About:
Dan Farkas is the advisor for Ohio University’s award-winning PRSSA chapter and a lecturer in strategic communication. Author of Strategic Content Marketing: Creating Effective Content in Practice and host of The Strategic Communicator Podcast, Dan helps students and professionals master storytelling, strategy and analytics.
He’s a former journalist with 20+ awards, and his work has earned clients coverage in outlets like The Washington Post and NPR. He also leads PassPR, a venture connecting students, employers and higher education to bridge industry gaps.
Key Takeaways:
On Jan. 27, Dan held a workshop for Scripps PRSSA discussing portfolio building and how to stand out in today’s job market. Here are the highlights of what he said:
- Maximize Coursework: Treat your class assignments like real-world projects. Use them to build strong portfolio pieces that show your skills and commitment.
- Create a Physical Portfolio: A physical binder stands out! It lets you play offense in interviews by directing attention to your work. Leave it behind as a tangible reminder for employers to review later.
- Organize Effectively: Include an executive summary and table of contents to make your portfolio easy to navigate. Cater it to the employer by focusing on relevant skills and results.
- Provide Context and Results: Don’t just include writing samples. Explain why you created the work, the strategy behind it and the results it achieved. If you lack hard numbers, incorporate qualitative feedback or testimonials.
- Tell a Story: Employers want more than a list of skills; they want to see how your work creates impact. Be the “yellow fish in a sea of blue fish” by connecting projects to tangible outcomes.
- Leverage Digital Tools: Use platforms like Clippings.me to upload work and share backstories. In LinkedIn, you can create a “call to action” in the main section of your profile. Put your portfolio there!
- Personalize Applications: Write targeted cover letters that connect your skills and portfolio to the specific job. Be human, specific and genuine.
- Network Strategically: Build connections on LinkedIn before making requests. Reach out early and stay persistent. Personal introductions can open doors.
- Evolve Your Portfolio: Treat it as a work in progress. Continuously refine and update it with new projects, insights and feedback. Start your portfolio early to avoid stress later.
- Be Proactive in Communicating: When employers provide feedback, show them you’ve applied it to your work. Follow-up and show you took their advice to heart.
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn here.
Henry Gorsuch is a Journalism Strategic Communications major with a minor in Marketing and can be found on LinkedIn here.