P5: Plan Your Technology

You may use the platform of your choice but think long-term. Ideally, this portfolio should last you for the first decade of your career or so. You need it to be easily editable and flexible so you can update and expand it as you go along. Some suggestions are:

• HTML, but only if you are already comfortable with coding. If you have the skills, you may want to use CSS instead.
• PDF, but you will need to house your documents on the web. You can use Google Docs or OneDrive for that purpose. You can create the files in a page layout or art-type program.
• Wix and Weebly are good options but be very careful. They have great templates, but you need to make enough changes that your potential employer won’t recognize the template. Otherwise, it may create a negative impression.
• You can use a specialized portfolio app or program, but make sure you can export your portfolio in some way. Such programs might go away in the future.

One note: whatever program you use you may want to avoid any templates or adjust a template to reflect your personality and skill set. You can make a bigger impact if you stand out just a bit, and templates do not stand out.

Creating a Home Page – First Impressions

We live in a visual world. To make an impact, your portfolio must be visually appealing, especially the first page. The fonts, the images, and the colors you choose will all say something about you. You do want your personality to come through, but you also want to be professional and reflect elements of your field. Added to those considerations, your chosen technology will set parameters on your design.

In this section, I will talk a little bit about design itself, and then note some other considerations when designing your home page. The goal for this unit is to complete the design of your first page, while not worrying about links yet.

Picture or no picture?

Should you have a picture on your home page? Having a picture on your home page is a gamble. If they like the look of you, it increases your chances of getting a job. If they don’t like the look of you, it will reduce your chances of getting a job. You can’t know which beforehand. Each hiring manager’s prejudices and preconceived notions are an unknown variable. Also, some companies immediately throw out anything with a picture because of bias issues.

If you choose to put a picture on your home page, keep a few things in mind:

• No party, sexy or risqué pictures. A silly picture is a gamble: it might tickle them, it might not. Choose something that shows professionalism but also character.
• Showing a hobby is a gamble. They may wonder if you will be committed to the job or to your hobby.
• Make it small. Seeing a big picture of you first thing can be distracting from your work.

Content

Since most of you are new to your field, you want to keep your content simple. You should include:

• Your name which should be the biggest thing on the page
• Your area, field, or profession
• A Link to “About me/Resume”
• A Link to content areas

Remember that your home page needs to make an impact yet also reveal a little about you.

Exercise: Building a Home Page

Build your home page in whatever technology you have chosen. Your links do not have to work quite yet. Do make sure you include the appropriate content.