In today’s world of journalism, having an online presence is essential to stand out and advance your career. However, many journalists have long neglected building a digital portfolio or personal website, believing their work would always remain accessible online. The reality is quite different, and it is time to recognize the importance of creating an effective portfolio to protect your journalistic career.
Take Care of Your Professional Archives
Keep copies of your content—PDFs of your articles, audio files in mp3 format, or videos in mp4 format. These items are your professional capital, and no one but you will take responsibility for preserving them.
Things disappear quickly on the internet, so it is essential to set up a personal archiving system. You can choose to store your archives on an external hard drive or in the cloud. Services like Dropbox offer automatic backup solutions from your computer, although this can sometimes be costly.
Next, establish a method for consistently saving what you produce. Set a routine for backing up your work and look for ways to automate the process. It is much easier to request a file from an employer or download it from your media outlet’s internal archive at the time of publication rather than months or years later.
If, despite your precautions, some of your work is lost, there are resources to help you recover it. For example, for audiovisual productions, you can request access to INAmediapro.
Identify Your Uniqueness
Now that you understand the importance of preserving your journalistic work, it is time to highlight what makes you unique. Your uniqueness is what sets you apart as a journalist and helps differentiate you from others in the field.
This is not about showcasing yourself in a pretentious way. Your journalistic signature is what makes your work recognizable within the vast amount of information available online.
Finding your signature takes time, and it may evolve over the years. It is an ongoing process of self-analysis and introspection. However, here is an exercise that may help you identify your uniqueness:
Analyze your past work: review your articles, videos, and previous reports. Identify recurring themes, your writing style, and the topics you are most passionate about.
Build Your Portfolio
Once you have identified your uniqueness, it is time to build your portfolio. Here are some important tips to keep in mind:
- Highlight your most important work: your portfolio page should reflect your best achievements. Don’t just place your latest work at the top—choose what has the most impact.
- Include links to your author pages on media outlets: if you write for other platforms, make sure to reference your author pages. This allows visitors to access all your work.
- Pay attention to titles and descriptions: every thumbnail in your portfolio should include an informative or compelling title, depending on your style. For collaborative projects, clearly describe your role. When creating these titles and descriptions, using a reliable tool to ensure error-free writing is recommended. This ensures a professional and accessible presentation.
- Use relevant tags: tags help people find you through search engines. Use keywords related to your specialties.
In conclusion, creating an effective portfolio is crucial for any journalist wishing to preserve and elevate their career. You cannot rely solely on the online availability of your work, as it may quickly become inaccessible. Take the time to preserve your archives, identify what makes your journalism unique, and build a portfolio that showcases your best work. This will help you stand out in the journalism world and strengthen your connection with your audience.