Is Your Portfolio You? Debriefing the Confusion on PR Portfolios
Published on March 27, 2025, at 8:17 a.m.
by Katie Black.
Portfolios are one of the most powerful tools for landing opportunities within the public relations industry. An expertly crafted PR portfolio differentiates you from other applicants and shows employers who you truly are.
But portfolios can be tricky. While it is easy to find online guides outlining the basic components of a portfolio, everyone seems to have a different opinion on exactly what a portfolio should look like and how much creativity it should include.
Employers want a portfolio to be creative and memorable yet professional and refined. In some respects, that feels like a challenging contradiction.
Can creativity and professionalism exist in the same portfolio? How do you find that perfect balance?
The most practical way to answer this conundrum is this: A strong portfolio should be a direct reflection of you.
According to Copyfolio, the most important thing to include in your PR portfolio is you. A portfolio should reflect not just your experience but also your personality and unique perspective.
Think about it this way: Every single person, whether in the public relations industry or not, falls into a different level of creativity. No two personalities or professional experiences are identical, so why would portfolios be expected to be?
Portfolios can also be leveraged as a tool to establish an emotional connection. A LinkedIn article by Kate Bannister shared that establishing an emotional connection is one of the many reasons creating a portfolio is so important.
“Your portfolio can evoke emotions and inspire potential employers,” Bannister explained. “This personal touch can set you apart and leave a lasting impression.”
Of course, there are a few basic rules that every portfolio should adhere to in order to be effective. A portfolio should be organized and easy to follow, as well as descriptive and impactful.
Your portfolio may be an employer’s first (and only) impression of you, so it needs to clearly communicate your skills and expertise in a compelling and emotionally captivating way.
As long as your portfolio hits those few basic main points, the rest of the creative freedom is yours. Focus on crafting a portfolio that reflects who you are and how you want to present yourself to employers and other professionals in the industry.
There are so many different ways you can design a portfolio to reflect your authenticity, value and expertise.
After all, you are your own brand. Establishing yourself in the world of PR is an exciting opportunity to build upon that and let the world know who you, as a PR professional, truly are.
