Why Graduates Shouldn’t Neglect Having a Digital Marketing Portfolio.

In a world where everything is becoming increasingly more digital, employers are surprised (and it seems, slightly disappointed) when candidates aren’t utilising the tools that are at their disposal.

When it comes to applying for jobs, a CV and cover letter is no longer enough to stand out. It now takes more than that to catch a recruiter’s eye.

So, what are they expecting? And more importantly, what would impress them? 

Turns out the answer is relatively simple, and it is not something new… Hiring managers are now expecting candidates to have a digital portfolio as standard.

A Digital Marketing Portfolio will keep you ahead of the pack…

But in a recent study conducted by James Alderman of Lead Kinetics, he discovered that 72% of respondents didn’t have a digital portfolio.

Digital portfolios have been around for many years and they are a powerful way of showing a potential employer who you are and what you have accomplished in your career so far. They frequently take many nonlinear formats, the most common being a website.

Portfolio Creation isn't That Hard.

That being said, you don’t need to be able to code or hire a website designer to have an online digital portfolio. It’s becoming increasingly more common for hosting sites such as Wix, WordPress or Squarespace to have free website templates which you can use to showcase your work.

Alternatively, social media such as LinkedIn, Instagram or Pinterest are often used as a digital portfolio as users are able to upload pieces of their work and network instantly with people in a similar industry.

It’s not uncommon to assume that a digital portfolio is for the likes of photographers, graphic designers or artists. The reality, however, is that most applicants would benefit from having a digital portfolio.

So why should graduates have one?

Building your own online digital portfolio would dramatically improve soft skills. By using a website builder tool, it improves the ability to assemble different information from multiple different sources.

Continuing with the assumption you’d use a website builder tool, websites such as LinkedIn have the option to embed a portfolio link. Allowing users to display their experience to connections, making it a valuable (and easy!) way to showcase skills.

Having a digital portfolio provides a level of social proof that can’t be achieved through a standard CV whilst drastically setting a candidate aside from the competition. And if you have testimonials on your portfolio, this will further support your application, making it more credible and unique.

In the data acquired by Lead Kinetics, it is clear that having a digital portfolio is a sure-fire way to make yourself stand out from the crowd as the majority of recent graduates do not have this essential tool. And in today’s ever-increasingly saturated market, having a unique selling point is a necessity.

For graduates who are struggling with making a digital portfolio, Lead Kinetics offer advice and support via their LinkedIn page. Additionally, co-founder James has established a ‘Rate my Portfolio’ video series, to encourage marketers to start, make and improve their digital portfolio!