• Your contact info (including name, email address and social media links)