Discussion of how creative professionals can leverage their portfolios and social presence to get the job or contract they want. Presented by Louellen Coker (@ContentNotes) and J Schuh (@texasanimator) at Big(D)esign 2011.

1. Professional Portfolios
for the Creative Pros
Louellen S. Coker Content Solutions J Schuh Toons-N-Designs

2. Your Speakers
Web: www.yourcontentsolutions.com Web: www.toonsndesign.com
Blog: www.yourcontentnotes.com Blog: www.texasanimator.com
LinkedIn: louellencoker LinkedIn: J Schuh
Facebook: Content Solutions Facebook: Jay Schuh
Twitter: @ContentNotes, @LouellenC Twitter: @texasanimator
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

3. @ContentNotes @texasanimator

5. What you want
• Intrigue
• Call to Action
• Showcase
• Get a Gig
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

6. What employers want
• How good are you?
• How fast are you?
• How much do you cost?
• How well do you work with others?
• Can you alleviate our current need?
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

7. How to become good
• PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE
• RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH
• NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

8. Who you know gets
you in the door, what you
know keeps you there.
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

9. Portfolio Options
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

10. Forms of portfolios
Hard copy (Traditional)
• Archive
• Presentation
• Sample
• Elevator (Business Cards)
Virtual (Web 2.0)
• .pdf
• Website/Blog
• Social media
• Coffee shop (skins on devices)
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

11. Choose your platform
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

12. Best practices
• Keep it simple
• Keep it organized
• Keep it succinct
• Keep it optimized
• Keep it targeted
• Keep it consistent
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

13. Tools
• Software for capturing/creating pieces
– Open source
– Office products
– Adobe Suite products
• Wireframing/Organization tools
– Mindmeister for mind-mapping (www.mindmeister.com)
– Jumpstart for wireframing (www.jumpstart.com)
– Toodledo for project management (www.toodledo.com)
– Basecamp for project management (www.basecamphq.com)
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

14. Tools, cont.
• Online services • Social Media
– www.elance.com – LinkedIn.com
– www.qfolio.com – Facebook.com
– www.wordpress.org – Slideshare.net
– YouTube.com
– Flikr.com
– Wordpress.org/Blogger
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

15. Finding the Muscle
• Elbow grease • Training
– Blogs and Forums – www.lynda.com
– Use help – Blogs
– LSC Help Desk – Workshops
– Trial and Error
Hire some help
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

16. Case Study: .pdf
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

17. Case Study: HTML & .pdf
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

18. Case Study: CMS (Joomla!)
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

19. Case Study: Social Media
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

20. Choose your projects
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

21. First steps, FIRST
• Know your audience
• Know your goal
• Know your work
• Know your capabilities
(and how you’re different!)
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

22. What projects do I consider?
• Those that the hiring person wants to see
• Those for which you won an award
• Those created in your day job
• Those created for volunteer organizations
• Those created specifically for your portfolio
• Those created for fun
• EVERYTHING and ANYTHING
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

23. What projects do I include?
• Pieces that speak for themselves
• Pieces that translate across platforms
• Pieces that show skills
• Pieces that show interpersonal skills
• Piece that is the product of a difficult
situation
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

24. Leverage proprietary information
• GET PERMISSION
• Limit to outward facing information
• Redact if necessary
• Collect as you go
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

25. Leverage proprietary information
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

26. Leverage your work
• Select pieces that are relevant to
varied audiences
• Reflect about process
• Blog in deeper detail about process
• Show level of professionalism
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

27. Present your projects
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

28. Put your best foot forward
• Optimize your files
– Print = CMYK 300 dpi (.tif, .psd, .eps)
– Web = RGB 72 dpi (.jpg, .png, .bmp, .gif)
• Error FREE
• Professional
• Relevant
• Appropriate
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

29. Essential elements
• Cover Page – must have name; may have
your mission statement, short introduction,
or bio
• Table of Contents
• Navigation – some method to guide a
reviewer through your artifacts
• Artifacts – your best (mostly)
• Reflection – optional
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

30. Reflection
• Metacognition – thinking about your thinking
• Not always necessary
• Important
– For contextual clues
– To show growth
– For those in educational settings
– When being assessed
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

31. Pull it all together
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

32. Present your work
• Determine a presentation theme
• Organize your works in a logical
manner
• Compile your artifacts in a consistent
manner
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

33. Protect intellectual property
• Watermark
• Limit scope
• Low resolution
• Remove “copy & paste” ability
• Put your footprint in the metadata
• Copyright
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

34. Protect yourself
• NEVER leave your portfolio behind
• Make copies of portions of the artifacts in
your presentation portfolio
• Organize your artifacts in a less expensive
presentation folder
• Consider including a thumb drive with soft
copies of included and/or larger works
• Maintain consistency when possible
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

35. Lather, Rinse, Repeat!
@ContentNotes @texasanimator

36. Questions?
Wri4ng Design Web Solu4ons
www.yourcontentsolutions.com | 972-987-0567

37. Wri4ng Design Web Solu4ons
www.yourcontentsolutions.com | 972-987-0567