How to Build a Graduate Portfolio That Actually Gets You Hired

The Portfolio Problem

Here's what most graduates get wrong about portfolios: they treat them like resumes with extra steps. A list of courses taken, tools "familiar with," and projects from class.

Hiring managers see through this in seconds. What they actually want is proof of capability — work product that demonstrates you can do the job, not just talk about it.

What Makes a Strong Portfolio

A portfolio that gets interviews has three qualities:

1. Real Work, Not Hypothetical

"Designed a marketing strategy for a hypothetical company" is weak. "Created a 3-channel campaign brief for a D2C skincare brand, including audience targeting, ad copy variants, and budget allocation" is strong.

The work should feel like something you'd actually deliver in the job.

2. Process, Not Just Output

Show your thinking. Include:

The brief or problem statement
Your approach and reasoning
The final deliverable
What you'd improve with more time

This demonstrates critical thinking, not just execution.

3. Variety Across Core Skills

Don't put six copywriting samples. Show range:

One data analysis piece (proves you can work with numbers)
One campaign strategy (proves strategic thinking)
One creative piece (proves ideation ability)
One presentation or report (proves communication)

The RoleHelix Approach

Every guide and test task on RoleHelix is designed to produce a portfolio-ready artifact. As you progress through your 12-week sprint:

Week 1-2: You'll have 3-4 foundational artifacts
Week 4: You'll have 8-10 pieces showing skill progression
Week 8: Your portfolio tells a complete story
Week 12: You're interview-ready with 15+ curated artifacts

Each artifact is automatically saved to your public portfolio at rolehelix.vercel.app/p/your-name.

Portfolio Tips

Quality over quantity — 8 excellent pieces beat 20 mediocre ones
Lead with your best — Put your strongest work first
Update your bio — Write 2-3 sentences about who you are and what you're looking for
Share the link — Add it to your LinkedIn, email signature, and job applications
Keep building — A portfolio is never "done" — add new work regularly

Start Building

Your first artifact is one guide away. Complete your CareerDNA assessment, pick a guide, and create something real.