You, On Paper (and Online) Constructing a public relations portfolio

What is a portfolio? It’s a compendium of materials that demonstrate your expertise in public relations It’s used to show potential employers that you know what you’re doing

It’s a compendium of materials that demonstrate your expertise in public relations

It’s used to show potential employers that you know what you’re doing

What should it look like? Clean and crisp is more important than new or expensive

Let your career goals guide you A portfolio for someone working in the arts should look quite different from on for a person in banking Both exterior and interior Color choice Font Elements included

A portfolio for someone working in the arts should look quite different from on for a person in banking

Both exterior and interior

Color choice

Font

Elements included

What does the employer expect? Review basic skills required in job postings to see what employers are looking for Emphasize basic PR tools that you will actually use in your first job

Review basic skills required in job postings to see what employers are looking for

Emphasize basic PR tools that you will actually use in your first job

What goes in the portfolio? Resume (CV) Generic reference letters from employers, teachers, volunteer supervisors, etc. Writing and design samples It’s okay to include items created in class “We know they’re students.”

Resume (CV)

Generic reference letters from employers, teachers, volunteer supervisors, etc.

Writing and design samples

It’s okay to include items created in class

“We know they’re students.”

Documentation of work Anything can be documented Club newsletter showing your activities Special event on paper: Checklists Event planning materials Fliers or invitations

Anything can be documented

Club newsletter showing your activities

Special event on paper:

Checklists

Event planning materials

Fliers or invitations

But most importantly… RESULTS: Not just that you wrote or designed PR materials, but what happened because they were distributed Pictures of a special event to document attendance News stories resulting from media relations Evaluation materials (survey results, etc.) Web copy (links from blogs or Web sites, etc.)

RESULTS: Not just that you wrote or designed PR materials, but what happened because they were distributed

Pictures of a special event to document attendance

News stories resulting from media relations

Evaluation materials (survey results, etc.)

Web copy (links from blogs or Web sites, etc.)

Selecting items Try to include a variety of materials, preferably in their original form Print, Internet and broadcast Research, strategic thinking/planning Variety of publics targeted, positions held Choose only your best One great news release is better than one great one plus two okay ones

Try to include a variety of materials, preferably in their original form

Print, Internet and broadcast

Research, strategic thinking/planning

Variety of publics targeted, positions held

Choose only your best

One great news release is better than one great one plus two okay ones

How should I organize it? Room for creativity By job/position held By item type (i.e., PSAs in one section, events in another) You can also customize it for each interview

Room for creativity

By job/position held

By item type (i.e., PSAs in one section, events in another)

You can also customize it for each interview

Organization is vital Organize it so someone could figure it out if you weren’t there to explain Most employers just skim, so you should highlight what’s most important Tabs/section breaks, table of contents First page of each section Headlines, attention-getters

Organize it so someone could figure it out if you weren’t there to explain

Most employers just skim, so you should highlight what’s most important

Tabs/section breaks, table of contents

First page of each section

Headlines, attention-getters

Appearance is also vital Do: Clean, crisp pages (use protectors) Clean copy Don’t Poor design Anything that will detract from skimming Crazy fonts, clip art, frills

Do:

Clean, crisp pages (use protectors)

Clean copy

Don’t

Poor design

Anything that will detract from skimming

Crazy fonts, clip art, frills

Electronic portfolios Show off your online skills Convert writing/design samples to PDF files Links to news coverage based on your media relations activities Remove personal information such as address and telephone numbers (yours, references, etc.) Social media resume Links to blog, Web site, Twitter account, podcasts or other online activities

Show off your online skills

Convert writing/design samples to PDF files

Links to news coverage based on your media relations activities

Remove personal information such as address and telephone numbers (yours, references, etc.)

Social media resume

Links to blog, Web site, Twitter account, podcasts or other online activities

What do I do with it now? Take it with you on every interview If you have an electronic portfolio, bring a paper version to the interview Ask the interviewer if they would like to see it They won’t necessarily ask you to see it They assume you will bring one if you have one

Take it with you on every interview

If you have an electronic portfolio, bring a paper version to the interview

Ask the interviewer if they would like to see it

They won’t necessarily ask you to see it

They assume you will bring one if you have one

Showing it off Don’t just shove it at them and sit silently Use it as a chance to link your experience with their needs Narrate what they’re seeing “You were asking about my experience with newsletters. Here’s an example of an article I wrote for my club’s newsletter. I also took the pictures.”

Don’t just shove it at them and sit silently

Use it as a chance to link your experience with their needs

Narrate what they’re seeing

“You were asking about my experience with newsletters. Here’s an example of an article I wrote for my club’s newsletter. I also took the pictures.”

Takeaways Make photocopies of the very best items, put in a packet that you can leave behind Can include a page with link to your electronic portfolio or other links

Make photocopies of the very best items, put in a packet that you can leave behind

Can include a page with link to your electronic portfolio or other links

I got a job! Now what do you do with your portfolio? Keep it Keep adding to it Reorganize as needed – the beauty of page protectors PRSA suggests using it for Negotiations (raise, promotion) Scholarship, grant, bonus applications

Now what do you do with your portfolio?

Keep it

Keep adding to it

Reorganize as needed – the beauty of page protectors

PRSA suggests using it for

Negotiations (raise, promotion)

Scholarship, grant, bonus applications