Creating A Portfolio That Complements Your Tailored Resume
7/27/20253 min read
54% of employers use LinkedIn profiles as a key source when screening candidates.
Imagine seeing a fantastic movie poster. The headline is bold, the images are compelling, and the tagline makes a thrilling promise. It convinces you that this is a must-see film. Your tailored resume is that movie poster. It makes a powerful promise about your skills and abilities.
But what happens when you buy the ticket and watch the movie? It needs to deliver on that promise. Your portfolio is the movie. It’s the visual, tangible proof that you can do what your resume claims.
For anyone in a creative, project-based, or results-driven role, a resume alone is not enough. You need the poster and the film. When they work together seamlessly, they create an experience that is irresistible to a hiring manager. Here’s how to ensure your two masterpieces are in perfect harmony.
1. Your resume sets the stage for your portfolio
Your resume should act as a guide, telling the hiring manager exactly what to look for in your portfolio. It points them to the best scenes.
The Strategy: In your resume's work experience section, directly reference the projects you want them to see.
Example: "Led the complete brand redesign for Client X, resulting in a 40% increase in website engagement. (See project in portfolio)."
This simple addition does two things: It shows you have tangible work to back up your claims, and it directs their attention to your most relevant masterpiece.
2. Maintain a consistent brand identity
Your resume and portfolio should feel like they belong to the same person. The tone, the style, and the brand message must be consistent.
The Strategy: If your resume is tailored to a clean, minimalist tech company, your portfolio shouldn't be a chaotic explosion of color. Use similar fonts, a consistent color palette, and the same professional headline or slogan across both platforms. This cohesion shows professionalism and a keen eye for branding—a skill in itself.
3. Make the connection effortless
Don't make a recruiter hunt for your work. You have seconds to capture their interest, so the link to your portfolio must be impossible to miss.
The Strategy: Place a clear, clickable hyperlink to your portfolio website in the contact section at the very top of your resume, right under your name and email. Make the URL simple and professional (e.g., YourName.com or YourNameCreative.com).
4. A portfolio isn't just for designers
Many people think portfolios are only for visual creatives. That’s a huge misconception. A portfolio is for anyone who creates tangible work.
Writers: Showcase articles, blog posts, or white papers.
Marketers: Present case studies of successful campaigns with key metrics.
Project managers: Display project plans, timelines, or testimonials from stakeholders.
Developers: Link to your GitHub or show demos of your projects.
If you can show your work, you should have a portfolio.
The challenge: The curator's endless work
Building and maintaining a portfolio is a job in itself. Curating the right projects and then aligning your resume to perfectly match it for every single job application is an enormous amount of work. It’s easy to let one or both become outdated, creating a disconnect that weakens your application.
The tool that builds your perfect guide
While a portfolio showcases your work, your resume must first convince them to look. The TailorMyResume iOS app is the perfect tool for creating the "movie poster"—the guide that directs traffic to your masterpiece.
Our app helps you analyze the job description to understand what "scenes" the hiring manager wants to see most. It then helps you craft the powerful, achievement-driven bullet points on your resume that point directly to the most relevant projects in your portfolio. It helps you write the perfect introduction to your work, ensuring your portfolio gets the audience it deserves.
Stop just telling them what you can do. It's time to show them.
Ready to create the perfect guide to your work? Download TailorMyResume from the App Store and build a resume that makes them want to see more.
