The Importance of Tailoring Your Portfolio to Different Companies

When it comes to selling yourself to potential employers, having a tailored portfolio can make all the difference. In an interview with a video platform, one individual discussed the importance of showcasing a diverse range of projects and skills on your portfolio. They explained that they didn't change their portfolio for each company they applied to, but instead highlighted different aspects of their skill set to match each company's needs.

One of the reasons why having a diverse portfolio is so important is that it allows you to showcase a breadth of your skills without having to start from scratch for each new opportunity. The individual noted that many people don't change their portfolio and just apply to multiple job openings on LinkedIn, which can lead to missing out on opportunities to highlight specific skills that are relevant to the job.

The individual also emphasized the importance of storytelling in your portfolio. They explained that what sets them apart from others is not only their technical skills, but also their ability to showcase who they are as a person and tell a compelling story about their experiences. This can be achieved through the use of case studies, which should demonstrate different aspects of one's skill set.

For example, the individual mentioned that they have worked on various projects in their portfolio, including mobile applications, big websites, and products. Each project showcases different parts of their skill set, such as photography, UX, visual art direction, information architecture, user research, and more. This diversity allows them to showcase a range of skills without having to start from scratch for each new opportunity.

The individual also stressed the importance of being able to adapt your portfolio to fit the needs of different companies. They explained that some companies may be looking for specific skills or experiences that are not reflected in your standard portfolio, and that being able to provide that information can be a major selling point.

For instance, they mentioned that when applying to Dell, they were asked about their experience with data grids and data analysis from a project that they didn't have in their portfolio. However, they were able to showcase their skills by grabbing permission from the company and presenting it to Dell. This ability to adapt and provide additional information can make all the difference in landing an interview or securing a job.

Ultimately, having a tailored portfolio that showcases your diverse range of skills and experiences is essential for standing out as a candidate. By being able to tell a compelling story about yourself and adapting your portfolio to fit the needs of different companies, you can increase your chances of success in the job market.

The Value of Showing Your Breadth of Skill Set

Showing a breadth of skill set on your portfolio is crucial for standing out as a candidate. The individual emphasized that having too narrow a focus on one area can be limiting and may not showcase your full potential. By including a range of projects and experiences, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you are a versatile and adaptable professional.

The individual also noted that showcasing different aspects of their skill set allows them to demonstrate their expertise in multiple areas. For example, they mentioned that they have worked on mobile applications, big websites, and products, each showcasing different parts of their skill set. This diversity allows them to showcase a range of skills without having to start from scratch for each new opportunity.

Showing your breadth of skill set can also help you to stand out in a crowded job market. With so many qualified candidates vying for a limited number of positions, having a diverse portfolio can be a major differentiator. By showcasing your expertise in multiple areas, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you are a well-rounded and capable professional.

The Importance of Storytelling on Your Portfolio

Storytelling is an essential aspect of creating a compelling portfolio. The individual emphasized the importance of telling a story about yourself and your experiences, rather than just listing technical skills or qualifications. By doing so, you can create a more engaging and memorable portfolio that showcases your personality and passion.

The individual noted that what sets them apart from others is not only their technical skills, but also their ability to tell a compelling story about their experiences. This can be achieved through the use of case studies, which should demonstrate different aspects of one's skill set. By using storytelling techniques, you can bring your portfolio to life and make it more engaging for potential employers.

One way to achieve this is by focusing on specific projects or experiences that showcase your skills and expertise. The individual mentioned that they have worked on various projects in their portfolio, each showcasing different parts of their skill set. For example, they mentioned that they have worked on mobile applications, big websites, and products, each demonstrating different aspects of their technical skills.

By focusing on specific projects or experiences, you can create a more focused and engaging portfolio that showcases your personality and passion. This can be particularly effective in stand-out situations where you need to make a strong impression on potential employers.

Adapting Your Portfolio for Different Companies

When it comes to applying for jobs, having an adaptable portfolio is essential. The individual emphasized the importance of being able to adapt your portfolio to fit the needs of different companies. This can be achieved by tailoring your portfolio to highlight specific skills or experiences that are relevant to the job.

The individual noted that some companies may be looking for specific skills or experiences that are not reflected in your standard portfolio. In such cases, it's essential to be able to provide additional information or showcase these skills in a way that is relevant to the company's needs.

For instance, they mentioned that when applying to Dell, they were asked about their experience with data grids and data analysis from a project that they didn't have in their portfolio. However, they were able to adapt their portfolio by grabbing permission from the company and presenting it to Dell. This ability to adapt and provide additional information can make all the difference in landing an interview or securing a job.

Ultimately, having an adaptable portfolio is essential for standing out as a candidate in the job market. By being able to tailor your portfolio to fit the needs of different companies, you can increase your chances of success and make a stronger impression on potential employers.

The Importance of Permission in Adapting Your Portfolio

When it comes to adapting your portfolio to highlight specific skills or experiences that are not reflected in your standard portfolio, obtaining permission from the relevant company is crucial. The individual emphasized the importance of getting permission before presenting new information or showcasing skills that may not be directly related to the job.

For instance, they mentioned that when applying to Dell, they were asked about their experience with data grids and data analysis from a project that they didn't have in their portfolio. However, instead of trying to fake it or exaggerate their experience, they decided to seek permission from the company before presenting the information.

By getting permission, you can ensure that any additional information you provide is accurate and relevant to the job. This also shows potential employers that you are transparent and willing to adapt your portfolio to fit their needs.

The individual noted that this ability to obtain permission and adapt your portfolio is essential for standing out as a candidate in the job market. By being able to provide additional information or showcase specific skills, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you are a flexible and adaptable professional who is willing to go the extra mile to make yourself stand out.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enwhen you had to sell yourself to stash versus uh another company or dell versus another company um or any company in the past did you have to change up your portfolio based on who you were talking to because i'm sure both you and i know a lot of people don't change their portfolio they just start hit and apply on linkedin and i think one of the things that because of your um you know your movements throughout the industry i'm sure you know just as much as i do how important it is to know who your has the power to hire you and what exactly it is that they want to hear from somebody that they can hire so can you explain to us um throughout your interviewing processes or trying to get into doors how did you excuse me bit my tongue how did you change your portfolio um to match the direction you were trying to go in your career yeah um i didn't change my portfolio and the reason why i didn't change my portfolio is because the case studies that i chose to be on my portfolio were different all of them they were different um from from a mobile you know from a mobile or design for android ios to a big website to a product a product page to something else i think so having diversity in in different kinds of projects case studies in your portfolio uh would allow you to to not change it because you're already showcasing different type of projects if you have a specific type of project uh kind of like if you have um only you have only done uh mobile right and you have five case studies about mobile they want to see something else they want to see something different a different project in my case in my portfolio i have different flavors let's say uh let's say that way we have different you have a mobile application built that i was part of right and then i have a big website uh that it was pretty complex that i was part of but then throughout all those case studies i showcase different parts of skill sets that i have you know like photography and ux and visual and art direction and information architecture and user research and stuff like that that's what they want to see and that's why i didn't have to change my portfolio i was just like smart enough to to put there uh different things so people can just like oh so this is different from the first one i love that because i showcase some skill set from the first one but then on the second one i might not you know have uh the skill sets or uh or the um or i didn't do the same thing i did on the application but in here i did something different i did use the research i did qualitative and quantitative of data in in id a b testing and you know stuff like that and that's what i think that's what they want they want to see also who you are as a person it's not everything about um flashy case studies but they also want to see your personality and you have to you have to tell that through storytelling to your portfolio uh which is very very important agreed i think that's the two big things we can all take from that is one have a be able to show a breadth of your skill set through your portfolio don't just show like hey even because i i'm sure you see this as much where we talk to uh you know somebody that is asking questions of you know how did we get to where we are what have you and they can do so much but then they start showing us our their portfolio and we see like one tenth of the possibility of the individual so being able to show one the breadth that you have to offer in terms of your skill set and two what you want to show only the things that will help you go in the direction you want to go um so like for example i'll show you well i'm not going to put words in your mouth you tell me if you agree with this and then we'll go into q and a guys you know we got like 10 minutes thank you for your patience um you guys have some good questions um for example if i wanted to work at netflix or wherever and my portfolio um there's two candidates there's a candidate one has i they're very skillful and candidate two also very skillful however they have another streaming platform case study that is excellent in their portfolio and i can kind of see as somebody at netflix i'm like oh they've been working on the problems that we have and we're trying to solve it would you how would you be able to um would you which candidate would you take if you worked at netflix can a or candidate b if they're both equally as skilled but one of them has um very similar problems that you have at the company i i'm going to talk for the companies that i work for um i'm not going to talk from my perspective because you know it's kind of like like i could be biased you know what i mean um but here's here's the deal they probably gonna go and pick the one that has uh similar backgrounds why because like you said they are they are having the same problems and they in this guy probably knows um some have tackled some of those problems already so in my case um i was hired by by dell for example um because i was shown showcasing a a data you know data grids and data analysis from a project that i didn't have in my portfolio but they asked me for it you know they and they companies are going to be like hey do you have x x you know a case study about this and this and this and i was like yeah i do have it i just like don't have it online because of ndas and stuff that you had to sign um and then i showcased that and that told them right away to dell hey this guy apart from he knows you know design ux product he also you know he knows how to do this this and this and that um so yeah very important is to uh if you have to adapt and and update your portfolio to that specific company then do it because it's going to help you um in my case like i said i i didn't have to do it but in in in this case in in the case of dell they asked me for something in specific that i didn't have in my portfolio but then what i did is just like i grabbed permission from that company and then just like presented to dell and then they you know they came forward and said like hey we love this we love this guy he he's been he's familiar with this so let's give him the job and i got it so it's it's it's the way we we have to adapt to any situation uh it's the same thing for portfolios for interviews for everything if you enjoyed this clip here is another clip that you guys will enjoy from the very same segment or watch the full episode over here with that said don't forget to subscribe and with that i hope you guys enjoy the rest of your day and we'll see you on the next one take it easy\n"