All Your Portfolio Questions: Answered

What’s more elusive than a resi at Chez Fifi? A house at Point Dume? A win at Sundance? 

The playbook for a gold-standard dream-gig portfolio.

That’s why we sat down with Artisan Talent’s pro recruiters, Caroline Imhoff and Rachel Martinic, to find out everything we’ve ever wanted to know.

Say less? Let’s jump in.

Portfolio 101: The Real Rules

1. Does my LinkedIn really matter?

Short answer: yes. Before the portfolio, busy recruiters start on your LinkedIn. We're often getting 1000+ applications for one job. This is where we start our review process. Your first impression has to be a great one.

“Sometimes I have five seconds on a LinkedIn profile.” — Rachel Martinic, Director of Recruitment 

• Have a clean, up-to-date profile. Including a clear, professional photo.

• You don't need every bullet point you'd put on your resume, but make sure to include keywords for your space.

• Make sure dates line up, gaps are explained, and your About section is proofread.

2. Do I have to put my portfolio on LinkedIn?

Even if you don’t love sharing your work with the whole world, it’s part of showing up and getting hired. Having no portfolio link is a red flag. Tough talk? Recruiters don't have time to search to find your work. There are simply too many qualified candidates on the market right now.

“If there isn’t a portfolio link, I often move on.” — Rachel

• Treat a missing link as a red flag to fix today. Include it in Contact info → Website and keep it the single canonical link.

• If you need privacy, use one simple password on a single page, not the entire portfolio

• Make it easy for recruiters to find.

3. Does my portfolio have to be a website? Can I send a PDF?

We asked about PDFs, Dropbox links, and other formats. Our sources were emphatic: it’s website or nothing. It's 2025. Clients want one click, not folders or zips. And that website needs to be strong. Think about it: creatives are often asked to help produce websites, in one capacity or another. If you can't show off that technical capacity, it's a problem.

“In this day and age, there’s no reason not to have a site.” — Caroline Imhoff, Director of Recruitment 

Here’s what matters:

• Keep it clean with just enough personality.
• Don’t overcomplicate it. Usability first. Fast load beats fancy flourishes.
• Make sure your landing page looks excellent. First impressions count.
• Align your look and feel with both the job you’re applying for and you.
• Drop multiple passwords. If you must, use one.
• Keep video fast. Fewer high-quality embeds beat a slow site.

“I know within seconds. Clean, modern, and coherent. That’s what wins.”
— Caroline

4. How can I show what kind of jobs I'm looking for?

Curate your portfolio to the job at hand. For example, if you're a designer who works in beauty, make sure the featured projects fit the aesthetic. Expanded work is fine if it fits the brand or highlights relevant experience.

“You’re never going to have a portfolio that’s perfect for every job.” — Caroline

• Lead with 2–3 projects that map directly to the role/industry.

• Include at least one case study that shows how you work.

• The rest shows range, not randomness.

• Deep-link the most relevant pieces when you share.

Feel like you’ve tried it all, and your portfolio’s not breaking through? We recently wrote about that here. 

5. How many projects should I include—and which ones?

Only include your best. Weak work drags the whole thing down.

• Aim for 6–8 strong projects total.
• Big brand ≠ automatic include—quality first.
• If you’re not proud of it, cut it. This might mean killing your darlings.
• Spec projects or case studies can feel misleading. Exceptions: right out of school. If so, label clearly.

6. How recent does my work need to be?

Show your latest work. Ideally, from the past year.  Recency signals readiness.

“I check if projects are within the last year.” —Rachel

• Keep at least one recent flagship up front.

• You can keep one iconic older piece—balance with new work.

• No updates in 2+ years? That reads stale.

7. How much process should I include?

Don’t just drop in work. Add context.

We've talked a lot about the power of a case study. It's the perfect way to give more without going too far. What was your role? What impact did the project have? How did it fit into the larger campaign or brand setup? Storytelling gives recruiters a reason to care.

“Give me: the ask → what you did → the outcome.” —Rachel

• Use a repeatable block: Brief / Role / Team / Outcome.

• 3–6 lines is plenty for most roles.

• UX/Research needs more process, data, and rationale.

8. Portfolio or Samples?

One clear portfolio wins. Samples are great as tailored add-ons for a specific brand or role.

“One site as the source of truth—then send what’s most relevant.” — Caroline

• Keep a single canonical site; use samples only to tailor outreach.
• Create a role-specific page (e.g., /b2b-saas or /beauty) you can share as needed.
• Keep a one-page PDF as a lightweight backup for offline review.

9. How can copywriters show off their work?

Docs alone rarely get read. Show the writing where it lives—ads, pages, emails—so we can see how it performs.

“Don’t send Word docs. Show copy in context.” — Rachel

• Present your clean copy samples, but package them well. Even small campaign visuals beat a Word doc.
• Pair headline/subhead/body with the final surface (ad, landing page, email).
• Include 2–3 quick campaign snapshots plus one long-form excerpt.
• Add proof points when you have them (opens, CTR, lift, SEO wins).
• If the creative execution fell flat, skip it.

10. How can I show I'm pivoting my career?

If you’re shifting lanes, orient us and connect the dots with real work—not fictional projects.

“Compete in the area you can compete best.” — Caroline

• Add a short, clear intention statement at the top of your site.
• Use case studies to show bridging samples (real projects that use the new skill).
• Use a simple skills map (Old → New) to clarify the transition.
• Cut the spec work, show how you've done similar work.
• Pro tip? You may need to be open to a lower salary. 

11. How personal should I get?

An about section is a yes. It helps recruiters connect with you in a sea of similar applicants. Same for your LinkedIn about. A human detail helps you stand out; the usual “coffee + dogs” doesn’t.

“Make it specific and memorable.” — Caroline

• Focus on where you’re headed, not just where you’ve been.
• Share unique personal details (beyond “I love coffee”). That said, one recruiter never gets tired of hearing about your dog!
• Use your About to share one relevant, uncommon detail.
• Calibrate tone to the industry (more regulated = more restrained).
• Save side-hustle art/band content for a separate site unless it’s directly relevant.

12. How do I balance my aesthetic vs. the brand I'm targeting?

One recruiter leaned job-targeted, another leaned applicant-focused. The truth: it’s both. Showing a little of your personality will attract the types of companies that align with it. Sometimes it will help you stand out. With other companies, it might be a disqualifier. That can be frustrating but it will lead you to jobs better suited for you.

The takeaways:

• Curate to the job at hand.
• Blend who you are with what the brand needs.
• Recognize that preferences vary.

13. What if I don't love my latest work? (Keeping it real).

Freelancers and startup consultants, we see you. Sometimes your latest projects aren’t your favorite. Here’s how to handle it:

• Less is more. Lead with at least one example you love.
• Show recent, job-targeted work first. Then add projects that better represent you.
• Let your homepage spotlight the work you’re proud of, with links to additional (if less ideal) samples.

TLDR? There is NO perfect portfolio.

Caroline's quote about this bears repeating: "You’re never going to have a portfolio that’s the perfect fit for every job.”

She shared the example of a client who’s worked in both tech and fashion. Her portfolio is a mix, and that’s completely fine.

Final Word: What Recruiters Really Care About

The truth is simple: recruiters want clarity, recency, and a sense of you. That’s it.

• Curate smartly. Show your best work and skip anything that distracts.
• Present cleanly. Keep your site sharp and easy to use.
• Share you. Make it about who you uniquely are.

Do that, and your portfolio stops being elusive. It becomes your green light for the dream gig.

Ready to put your portfolio to work? Connect with Artisan Talent! Our recruiters know what it takes to get creatives hired.