building your portfolio
DESCRIPTION
Tips and tricks on how to build a portfolio of technical communication samples.TRANSCRIPT
![Page 1: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
BUILDING YOUR PORTFOLIO
STC Atlanta Employment Workshop | January 23, 2010
![Page 2: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
A little about me… Technical communicator
since 2002 2009/2010 Second VP for
STC Atlanta Loves scrapbooking,
travelling, and reading
![Page 3: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Why do you need a portfolio?
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/devoinregress/3505849421/
![Page 4: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
What goes in a portfolio?
![Page 5: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
Only your BEST work!
Yes! Uh, no.
Good cake: http://www.flickr.com/photos/9329630@N03/4102372852/Bad cake: http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2009/07/love-is-in-air.html
![Page 6: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Tell “how” not “what”
What was the problem? How did you solve it? What was your role in the project? What tools did you use? What did you learn? Where did you fail/succeed?
![Page 7: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
A simple page layout
![Page 8: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
How do you present a portfolio?
![Page 9: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
Presenting your portfolio
Can it speak for itself?WebsiteBlogCDPaper
Be ready to talk about it. Match the format to the work.
![Page 10: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
My presented portfolio Created in Evernote
(www.evernote.com) Is meant to be
presented in person Can access from
anywhere with Internet connection
Requires no coding
![Page 11: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
My website Good for personal projects Book reviews Articles Anything you write, read, or
think about that’s related to your field
Uses Wordpress with a “portfolio” category
![Page 12: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
Online portfolios made easy
http://www.carbonmade.com/
![Page 13: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
But what if I have no experience?
![Page 14: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
But what if I have no experience? Borrow from your personal life:
Presentations (like this one!)HobbiesCommunity work
Show off school projects
![Page 15: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
Personal websites Writing Layout Content strategy Information architecture Wordpress Design
![Page 17: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
Hobbies: Scrapbooks are like help systems…
Brainstorming Content strategy Page layout Organization Writing Design
Scrapbook image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/obd-design/2374177769/
![Page 18: Building Your Portfolio](https://reader033.vdocuments.us/reader033/viewer/2022052823/55529e77b4c9051f108b534f/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
Remember…
Tell “how” not “what” Only include your best work Pick a format that works for you Don’t be afraid to show personal work