MARKETING YOURSELF
Authenticity and personality
When you are pitching yourself, find a way to represent your personality, your values, and your skills. Story tell both visually and through dialogue. Find ways to subdivide content. Think about how it is being read.
If–then statements
Think about the pitching process like a series of if–then statements.
If the employer has 50 other resumes, then yours needs to stand out.
If the employer sees a skills section, then they will actually read it.
If they see skills they are drawn to, then they will look for supporting stats.
If you do not elaborate on your skills, then they may move on.
If you do not provide stats or context, then they may move on.
If your cover letter is too long, then they will not read it.
If they see a unique layout, then it will stand out in the stack.
If AI is scraping your information, then you need a standard format version as well.
Portfolios
A portfolio mirrors the information in a resume, but it gives you much more space for storytelling. Make key information easy to find. Unique approaches are great, but they should never get in the way of user accessibility.
Your portfolio should show the work you want to be hired to do. If you created a project in undergrad but do not want to repeat that kind of work professionally, do not include it.
Check for consistency. If your projects follow a similar structure, make sure spacing, alignment, text size, and colors are actually consistent. Consider working on one page and duplicating it as a template for the rest.
Resume and portfolio reviews
Something I learned over the past four years of refining my resume and portfolio is that everyone will have different opinions. Some people want more detail. Others want everything simplified for quick reading.
Create your portfolio in the way you want it to be digested. If you want viewers to skim a highlighted section of your top skills, include it. If you want to back up those skills with context or metrics, add a section for that too.
Ultimately, understand the people reading your materials. Treat your resume and portfolio like any UX or UI project. Grab their attention, make them want to keep reading, and give them the context they need.
Cover letters
Miranda Reiman, a storyteller in agricultural communications featured on episode 7 of the Club Cultivate podcast, shared an approach that reframed the way I think about cover letters.
Most of us assume a cover letter is a space to explain why we are applying to the job. Miranda explained that, as an employer, she dislikes when interns simply restate information she already knows. Instead, she encourages young creatives to tell a story, show personality, and add context to the achievements listed on their resume.
Keep your cover letter short. A few sentences is enough. You can even bullet a few skills to give more context to the technical abilities listed on your resume. For example, if you are strong at developing brand identity systems, you might highlight organization, client communication, or project management as supporting skills.
Like your portfolio, include experiences that represent the kind of work you want to do in the future. This might include skills you want to continue using, even if the job itself is not something you plan to repeat.
Personally, I still like including one small detail that shows genuine interest in the job. Do not repeat everything the employer already knows about themselves. Instead, show how their work connects to you on a meaningful level.
My interview experience
During my internship search in undergrad, I took an approach that is not very typical. I chose a place I really wanted to work. After months of struggling to find the confidence to reach out, I finally went for a job shadow.
I have learned that I perform best in high pressure situations when I do not script every detail in advance. I showed up with genuine knowledge of the company, not because someone told me I should research them, but because I truly admired their work and their online presence.
During the interview, I tried to stay as authentic as possible. We walked through my resume, and because everything on it was accurate and honest, I was able to speak confidently. The interview became a relaxed, curious conversation. I left with valuable feedback on my portfolio and a better understanding of how their team operates.
One of my biggest regrets was not asking, in the beginning, what sold him on my application. So whether you are interviewing for a job or onboarding a client, ask people where they see success. Learn what works for them and replicate it.