What is a job portfolio?

Job portfolios, also known as work portfolios, contain samples of a candidate’s previous professional work. For example, a graphic designer’s portfolio typically includes logos, brochures, flyers and other completed projects. If you’re hiring a copywriter, you might want to see sample blog posts, case studies, white papers, press releases or articles.

Benefits of requesting a portfolio of work from each applicant

The main benefit of requesting a portfolio for the job application process is that you have an opportunity to verify each candidate’s skills rather than create a mismatch between what’s on their resume and what they can do in a practical setting. Reviewing a portfolio of work also gives you a chance to determine if an applicant’s style matches your company’s needs.

For example, if you’re hiring a website copywriter, you likely need someone who can embrace your brand’s voice and connect with members of your target audience or who shows an ability to adapt to different voices. If you’re looking for a copywriter who can write witty content that speaks to a wide range of readers, a candidate with a portfolio specializing in sharp and engaging content could potentially be a good match for your needs.

Components of a work portfolio

Job portfolios vary based on an applicant’s industry and level of experience. For example, someone who does technical writing may have a work portfolio filled with policy manuals, software guides and other technical documents. In contrast, an applicant with extensive experience in the marketing field may present a portfolio containing product descriptions, social media posts, newsletters and ad copy.

Here are some of the most common work samples found in professional job portfolios.

• Writing: Case studies, blog posts, direct mail pieces, marketing emails, white papers, e-books, landing pages and product descriptions
• Graphic design: Logos, fliers, infographics, product packaging, brochures, business cards, social media graphics, advertisements, digital banners and billboards
• Product design: Journey maps, prototypes and wireframes
• Modeling: Headshots, stills from film and television roles, fashion shots, basic poses and commercial shots
• Teaching: Lesson plans, unit plans, student survey results, statement of teaching philosophy and course syllabi

When to require job portfolios

It’s best to require work portfolios when you’re hiring for a role that requires some type of tangible output, such as photographs or product designs. Reviewing portfolios isn’t generally needed if you’re looking for candidates to make outbound telephone calls, stock retail shelves or perform similar tasks, for example. In those cases, you may prefer some form of pre-employment skill testing.

Tips for using job portfolios to make hiring decisions

To ensure the hiring process is as fair as possible, consider these tips when reviewing job portfolios.

1. Review the job description

Before you start reviewing work samples, review the job description to determine which skills a candidate absolutely needs to succeed in the open position. For example, if you’re hiring someone to work at an ad agency, it may be much more important to review samples of their digital advertising work than it is to see samples of brochures or logos.

2. Choose objective criteria

To help avoid bias, it’s important to be as objective as possible during the review process. For example, if you’re hiring a graphic designer, consider paying close attention to the following aspects of each sample:

• Symmetry
• Negative space
• Overall composition
• Font selection
• Color usage

When reviewing creative works, it’s natural to have personal opinions, but it’s important to put those opinions aside and focus on objective criteria as much as possible. You may not like a particular design, but the applicant’s skills may be exactly what your organization needs.

The same rules apply to portfolios for teaching, modeling and writing. If you’re a school principal, you may write your lesson plans in a certain way, but keep in mind that some teachers may use different formats and methods. Reviewing each portfolio with an objective lens makes it easier to avoid snap judgments that could cause you to miss out on a high-quality employee.

3. Create a rating scale

It’s important to use the same rating scale for every portfolio. Otherwise, you may have some ratings on a scale of one through 10, some on a scale of one through five and still others with three-star and four-star ratings. If you use multiple rating systems, you can’t objectively compare one candidate to another.

4. Review portfolios before you conduct interviews

If possible, review job portfolios before you interview candidates. Reviewing work samples ahead of time can allow you to be more objective, as you won’t be swayed by a candidate’s personal characteristics when you’re reviewing their past work.

To avoid overwhelming your team with portfolio reviews, consider conducting a short phone screening as part of the hiring process. If an applicant passes the initial screening, you can have them submit a portfolio later. If the screening reveals that an applicant isn’t a good fit for the position, there is no need to review their portfolio of work.

5. Use multiple reviewers

Using multiple reviewers makes it easier to come up with an objective rating for each portfolio. For example, if one reviewer assigns a rating of five out of 10 and the other reviewer assigns a rating of seven out of 10, you can average them together for an overall rating of six.

It’s important for each person to work independently. Ask reviewers to avoid sharing their scores until everyone has had a chance to review each portfolio. Keeping ratings confidential prevents one reviewer from being influenced by another reviewer’s opinion, making the review process as objective as possible.

6. Ask for feedback

If you work for a small company that doesn’t have multiple people available to conduct formal reviews, ask current employees for feedback. For example, if you’re reviewing graphic design portfolios, ask your graphic designer and marketing manager to provide feedback on each one. Feedback from current employees is valuable because it may help you determine if a candidate is likely to be a good match for the team.

7. Discuss the reviews with top candidates

When you’re ready to interview your top candidates, ask questions about their job portfolios. This gives you more insight into how they approach assignments, which may help you determine which one is the best fit for your organization.

Here are some questions to incorporate into the interview process:

• Tell me about [project]. What influenced your design philosophy?
• Walk me through the process you followed to create your lesson plan on state capitals.
• What tools did you use to create [project]? What made you choose those tools?
• Can you explain the scope and timeline for this project? What deliverables were you responsible for and did you meet the deadlines as outlined?
• Did you consult any of your colleagues before starting [project]? If so, who did you consult? What kind of information did you request?