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In the fast-paced world of journalism and communication, a well-crafted portfolio is essential for showcasing your skills and landing opportunities. To help Gators navigate this crucial aspect of their careers, Career Coach Zita Gonzalez, Amber Worthy (Freelance Content Producer, CNN), and April Rubin (Breaking News Reporter, Axios) led a virtual workshop designed to break down the fundamentals of portfolio building. The session provided actionable insights on creating, updating, and refining professional portfolios tailored to the journalism industry.
Why Portfolios Matter in Journalism
A strong portfolio serves as a visual resume, allowing prospective employers to assess your work, creativity, and growth. During the workshop, Zita, Amber, and April emphasized that portfolios are not just collections of past work but strategic tools that tell a story about a journalist’s journey and expertise. They advised students to curate their best pieces, ensuring each selection reflects their unique strengths and aligns with their career goals.
Crafting an Effective Portfolio
The session covered the essential components of a journalism portfolio, highlighting the importance of quality over quantity. Students were encouraged to include recent work samples such as articles, photography, multimedia projects, and published pieces in student-run magazines like Atrium. The panelists stressed the need to keep portfolios updated, ideally at the end of each semester, to ensure they accurately represent the student’s evolving skills.
One key takeaway was the importance of tailoring portfolios to specific job roles. Employers in journalism look for candidates who not only demonstrate strong writing and reporting skills but also possess multimedia capabilities. The workshop featured standout portfolios from both current students and alumni on platforms like Wix and WordPress, offering Gators a firsthand look at the key elements of a high-quality portfolio.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls
An effective portfolio should be well-organized, error-free, and easy to navigate. The panelists advised students to avoid excessive personal details, outdated content, and cluttered layouts. Instead, they recommended focusing on a clean design, clear labeling, and direct links to work samples. Tools like Grammarly and ChatGPT can help with proofreading, while feedback from peers, mentors, and career coaches can provide valuable insights for improvement.
Leveraging Career Resources
The workshop concluded with guidance on utilizing campus resources to enhance career prospects. Students were encouraged to:
- Use Quinncia for resume and LinkedIn reviews, as well as mock interviews.
- Schedule career planning appointments with a career coach through Gator CareerLink.
- Attend employer-hosted events and apply for jobs and internships through Gator CareerLink.
- Incorporate experiences from study abroad programs, class projects, and extracurricular activities to strengthen their portfolios.
Moving Forward
For Gators eager to create or refine their portfolios, the workshop provided a roadmap for success. Whether starting from scratch or updating existing work, the key is to stay proactive, seek feedback, and continuously improve.
For questions about the workshop, contact Zita Gonzalez at z.segarra@ufl.edu.
