Portfolio Design for Creative Professionals

Authors

Alina A. Svidgal, Boise State UniversityFollow

Date

Fall 2023

Type of Culminating Activity

Student presentation

Abstract

I chose a service learning approach to my capstone project because I believe that my blog, https://profoliodesign.wordpress.com/, is a great, free resource for professionals when designing a career portfolio. Doing the research on how to design a portfolio at the same time as designing your own can be a bit overwhelming, so I created a blog that encompasses elements of service learning by creating a structured resource to design and build a portfolio. My blog teaches people how to choose a format to host their work in, how to select which projects to show off, how to write self reflections about their professional experience using guided questions, and the opportunity to view other professional portfolios for inspiration. My blog will help people gain personal and professional growth by helping them design a portfolio that beautifully organizes and highlights their work.

My blog includes the foundational knowledge needed to develop an eye-catching professional portfolio. My blog hosts information about what a portfolio is and why it’s important; how to shape your professional identity and personal brand; format and artifact selection; reflection and storytelling; and how to organize your portfolio. All of these articles focus on the most essential elements of a portfolio and provide enough information to kickstart any portfolio development journey. I've also created a YouTube playlist titled Portfolio Design for Creative Professionals which contains 7 videos from an interview I conducted with Jillian Krulac, a knowledgeable Career Counselor at Boise State University. Stakeholders benefit by understanding all the different avenues they can take when formatting a portfolio such as via LinkedIn, a website, a PDF, a photo sharing site and more. They will also learn how to speak about past project experiences and their accomplishments. Readers will also have the opportunity to view other professional portfolios and digital tools for inspiration. Additionally, they will learn how to select the projects or artifacts that represent their accomplishments and align with their career objectives. Finally, they will learn how to strategically organize their work into project categories and write about their work in a way that highlights their process.

Degree Program

Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies

Mentors

Margaret Sass, J.D., Ed.D.

Comments

© 2023, Alina A. Svidgal.