First Impressions Count

Imagine a university asked you for original school certificates to confirm your admission but you submitted blank A4 sheets instead.

Wouldn't that be embarrassing?

Well, when I interview designers, front-end developers, copywriters or video editors, I ask them for their portfolio to understand their body of work.

I kid you not - 9 out of 10 applications will include portfolio links that aren't valid or are gated with a password wall.

Not surprisingly, my decision to hire has always veered towards the few applications where I was easily able to browse through the projects.

Professionals that work so hard for so many years end up doing a a massive disservice to themselves by sharing an incoherent showcase.

"If they don't care about how their own work is perceived, will they bother about my customers?", thinks the hiring manager.

So, sharing a portfolio?

Take a minute to test each link in incognito. Understand the experience the recipient will have when they click on the link and see if you're satisfied.

That first impression counts for a lot.

And with the numbers I'm seeing, it's the easiest way to get ahead of the crowd.