If you want to get hired (with or without experience), the simplest way is to go all the way back to grade school: show and tell. 😉

No matter what type of work you want to do, you need credibility. That credibility comes in the form of proving what you know and what you can do. That means a portfolio, and it means thought leadership.

Career-builders who create valuable content around their craft are much more likely to succeed long-term. Write thoughtful articles, create engaging how-to videos, and more. A big part of your success will come from your own knowledge.

The more you share, the more you’ll benefit long-term. This is why we include a heavy focus on content creation throughout the curriculum, and seek out the best active online publications to which our participants can contribute.

By proving your abilities, you leave no doubts about what you can do.

This method works far better than just listing your skills or projects on a resume—especially if it’s a high-competition role or company.

Below you’ll find a space to showcase your work, as well as a template for how to talk about your projects.

Remember: Show what you can do, and they will believe you.

Portfolios build trust. They prove your ability to think, create quality work, and get results for your clients. Without one, we can’t know what you’re capable of doing. If you want to get hired, you must show your work.

Portfolios also matter because they show you are actively working. Clients simply cannot hire people who want work, but aren’t actively working on something.

The more relevant your work to the clients’ needs, the more likely you’ll get hired.

Great portfolios make it easy to see your work. They don’t distract from it. Beyond that, a great portfolio could look like almost anything.

Include some non-sensitive client details, project scope, etc.

Writers should link to their published articles.

Designers should show off their designs.

Video creators should upload their videos and embed them on their website.

You get the idea.

If your work doesn’t lend itself easily to visuals, write short case studies explaining the work you’ve done, and sharing screenshots & recordings for reference.

Always include your contact information! Put it somewhere obvious—like at the very top—and leave plenty of space around it.

Something to get to know you as a person and as a professional. Consider writing this as the story of how you got into your trade/freelance career.

Use a simple tool like the CareerOS Personal Website Template to publish your work. You can also use a traditional tool like Squarespace, Wordpress, etc.

We highly recommend the Notion template for your first one, because:

Later on, if you’re looking for something more customizable, check out .

It comes with instructions for publishing your site to the Web, too.

Along the way, learn best practices for…