Do I Need to Take a Portfolio to an Interview?

Many people often wonder whether they should bring a portfolio of their previous work to a job interview and the answer lies down to the type of job role you are applying for. If you work in a particularly creative industry such as marketing, graphic design, content creation, web development, photography etc then it can be crucial to giving more of an idea of your skill level and offer a ‘show and tell’ experience. If you’re going through a career change, a portfolio of work from your previous career may not be relevant for your interview, so it’s important to take into consideration the role and your professional circumstances. Remember a portfolio can be displayed in many ways including on a laptop, tablet or in a physical folder. There is usually an added advantage to making an online portfolio, which is to include the link on your CV for the employer to look at before or after the interview process. If you are planning on showing your work digitally, a useful tip is to download your portfolio to a camera roll or app so that you don’t have to rely on Wi-Fi to view a website during your interview. This can lead to issues with your portfolio loading and can look unprofessional. When it comes to a portfolio, the amount you include will be highly dependent on the industry you work in but generally it is important to remember quality over quantity. The aim of a portfolio is to showcase a selection of your best work that effectively demonstrates the skills the company are particularly looking for.