The job market is tough. When applying for a job, chances are that you are one of many qualified applicants. No matter what kind of job you want, an employer looking at your application needs a quick and easy way to see evidence of your work. An online portfolio can be a great way to showcase the range of your skills in a format that will be easy for an employer to access.

Not a web designer? There are websites that offer free templates you can use to easily create an attractive online portfolio.

What should you include in your portfolio?

Depending on the job you want, there are many different materials you can include, such as writing samples; examples of presentations and lesson plans; video, audio and design work; web development projects; photographs of field work; and artwork.

If the majority of your work is not directly applicable to the position you want, in your cover letter you can explain how the skills necessary to produce the work in your portfolio are related to the skills required in the position.

When deciding what to include, keep in mind that your portfolio should showcase the best, and only the best, examples from your body of work. An employer should be able to easily navigate your portfolio to find what he or she is looking for. Make sure it focuses on work that is important to the position or type of position that you want.

You can still show a range by focusing a smaller amount of attention on skills directly related to your field. For example, if you are a web designer who has also written content for websites, dedicate a spot on your portfolio to showcase your ability to write for the web.

Which websites offer portfolio templates?

The following websites are some of the most commonly used, and offer both free and paid hosting services:

Krop | Interfolio | Viewbook | Behance | Carbonmade | Coroflot

Explore different sites to find a template that fits with your work.

Is it safe to have your content online?

If your portfolio contains personal contact information or materials you may publish one day, such as an essay or photograph, you may not want it available to everyone on the web. Some web services let you limit your portfolio’s access. You can give potential employers the password to your portfolio at your discretion. Also, keep this option in mind if you are currently employed and do not want your employer to know that you are shopping your portfolio around on the web.

Legal issues are potentially another safety concern. If your portfolio contains materials that you made for a company that copyrighted them or owns proprietary rights, you should check with the company and make sure it is safe to use those materials in your portfolio. This might take some extra time, but save you a hassle in the long run. Also, it looks good to potential employers that you went through the necessary steps to keep a past employer’s materials safe. It shows you are professional and trustworthy.

Take the time to create an online portfolio that might separate you from the pile. Also, check out our Work and Career tutorials to learn skills that will help you with your personal career development. There are tips on how to search for jobs, write a successful cover letter, give a great job interview, deal with workplace conflict, manage your salary, and more.