Portfolio Content Checklist: What to Gather BEFORE You Start Building
By Peter M on Updated:
So, you’ve decided to create a digital portfolio for your college applications or job search. That’s great! But before you jump into choosing website builders or designing layouts, there’s a crucial first step: gathering your content. Knowing what do I need for portfolio building ahead of time makes the whole process smoother and less stressful.Use this portfolio checklist, and for inspiration and examples, explore platforms like Cirkled In, to make sure you have all your materials ready to go.
Why Planning Your Portfolio Content Matters
Imagine trying to build a house without knowing what materials you have. It wouldn’t work well! The same goes for your portfolio. Gather portfolio content first helps you:
- See the Big Picture: Understand everything you could include.
- Stay Organized: Avoid scrambling for files or details later.
- Save Time: Makes the actual building process much faster.
- Identify Gaps: See if there are areas you need to find more information for.
- Focus Your Message: Decide what key achievements and skills you want to highlight.
Good portfolio planning starts with knowing your ingredients.
The Master Portfolio Content Checklist
Create a folder on your computer (or use a cloud service like Google Drive) and start collecting these items. Check them off as you find or create them:
Basic Personal Information
- Your Full Name
- Professional-sounding Email Address
- Phone Number (Optional, consider privacy)
- City, State (Optional, consider privacy)
- High-Quality, Professional Headshot (Optional, but often recommended)
- Short Personal Bio/Introduction (Draft a few sentences about yourself, your interests, and goals)
Academic Achievements
- List of High Schools Attended (with dates)
- GPA (Optional, check if appropriate for your field/purpose)
- Relevant Coursework List (Especially AP, IB, Honors, or major-specific classes)
- Academic Awards/Honors (Honor Roll, NHS, specific subject awards)
- Scans/PDFs of Academic Certificates (if applicable)
Extracurricular Activities & Roles
- List of all clubs, sports, arts, etc.
- Your role(s) and years involved
- Brief descriptions of your responsibilities and achievements in each (Use STAR method notes from your brag sheet!)
- Photos or short videos from activities (if applicable and appropriate)
Work & Volunteer Experience
- List of jobs/internships (Company/Org Name, Your Title, Dates)
- List of volunteer positions (Org Name, Your Role, Dates)
- Bullet points describing tasks and accomplishments for each (Again, use STAR!)
- Contact info for supervisors (for your reference, not usually put in the portfolio)
Projects & Work Samples
- THIS IS KEY! List major projects (school, personal, coding, research, art, writing, etc.)
- Digital files of your work (Code files, PDFs of papers, image files of art, videos, presentations)
- Photos or videos of physical projects (robots, models, experiments)
- Written descriptions for each project: What was the goal? What was your role (if group)? What did you do? What was the result? What skills did you use?
- Links to live projects (websites you built, apps on GitHub)
Skills Inventory
- List of Technical Skills (Software, coding languages, lab techniques, equipment)
- List of Language Skills (Fluency level, certifications)
- List of Soft Skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving – think about examples from your experiences)
Awards, Honors & Recognitions
- List all non-academic awards (MVP, competition wins, community service awards)
- Scans/PDFs of award certificates or documentation
Testimonials or Recommendations (Optional)
- Short positive quotes from teachers, supervisors, or clients (ALWAYS get permission first!)
- Copies of formal recommendation letters (Check if appropriate to include; sometimes these are confidential)
Links to Other Profiles
- Link to your LinkedIn profile (if professional and updated)
- Link to your GitHub profile (if relevant for tech fields)
- Link to other relevant online galleries or profiles (e.g., Behance for artists)
Organizing Your Gathered Content
Once you have your files and information, organize them into subfolders within your main portfolio folder (e.g., “Projects,” “Awards,” “Resume Drafts”). Rename files clearly (e.g., “RoboticsClub_ProjectDescription.pdf”, “Artwork_Photo1.jpg”). This makes finding things much easier when you start building. Platforms like Cirkled in can also provide structure and organization for your portfolio content.
Next Steps: Choosing a Platform and Building
With all your college application portfolio materials gathered and organized, you’re now ready for the fun part! You can confidently choose a platform (like Google Sites, Wix, Journo Portfolio, Adobe Portfolio, or even just creating a polished PDF) and start arranging your content to tell your unique story.
Final Thought: Preparation Makes Perfect
Building a portfolio feels much less daunting when you have all your ingredients ready. Use this portfolio checklist to systematically gather portfolio content. Taking the time for this portfolio planning step will result in a more organized, comprehensive, and effective final product. Good luck!
Need more tips on college applications, scholarships, or just how to survive this whole process? Cirkled In has your back—check out Cirkled In resources to help you through every step of your college journey!
Check out Cirkled In and start owning your future today!