Portfolios for the Technical Communicator
•
4 likes•946 views
Your portfolio is your most important tool to show your talents, abilities, and breadth of experience. We'll discuss different types of portfolios, what types of projects to include, branding through your portfolio, leveraging social media, and using your portfolio to get a job, project, or client.
Recommended
Recommended
More Related Content
Similar to Portfolios for the Technical Communicator
Similar to Portfolios for the Technical Communicator (20)
More from Louellen Coker
More from Louellen Coker (8)
Recently uploaded
Recently uploaded (20)
Portfolios for the Technical Communicator
- 1. Professional Portfolios Louellen S. Coker Content Solutions
- 2. Finding Your Speaker Web: www.yourcontentsolutions.com Blog: www.yourcontentnotes.com LinkedIn: louellencoker Facebook: ContentSolutions Twitter: @ContentNotes, @LouellenC YouTube: ContentSolutions Slideshare: ContentSolutions @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 3. What we’ll discuss • Purpose • Options • Selection • Presentation • Protection • Case Studies • Q&A @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 5. What YOU want • Intrigue • Call to Action • Showcase • Get a Gig @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 6. What employers want Can you alleviate our current need? @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 8. Archive Coffee Shop Elevator @ContentNotes, #stc12 Presentation
- 11. Website or Blog @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 13. First steps, FIRST • Know your audience • Know your goal • Know your work • Know your capabilities (and how you’re different!) @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 14. What projects do I consider? • Those that the hiring person wants to see • Those for which you won an award • Those created in your day job • Those created for volunteer organizations • Those created specifically for your portfolio • Those created for fun • EVERYTHING and ANYTHING @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 15. What projects do I include? • Pieces that speak for themselves • Pieces that translate across platforms • Pieces that show skills • Pieces that show interpersonal skills • Piece that is the product of a difficult situation @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 16. YOUR work • Select pieces that are relevant to varied audiences • Reflect about process • Blog in deeper detail about process • Show level of professionalism @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 17. Proprietary information • GET PERMISSION • Limit to outward facing information • Redact if necessary • Collect as you go @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 20. Present your work • Determine a presentation theme • Organize your works in a logical manner • Compile your artifacts in a consistent manner @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 21. Essential elements • Cover Page – must have name; may have your mission statement, short introduction, or bio • Table of Contents • Navigation – some method to guide a reviewer through your artifacts • Artifacts – your best (mostly) • Reflection – optional @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 22. Tools • Software for capturing/creating pieces – Open source – Office products – Adobe Suite products • Wireframing/Organization tools – Mindmeister for mind-mapping (www.mindmeister.com) – Jumpstart for wireframing (www.jumpstart.com) – Toodledo for project management (www.toodledo.com) – Basecamp for project management (www.basecamphq.com) @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 23. Tools, cont. • Online services • Social Media – www.elance.com – LinkedIn.com – www.behance.com – Facebook.com – www.qfolio.com – Slideshare.net – YouTube.com – Flikr.com – Wordpress.org/Blogger @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 24. Finding the Muscle • Elbow grease • Training – Blogs and Forums – www.lynda.com – Use help – Blogs – STC Community – Workshops Help Desks – Trial and Error Hire some help @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 25. Put your best foot forward • Optimize your files – Print = CMYK 300 dpi (.tif, .psd, .eps) – Web = RGB 72 dpi (.jpg, .png, .bmp, .gif) • Error FREE • Professional • Relevant • Appropriate @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 26. Best practices • Keep it simple • Keep it organized • Keep it succinct • Keep it optimized • Keep it targeted • Keep it consistent @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 28. Protect intellectual property • Watermark • Limit scope • Low resolution • Remove “copy & paste” ability • Put your footprint in the metadata • Copyright @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 29. Protect yourself • NEVER leave your portfolio behind • Make copies of portions of the artifacts in your presentation portfolio • Organize your artifacts in a less expensive presentation folder • Consider including a thumb drive with soft copies of included and/or larger works • Maintain consistency when possible @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 31. Case Study: .pdf @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 32. Case Study: HTML & .pdf @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 33. Case Study: Website or Blog @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 34. Case Study: Social Media @ContentNotes, #stc12
- 35. Questions? Wri7ng Design Web Solu7ons www.yourcontentsolutions.com | 972-987-0567 @ContentNotes, #stc12