Uploading your personal portfolio online is one of the most efficient ways to showcase your experience, talent, and creativity. Building your personal brand can be difficult, though, to know exactly how to go about it.
Fortunately, though, there are plenty of professional examples you can take inspiration from.
Not sure where to start? Don't worry, we’ve got you covered.
Let's take a look at everything you need to know.
Known for his world-class exhibitions of gymnastics skills and calisthenics, Al Kavadlo's online portfolio serves as a platform to promote a course he offers on strength and flexibility.
Interestingly, Kavadlo has amassed over 60,000 subscribers on his YouTube channel but still takes advantage of the utility that an online portfolio provides. The main takeaway from his portfolio is the insight that it offers into his personality, which is immediately conveyed to be rugged-yet-approachable.
Like Al Kavadlo, Andrew Huang has a noteworthy following on YouTube (albeit much larger at nearly 2 million subscribers). Also, like Kavadlo, he offers courses and other services on his website.
Courses on music theory, music production, and other music-related skills can be found here, but his photography is what stands out most. Complete with vibrant backgrounds, his eccentric photos immediately give off the impression that the way he works is both unique and unconventional.
This is further showcased on his website, where one of his embedded media is a video of him playing the song 99 Red Balloons by using only red balloons!
Nasos' portfolio is a simple homepage that branches outward into different areas of his skills, including his blog and podcast. His real selling point, though, is the fact that he founded MetaLearn, a platform that teaches various skills ranging from playing an instrument to business to psychology.
His site's simple layout, approachable photography, and welcoming 'about me' section are examples of good personal branding most of us can learn from. It also displays the impact that conveying a friendly personality can have.
As you might expect, the infamously-vocal media entrepreneur was able to create a killer online portfolio for himself. Interestingly, his website is relatively standard in terms of design and formatting.
But, he's placed a link to an interview he had with Larry King at the top of his homepage that tells you virtually everything you need to know about the VaynerMedia CEO.
Following this practice (as long as the video is both informative and high-quality) is sure to make your portfolio stand out among those of your competition.
Complete with a cartoon-like portrait of himself, Red Russak keeps his portfolio as simple and straightforward as possible. In fact, there isn't much of anything on his site except a brief timeline of what he's been up to since graduating college.
The reason this works, however, is both because it's free of any corporate jargon or frills and also has weight to it (he started a handful of companies within only a few years).
He also links out to each of his different projects in order to keep the page decluttered, a design decision that more or less forces the user to focus on his accomplishments as a whole without any distractions.
Although not always typical, Russak also includes life events (such as getting married) in his bio, offering a more intimate look into who he is as a person.
Ian's site is very similar to Russak's, both in straightforward design and the inclusion of a cartoony portrait.
Unlike Red Russak, though, the text on his homepage is about who he is as an individual opposed to his achievements. He does, however, provide a link to a more formal resume.
Also similar to Russak, he links to his various projects and interests throughout his short bio, which helps back up his claims (no matter how out-there some of them are).
As a writer, Isa is constantly updating her portfolio with her current and best work — something that many professionals forego doing.
In addition to showing off her past writing projects, she also gives users a preview of the book(s) she's currently working on, which shows her site's visitors that she's still there on the other side of the screen.
It's important for other entrepreneurs to keep this level of activity in mind, as you'll seem far more approachable if you show that you're likely to respond in a timely manner after being contacted.
This, of course, will result in getting far more opportunities down the road that you can take advantage of.
Pham's portfolio deceptively seems like a sort of diary at first in how it displays photos of him, his friends, and what's currently going on in his life. Upon taking a closer look, though, his site's visitors will find that his life story is full of noteworthy achievements.
From dropping out of college to quitting his later endeavors to study chess full-time, Pham is a well-traveled entrepreneur with a unique worldview that wouldn't be readily apparent without him telling us about himself.
Pham's portfolio has a lot to learn from, mainly the high level of detail that Pham fits into a single page on his site. So, don't be afraid to talk about who you are (or where you came from) while showing off your abilities as a professional.
Creatives are known (and sometimes notorious) for showing off their design skills while making their personal websites. Deidre Bain does just this but to great effect. Her sassy copy, professional-grade photography, and consistency in design goes a long way in showing potential employers what she has to offer.
Being unapologetically 'you' through the copy on a portfolio is something that many people are afraid of, and but Bain presents firsthand evidence of what can happen when it's done right.
Flynn's portfolio doesn't offer anything particularly groundbreaking. In fact, it's more or less your typical professional portfolio in the sense that it provides a bit of background on the individual and emphasizes what they have to offer.
In this portfolio, though, there's a compelling story behind the entrepreneur. Flynn's journey is one that includes overcoming major career adversity and is certain to resonate with thousands (and even millions) of readers.
It also establishes Pat as an approachable entrepreneurship authority, which often instills plenty of desire to learn more about him.
Brevity is sometimes one of the most powerful attributes of online content, and Cal Newport makes full use of it within his online portfolio.
The longest post you'll find is only a few hundred words, but that's not because he doesn't have much to say. Although short in comparison to many other blogs, Newport's posts are information-dense to the point where it seems as though every sentence has a distinct purpose.
This practice is sure to be useful for those who often find themselves rambling on during their 'About Me' section.
Bright colors aren't used often enough in portfolios, though this is most likely to avoid coming across as too 'loud.'
When done correctly, though, a bright color template can be both attention-grabbing and engaging. Hartwig's portfolio takes this a step further by incorporating responsive illustrations in his pastel-colored web pages.
This level of energy immediately gives you an impression of his personality, which is likely to be vibrant and energetic.
His portfolio is about as straightforward as you can get. Complete with basic site navigation and minimalist black and white formatting, Devon's collection of work is deceptively simple.
Upon further investigation, though, you'll find that Devon's story is one full of self-driven learning and productivity. His blog also appears to be free of stock images, featuring only photos of him or his workspace.
In addition to detailing his current projects and goals for the near future, his portfolio also includes a section about why he left a lucrative full-time job. Although not everyone is ready to take that plunge, it provides plenty of inspiration for those who are itching to branch out and start their own business.
But it doesn't have to be.
With the above information about managing your online personal portfolio in mind, you'll be well on your way to creating one that represents you and your skills best.
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