Crafting your Portfolio during Gap Year

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A good portfolio is a valuable resource to have when applying for jobs or university seats. If you have decided to take a gap year, a well-built portfolio can showcase how you have spent the year productively, and can be a goal to strive toward as you progress through the year.

In this article, we introduce to you two types of portfolios that can work toward during your gap year!

What is a portfolio?
And how is it different from a CV?

A portfolio is a collection of materials that reflect your values, talents, knowledge, training, training, and experiences. In contrast, a curriculum vitae (CV) provides a relevant overview of qualifications and experience.

Simply put, your CV is your track record while your portfolio is the result of your work!

A well-crafted portfolio takes the reader through your academic and professional journey and shows them who you are as a person. It can include your academic background, job experiences, areas of expertise and interests, professional recommendations, and projects and works-in-progress that you are proud of.

An important caveat to note is that students often have a misconception of what a "good portfolio" means. Good can mean a variety of things, from overloading your portfolio to excessively focusing on one portion and neglecting others. Instead, you should ask yourself whether your portfolio is well-crafted!

Is your portfolio carefully calibrated to invoke an image of yourself in the readers' minds?

If the answer to the above question is a No, then one should begin to brand themselves. Think about what makes Elon Musk the person he is. What set of characteristics describes Greta Thumberg without giving away her name? This applies to everybody! Everyone has a set of characteristics that precisely makes them who they are! So what makes you you?

Find the right portfolio for you

The two basic types are:

Product-Oriented Portfolio
Process-Oriented Portfolio

Depending on your academic background and career or higher education aspirations, a specific portfolio type may be more suited to you.

Product-Oriented Portfolio

If you hope to work on sizable projects during your gap year, it’s crucial to catalog your work in an organized manner. Product-oriented portfolios are suitable for a myriad of academic areas, which is why they’re great for those who love medium to long-term projects

A product-oriented portfolio serves to detail the projects comprehensively from start to finish, including your roles, the projects’ deliverables, and whether they, ultimately, were successful. If you have an idea of a project(s) to dedicate your gap year to (Eg. an iOS app, a visual arts exhibition, or an online business), a product-oriented portfolio may be the choice for you!

A well-grounded product-oriented portfolio will highlight your ability to produce high-quality work, regardless of which academic or professional background you come from. While the portfolio should include some of your best works, it must break down each “product” for the reader to understand easily. In addition, it should also detail your reason for pursuing the project, as well as the skillsets exercised in bringing the project to fruition. To stand out from the crowd, the product-oriented portfolio should ideally feature a diverse collection of projects and works to showcase varying experiences and flexibility as a professional.

In summary, a product-oriented portfolio

Is packed with project details
Highlights your ability to produce high-quality work

Process-Oriented Portfolio

A process-oriented portfolio showcases growth over time, highlighting significant milestones that correspond with your personal goal-setting. If your learning and work styles allow for detailed step-by-step plans, a process-oriented portfolio may be the better option to showcase your gap-year growth. However, through this process, it is extremely important to accurately document your progression throughout the gap year.

For a process-oriented portfolio to stand out, the narrative is key! Your portfolio should tell a story about your progress, one that the reader can follow and is convinced by!

While it’s vital to highlight important achievements during your gap year, it’s equally valuable to include learning points and less-than-perfect work. Although it may appear less glamorous, it highlights systematic progression and your professional and personal development.

In summary, a process-oriented portfolio

Showcases growth over time
Contains a strong and convincing narrative

Your Application as a Whole

While a portfolio can add value to your university or job application, it should complement the rest of your application, including your CV, CCA transcripts, and interviews. Therefore it is important to ensure that the information in your other supporting documents corresponds with your portfolio and that each document responds directly to your interviewer’s requirements. If you falsify your achievements in your portfolio, it may be counter-intuitive and backfire instead.