Online Portfolio Resource: Updated Summer 2025

This guide was created using a mix of expert resources, professional articles, and tailored advice for Binghamton students. All external sources are credited throughout and listed here:

Let’s start with how Alex Muench describes a portfolio in his article, 5 Design Principles for Building Your First Portfolio:

“Most often, a portfolio takes the form of a personal website with a collection of work samples and case studies. It should highlight your skills while also introducing yourself to your audience — potential clients, future employers, or just your followers — both professionally and personally. It’s a space to share what you’ve accomplished, and, if you’re looking for a new role, what you hope to accomplish next. A great portfolio doesn’t only show your work; it tells a story about how you conceptualize and execute solutions to design problems.”

Another description comes from the Behance team in their article, How to Build a Portfolio That Gets You Hired:

“A good portfolio also represents your opinion on design, what you think is and is not important. It is the story about the relationship between you and design,” says Mitch Goldstein, Assistant Professor at Rochester Institute of Technology’s School of Design.”

A portfolio can take many forms depending on your creative discipline. Common portfolio elements include:

• Hard copy or printed work: Drawings, paintings, sculptures, photography
• Writing samples: Short stories, journalism, creative nonfiction, scripts
• Digital visuals: Graphic design, UX/UI projects, illustration, animation
• Performance samples: Videos of performances, demo reels, audition tapes
• Case studies and project breakdowns: For designers, marketers, UX researchers, and others who solve problems through their work

Your portfolio serves as both a visual showcase of your work and a storytelling tool that highlights how you think, create, and innovate.

These Are Not The Only Pathways:

Although there may be other options beyond the lists below, this overview highlights common professions and Binghamton University academic majors where portfolios often play an important role in the application process.

Career Paths That Typically Require a Portfolio:

Visual Arts & Design: Graphic Design, Illustration, Fine Arts (painting, sculpture, mixed media), Fashion Design, Industrial/Product Design, Interior Design, Architecture

Media & Digital Storytelling: Photography, Videography/Film Production, Animation, Web Design and Development, Game Design and Development, Social Media Content Creation

User Experience & Technology: UX Design, UI Design, Creative Coding, Front-End Software Engineering, App Development

Creative Communication: Advertising (especially art direction and copywriting roles), Marketing/Branding (for creative-focused positions), Writing/Editing (for creative writing, journalism, copywriting)

Performance & Production Arts: Set/Production Design (for theater, TV, film)

Specialized Fields: Art Therapy (especially for graduate programs)

Data & Analytics: Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, Data Scientist (entry-level), Data Visualization Specialist, Research Data Associate

Majors at Binghamton University That Likely Lead to Careers That Require Portfolios:

Art and Design (drawings, paintings, sculptures, photography, graphic design, and more)

Cinema (film, video, and production work)

Creative Writing (within English — portfolios often needed for MFA programs and creative roles)

Theatre (for Set Design, Costume Design, or Technical Theatre — design portfolios typically required)

Architecture/Urban Design (covered partially through Art History and Geography — portfolios often include maps, planning documents, and design samples)

Digital and Data Studies (for creatively focused projects like data visualizations, digital storytelling, or website creation)

Photo Source for Both Pictures: Jonathan Cohen / University Photographer

Depending on where you are in your career development and the specificity of your goals, you may find yourself asked to submit a portfolio multiple times throughout college and beyond. Here are some common examples:

• Internship Applications — Many internships in creative fields, marketing, media, tech, or design will require a portfolio to showcase your work and skills.
• Job Applications — Full-time roles in industries like graphic design, UX/UI, advertising, writing, filmmaking, and software development often request a portfolio to evaluate your capabilities and style.
• Graduate School Programs — Programs in fine arts, creative writing, architecture, film, and design usually require a portfolio as part of the admissions process to assess your technical skills and creative growth.
• Art Residencies — Artists applying to residencies typically submit a curated portfolio to demonstrate their artistic style, body of work, and project vision.
• Freelance Work — Freelancers across fields like design, photography, writing, coding, and video production often need a portfolio to attract and secure clients.
• Scholarship Applications — Some scholarships, especially those for artists, writers, and designers, may require a portfolio to evaluate creative potential.
• Competitions — Submissions for art, design, writing, or coding competitions may require portfolio samples to demonstrate eligibility and skill level.
• Grant Applications — Artists, filmmakers, and creative writers applying for grants often submit a portfolio to support their project proposals.
• Publications or Exhibitions — When submitting work for galleries, literary magazines, film festivals, or other showcases, a portfolio or sample of works is usually required.

In the article Best Portfolio Platforms for Creatives: Top Picks for 2025, Carlli Zarpas explains the importance of a portfolio from a hiring perspective:

“Before hiring you for a project or a long-term project, your potential collaborators need to know the type of projects you’ve worked on in the past to see if you’re the right fit for them. When looking through your work, clients and employers can determine the scope of previous projects, your design style, and what services you offer.”

In general, employers are always looking for evidence of your skills and proof that you have successfully applied them. This is true for your resume, cover letter, and interview, and it’s just as important for your portfolio!

When it comes to creative industries, each organization may have specific qualities they look for to determine if you align with their brand, mission, and expectations. A portfolio gives employers a deeper understanding of your abilities, your creative approach, and your potential to succeed in the role they are hiring for.

Start right away! Every project you complete could play an important role in helping you land internships, jobs, or other professional opportunities.

Keeping track of your creative work from the beginning makes it much easier to pull together strong, tailored portfolios when it’s time to apply.

When you go to make or edit your online portfolio, there will be different pieces of advice to apply depending on which creative field you are focusing in on. Therefore, it can be beneficial to go into this process with having some clarity to guide yourself with. Some of you may already have a strong sense of career confidence and clarity, but it is completely normal if you are in the boat of still exploring your career options!

Below, I have gathered a variety of career quizzes for the creative fields, and a few articles about identifying a specialization, to support you with your career/academic exploration. These tools are meant to feel supportive and not meant to make you feel boxed in by their recommendations. We encourage meeting with a Career Consultant to do a deep dive into your exploration!

Career Quizzes for the Creative Fields:

With some career confidence and clarity guiding you, what do you do next?

Are you just starting out with your online portfolio? I encourage you to begin by reading Semplice’s beginners guide, titled “How to build your first port_folio.“

As you are thinking about making your portfolio, some of these questions may have naturally come to mind:

• What should I include?
• How do I start the process?
• What additional tips should I consider?
• Where can I get ideas and inspiration?
• How do I create the “About Me” section and descriptions for each piece of work?
• And one of the most common questions: What platforms can I use to build my portfolio?

Let’s start with that first question: What should I include in my portfolio? As you gain more relevant experience, you’ll likely narrow your focus, but when you’re just starting out, there are plenty of options! Consider pulling from:

• Class projects
• Volunteer projects
• Hobby projects
• Internship projects
• Scholarships and competitions
• Freelance gigs
• Projects from student organizations

A helpful approach comes from Alex Muench, who shared his advice in a Dribbble article: Strategize first, write second, design last.

Muench also encourages having an easy navigation that includes: Start Page, About Me, Your Work, and Contact.

As you begin building your portfolio, here are some questions Muench suggests asking yourself:

“What’s the goal of your portfolio?

Who is your audience? Potential clients? Future employers? Yourself? List out the most relevant information these people want to know or read about you. Generally, this includes a combination of things.

Who are you as a designer? What should people know about me? Describe yourself and the work you do (and want to do in the future)

First impressions count. Which message do you want to convey with your portfolio? How can you transform this into your design? If someone looks at your website, how can they identify you are a product designer, for example?

Which projects and work samples do you want to include? Sort them by type of work, time, or just put your most impressive project at the top.

How should people reach out to me, if at all, and why?”

Taking a little time to map out your answers to these questions will help you build a stronger, more intentional portfolio! If you find yourself struggling to answer some of these questions, you might consider going to your professor’s office hours to ask them about some of the thoughts they have from seeing your work. The same goes with asking your peers who you have worked on projects with, your friends who have seen your work, and so forth. It can be tricky to talk about ourselves in this manner, so hearing from your close network first can help create the momentum you might need to do a deeper dive!

Tips for “Your Work”!

Here are a few additional tips to keep in mind, gathered from experienced faculty and staff through the Real World series (in collaboration with the School of the Arts), as well as insights from alumni and creative professionals. You’ll also see these emphasized in popular articles across the creative fields.

Avoid Misleading Impressions: A common mistake is including projects you wouldn’t want to do again. Hiring professionals may focus on that piece and consider you for a role that specializes in it, even if it’s not the direction you want your career to go.

Quality over Quantity: Focus on showcasing your best work, not all your work. It’s a good idea to keep a master list of everything you’ve completed, but your online portfolio should only feature your strongest pieces. As Alex Muench also emphasized, your selection should be tailored to your goals.

Consider Separate Portfolios for Different Fields: If you’re exploring more than one creative path, it can be helpful to build distinct portfolio websites for each focus area. This allows you to craft a clear, cohesive narrative tailored to each field, making it easier for viewers to understand your direction and strengths. (Thank you, Corrina)

Add a Disclaimer: Depending on the type of work you are displaying, there may be a need to have a message prior, to alert the viewer of the graphic nature of the content.

Photo Source: Esra Korkmaz on Unsplash

• Make a strong first impression – Include your name, a professional photo (if appropriate), and a short tagline or intro that summarizes who you are and what you do.
• Keep it clean and easy to navigate – Use simple, clear design and guide visitors to explore your work (e.g., “View My Projects” or “Explore My Work” buttons).
• Highlight your focus or goal – Briefly mention your field (e.g., design, writing, engineering) and what type of opportunities you’re seeking.
• Avoid clutter – Less is more. Don’t try to show everything on the homepage.
• Include a call to action – Invite visitors to check out your portfolio pieces or contact you.

Decide whether to include your “About Me” on the start page or in a separate section: Some creatives briefly introduce themselves on the homepage with a link to a full “About Me” page, while others keep everything right on the front. Either is fine, as long as it’s clear and easy to read!

You might be wondering what to say in the “About Me” section of your portfolio. The Muse Editors do a great job in their article, “How to Write an Effective “About Me” Page (Examples Included!),” explaining the purpose and components of this section, and include a few examples for you to reference. This is not to be confused with an artist statement! As Amy Aronoff explains in their NYFA article titled, “The Artist Statement: 5 Do’s and Don’ts:”

“Don’t confuse artist statements with bios. A bio covers factual experiences and accomplishments, such as where you went to school; relevant awards, residencies, grants, etc. An artist statement is about the conceptual underpinnings and aesthetic choices behind your work.”

To learn more about artist statements, I would recommend reviewing this article (TY SOAR) by Sarah Hotchkiss with illustrations by Beena Mistry , as well as the information GYST has laid out here (TY SOAR).

To help you draft your “About me” for online portfolio, consider using these steps created by The Muse Editors:

“An “About Me” page serves multiple purposes:

• It outlines your mission and vision, helping visitors understand what motivates you and what sets you apart.
• It can serve as a platform to showcase testimonials, notable projects, and any media coverage or recognition you have received.
• Your story helps humanize your brand. People connect with people, not faceless entities. 
• It lets visitors know what they can expect from your site and how you can help them.
• A well-crafted “About Me” page can improve your website’s SEO for Google by incorporating relevant keywords and phrases.”

They go on to say in their article that “Writing an ‘About Me” page involves balancing personal storytelling with professional insights.” To help you find that balance, they have listed 5 steps to building out your “About Me” and I have listed that information below:

Semplice also has a page dedicated to “How to write a compelling About page bio.” They list some great questions to ask yourself and they display some important “Do’s” and “Don’ts” to help you make the best about page!

With the projects and layout organize, you will need to provide descriptions for those pieces you have chosen to represent. You can check out Muench’s take on this in his 4th point in the article. Another creative professional, Graham Shorr, suggested what to include with each sample in his article titled, 4 Easy Steps to Create a Beautiful Design Portfolio.

“You don’t have to turn every portfolio item into a case study, but you should always give viewers a sense of a design’s purpose and what it achieved for the organization that’s using it. Be sure each story covers:

Your role: Did you manage the whole project, or were you working as part of a larger team? Whatever the case, let viewers know where your efforts made the difference.

Your process: Tell viewers how you arrived at the design they see on the page. This is a good place to talk about the client’s goals and how you worked with them to address each one.”

Success metrics: By what yardstick did you measure the design’s success? This could be as simple as determining whether the client was happy with the work (a glowing testimonial will help here!) or as complex as comparing customer acquisition rates between the old and new designs.

Example:

Role:

• What was your title or position?
  → Student contributor
• Did you lead the project, support a team, or focus on a specific part?
  → Focused on visual asset design and coordination with the team
• What were your main contributions?
  → Created imagery for projection and helped align visuals with architectural features

Process:

• What steps did you take to complete the work?
  → Designed visual assets and collaborated on syncing them to music
• What tools, software, or creative strategies did you use?
  → Used After Effects and TouchDesigner
• Who did you collaborate with?
  → Worked with a small student team and possibly a faculty advisor
• How did you solve challenges or meet goals?
  → Adjusted visuals to fit building architecture and timing with audio

Outcome / Impact:

If available, are there any metrics, quotes, or results?
→ Viewed by approximately (insert number) attendees; received positive feedback

How did your work contribute to the final result?
→ Helped create a cohesive projection experience

Did it reach a certain audience, meet a goal, or receive feedback?
→ Displayed at LUMA Festival on (building name)

Photo: Binghamton Flick Account – LUMA

✍️ Sample Portfolio Caption (Written as a Narrative) (This is a Fictional Example)

As a student contributor, I designed a projection sequence featured in the LUMA Festival, shown on the facade of the (name of building here) in downtown Binghamton. I created visual assets and collaborated with a small team to align them with the building’s architecture, using tools like After Effects and TouchDesigner. The storyline focused on (insert theme or concept here) and was programmed to sync with a custom audio track. The piece was part of a student showcase viewed by an estimated (insert number here) attendees, and it received positive feedback from faculty and peers.

Depending on your layout or norms in your field, you may need a more condensed version. Here is an example of how that might look:

✍️ Concise Portfolio Caption (Same Formula, Shortened)

I designed a projection sequence for the LUMA Festival, aligning visuals with building architecture using After Effects and TouchDesigner. Collaborating with a small team, we developed a theme-driven narrative synced to custom audio. The piece was featured in a student showcase and received positive feedback from faculty and peers.

🖥️Creating a Portfolio for Design-Specific Roles (UX Design, Product Design, etc.)? You May Need Case Studies!

Depending on your focus in the creative industry, you may be applying to a role that will expect case studies listed throughout your online portfolio! These are going to be more expansive than the captions listed above. Semplice breaks down creating “case studies” for your portfolio here, including listing a checklist for you to reference at the bottom of the page!

• Make it easy to reach you – Include your email (use a professional one), LinkedIn profile, and possibly a contact form.
• Be mindful of privacy – Skip your phone number or home address unless it’s necessary or you’re applying to jobs that expect it.
• Add a short message or greeting – A friendly note like “I’d love to connect about internship or project opportunities” can humanize the page.
• Test it – Make sure links work and messages can be sent without issues.
• Match the tone to your field and personality – If you’re in a creative industry, it’s okay to use playful language, colors, or even emojis. Just make sure it still reflects your skills and isn’t confusing or distracting.

There are plenty of resources to help you find inspiration and connect with mentors as you build your portfolio:

Tip: Just remember that some of these are professionals with years of experience, so their portfolios are going to be much more developed than where you will be just starting out. Use their content as inspiration, not as comparison!

TEMPLATE.NET: Template.net offers a variety of customizable portfolio templates, helping students get inspired by different styles and layouts. It’s a great resource for finding ideas on how to structure and showcase their work.

Mentor Match: Connect with Binghamton alumni, faculty, and staff who are eager to support you!

People Search Tool: Use this tool to find professionals by company, industry, or role. Once you find professionals in your field, check their profiles to see if they’ve linked their portfolio websites- often at the top of their profile or within their experience section.

LinkedIn Alumni Profiles: Explore what past graduates are doing and how they present their work.

Mentor Match is an online platform that connects you to alumni mentors from various industries and career fields. I know one of the hold-ups that can come with trying to network is being concerned if the professional you are reaching out to is open to connecting with you! With this tool, you do not have to worry about that! They have signed up because they want to offer support and network with you!

A few things to note:

• Don’t have an account: Sign up here
• Approval period: It can take a day or two for your account to be approved. Check back in after a day or two. You will not receive a notification that it has been approved; you will just be able to log in
• Alumni cannot reach out to you on there: You are the one who has to message them first. The Fleishman Center can help you with writing your outreach message and planning your overall networking strategy, including what questions to ask and what to expect etc.
• What questions do you ask: You can see an assortment of questions and other supportive networking tips and resources on here.
• Using the table below: I have noted their current job title, but please make sure to review their ENTIRE mentor match profile to see the other industries, companies, and positions they have worked in/held. Furthermore, you can use the filters and search bar on Mentor Match to quickly find the alumni profiles I have referred to in the listings below.

Need help with the crafting the initial outreach message? Here is a template to customize:

Hi [Mentor’s First Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I’m a current [Class Year – e.g., junior] at Binghamton University majoring in [Your Major or Area of Interest]. I came across your profile on Mentor Match and really appreciate that you’re open to connecting with students.

I’m especially interested in [insert specific topic – e.g., your path into marketing, your experience working in healthcare, your advice for students exploring careers in public policy, etc.], and I saw that you’re comfortable discussing this area. If you’re open to it, I’d be grateful for the chance to learn from your experiences and ask a few questions.

I’d be happy to connect in whatever way is most convenient for you, whether over email, Zoom, phone, or in person [if their location makes this an option]. Please let me know if you’d be open to a conversation and what might work best for your schedule.

Thanks again for making yourself available through Mentor Match. It really means a lot to students like me.

Kind regards,
[Your Full Name]

Mentor Match: Who’s on there right now?

Another idea is to look up Binghamton University faculty in the departments your creative work is specializing in and see if they have their own portfolio listed. It’s common for faculty to have their own personal website that includes their resume/CV and portfolio! Use the table below to guide your research:

Award-Winning Portfolios:

You can navigate Semplice to see award-winning portfolios for each year!

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

You can also use their “Showcase” tool to look up a variety of portfolios from all creative professions!

Photo by Damiano Lingauri on Unsplash

Quick disclaimer: Although this resource will be reviewed routinely to check for what updates need to be made, some information below could have changed before then. Always go to the website to the website to confirm the most update-to-date information!

Here are several more tools to consider using, as listed in the article, “How to Create an Online Portfolio (Even When You Don’t Have Work Experience)” written by Zoe Kaplan and edited by Emily Courtney.

You just finished putting together your first draft of your online portfolio! Now what?

Take a look at what recruiters, hiring managers, and seasoned professionals have suggested to help you get the best out of your online portfolio.

(Note: Some of these professionals are located outside the USA, so there may be information unique to their area)

In this next article, “Ever wonder how recruiters look at your design portfolio? 5 insights from design recruiters and managers,” by Garron Engstrom, he shares his insights and insights he’s gathered from surveying recruiters and hiring mangers on what they actually look at and evaluate design portfolios. Here are his key points:

1. “LinkedIn is how recruiters find you
2. Recruiters only spend a few minutes on your portfolio.
3. Design Managers spend a bit longer
4. Communication and storytelling are the top skills managers and recruiters are looking for
5. Process matters“

Data Findings from Engstrom’s Survey:

66% of recruiters said LinkedIn is the primary way they source candidates, followed by Google at 11%.

80% of recruiters say they spend 3 minutes or less on a candidate’s portfolio.

54% of Design Managers spend 5–10 minutes on a candidates portfolio, while another 11% spend more than 10 minutes.

Design recruiters said process was among the top three skills they look for. When asked how important showcasing process is on a scale of 0–10, almost half of recruiters and managers responded 8 or higher.

Source: Ever wonder how recruiters look at your design portfolio? – Garron Engstrom

Quotes from Hiring Professionals:

“People are scanning, so don’t bury the good stuff.” — Design Recruiter

“Clearly articulated problems. Explorations around different design solutions to these problems. A final walk through of the UI or a prototype that’s big and easy to understand.” — Design Manager

Source: Ever wonder how recruiters look at your design portfolio? – Garron Engstrom

Final Piece of Advice:

“My final piece of advice is to think about your portfolio as you would a product. As a designer of products, your job is to understand your users and how they use your product. Knowing that they only spend a few minutes on your portfolio, you would make it easy for them to access the important information. Knowing that they care about communication and storytelling, you’d tell them a story of the project.” – Engstrom

Source: Ever wonder how recruiters look at your design portfolio? – Garron Engstrom

Want More Inside Knowledge? Check Out These:

My evaluation process on a design portfolio: A glimpse into a hiring manager’s journey when reviewing portfolios – Joy Liu

LinkedIn Post: Hiring Manager POV – Mollie Cox

Lastly, be sure to check out:

Template.net’s FREE Student Portfolio Creative Checklist

Resume/CV: You can add the URL to your contact information section at the top of your document. See image below.

LinkedIn: You can also add it to your LinkedIn profile, where it will be displayed right under your picture and headline. To do so, go to your profile and click on the pencil icon that appears the way to the right of your profile picture. From there, a pop-up option will appear and if you scroll to the bottom, you will see the option to list your website. See image below as well.

Note: Make sure you test out your link(s) to any of your online portfolios.

Certain tools may require you to change the permission access for your portfolio to be viewable to an outside audience. You do not want to find yourself in a position where the recruiter has to “request access” to review your portfolio.

Make sure to go through and download the following forms that are listed at the end of their webpage:

GYST is a great resource for all artists to know about! In their section on “GYST: Portfolios,” they mention the following do’s and don’t and provide 2 downloadable resources that I would highly recommend saving!

• GYST: Portfolio Checklist Form: Download the Portfolio Checklist Form to keep track of everything you need to have in your portfolio
• GYST: Portfolio Evaluation Form: Help a fellow artist or evaluate your own portfolio with this handy Portfolio Evaluation Form.

• Drop-ins: Mon-Fri, 12-4 p.m. (Semester Hours)
• Appointments: Schedule one here (Offered All Year Round: Virtual & In-Person Options)
• Online Resources: Visit UConnect (Always Accessible)

We are happy to be of support!