Constructing a public relations 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

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Clean and crisp is more important than new or expensive

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

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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

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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.”

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◦ Anything can be documented ◦ Club newsletter showing your activities◦ Special event on paper:

Checklists Event planning materials Fliers or invitations

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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.)

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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

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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

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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

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Do:◦ Clean, crisp pages (use protectors)◦ Clean copy

Don’t◦ Poor design◦ Anything that will detract from skimming◦ Crazy fonts, clip art, frills

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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

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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

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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.”

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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

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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

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