6 tips for building the perfect portfolio

In a competitive contractor market, it’s more important than ever to be able to showcase your talents to a diverse range of clients. Creating a portfolio can be great way to stand out.

Considering it’s one of the first impressions you’ll make on potential clients, it needs to be strong, professional, and showcase your skills in the best way possible. In this article, we highlight some of our top tips for building a contractor portfolio that will help you get noticed and land you future projects.

1. Quality over quantity

   As obvious as it may sound, you don’t need to include all the work you’ve ever done, just projects you're truly proud of. Focus on work that demonstrates your abilities, creativity, and what you do differently. It’s even better if you can cater your portfolio to highlight what each specific contract you’re applying for is looking for.

2. Tell the story

   Don't just present the work, tell the story behind it. For each project, provide a brief description that explains the client's goals, the challenges you faced, and the solutions you implemented. This helps demonstrate not just your creativity but also your problem solving skills and ability to be agile when working.

3. Know your audience

   Think about your ideal client and what they're looking for. Showcase work that aligns with their industry and needs. If you specialise in a particular niche, highlight relevant projects that demonstrate your expertise.

4. Consider "practice" projects

   Are you proud of your work you can make but just haven’t had much opportunity to show off your contracting skills yet? You could consider making your own practice projects such as sample blog posts on trending topics, artwork of things you have a passion for, or anything relevant to your industry.

5. Use social proof

   If people have said good things about your work, then why not show them off? There’s no better way to let a potential client know that you will provide exactly what you’ve advertised and a portfolio is an appropriate place to shout about it.

6. Keep it fresh

   Just because you’ve finished your portfolio it doesn’t mean the job is done. Even if you are not considering taking on a new projects, it’s always great to next contract is going to come around.
   
   

We hope some of these tips can be of real value to you. If you have any more recommendations, be sure to reach out to us on our Facebook, X or LinkedIn channels. Whether your next contract fall inside or outside IR35, remember that PayStream’s range of umbrella and accountancy service packages are designed to give you what you need at a price that makes sense for your business. Get in touch with our team at info@paystream.co.uk or give us a call at 0161 929 6000