To start creating a professional portfolio that can be used to make industry connections and progress I have first started to update and improve my existing pieces. In week 2 of the project, I spent an afternoon editing my CV, adding new job roles and details, and editing my LinkedIn account.
I have had my LinkedIn account since university, having made it for one of the units on my degree, I did use it for a while but have not really been active on it for a few years, it was very out of date and didn't really look good. Instead of creating a new LinkedIn, I decided to edit and improve my existing one.
I first went through all my connections and deleted the ones who weren't relevant or helpful to my career in the industry (a bit brutal, but necessary), I then updated my profile, making the job title at the top more relevant and making sure to use keywords, as this is what the LinkedIn algorithms use in searches. I also updated my profile picture, and experience (leaving only relevant jobs on). I went through my education section next, which had all my qualifications including my old beauty therapy ones, I was recommended to remove these as they are not relevant to the industry that I am now working in and are not needed. After deleting some relevant qualifications I added my master's course, and then went through all the skills that I had listed, again removing ones that weren't relevant and adding new more relevant skills I also re-ordered these skills so that more industry-relevant skills are at the top. I need to ask for some connections to endorse my skills, as this will enhance my profile further. I then wrote a new Bio/About section, keeping it more relevant and professional, I made sure to concentrate on my jobs as a teacher and the work that I do personally and as part of my master's.
I had a friend (and industry professional) help me with my LinkedIn, he gave me tips on what the industry looked for on the platform and how best to use it. As we have worked together previously he also left me a recommendation as this is something that carries more weight than endorsements when people look at your profile.
Once my profile looked better, I added some new connections that were relevant to my project and made sure that I was following relevant studios. The following steps with my LinkedIn are:
Get more skills endorsements
Get some recommendations
Make some posts and look more active on it
Keep it up-to-date and active
Interact with connections posts
To help make sure I stay active I have installed the LinkedIn app on my phone. Because my posts on here need to be professional, I need to take some good-quality images of my work so that I can share it here, I also need to do this for Artstation, this is a task that is on my schedule and that I need to take some time to do.
Artstation
As part of my professional portfolio, I also created an Artstation account as this is a really good social platform to connect with other artists and keep a digital art portfolio. So far I have created the account and filled out the profile sections that same as LinkedIn, the next steps I need to do for this are:
Sort artwork images to post
Download the app
Be active with posts and interact with others
Add links to other social platforms.
CV
The final section of my professional portfolio that I made in week 2 was to update, edit and improve my CV, I made a generic CV with all the written details and then created an art CV that looks nice using the written details to help. I will mostly use the single-page art CV that I have made but have kept the type format should it be required and also because it is easy to edit.
Below is an image of my finished creative CV (I have redacted some sections on this for personal safety)
Next Steps
The next steps that I need to do for my professional portfolio are:
Sort professional Instagram
Make a linktree
Logo - re-design/update
Business cards
Research For Website
Create website
Studios research
Job roles research
Networking and conference research
Showreel
Portfolio
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