Back in the old days—or even 10 years ago—the hiring process was fairly simple. Digital portfolios were not yet in the mix.
Job candidates usually lived in the same town as your business office, which is where everyone in your company worked. They would see your listing for an open position in the classified ads of the local newspaper. They would send you a printed resume and cover letter. You would review the resumes that came in, choose a few likely candidates, and invite them in for interviews.
If your advertised position was in a creative field, those candidates would bring printed portfolios with them. You’d chat, take a look at their work, and make a decision based on what you heard and saw.
The world is different now. Especially if you’re trying to hire remote workers, you need to change the way you think of the recruiting process. And part of that will likely include reviewing digital portfolios.
Digital portfolios are created by job candidates to complement traditional resumes and cover letters. They are usually accessible online and include PDF files, Word documents, videos, photos, and other content that shows off candidates’ skills and accomplishments.
Such portfolios are growing in popularity, according to an article from Pathbrite, partially because photos and images are more memorable than mere words. Offering a resume, cover letter, and digital portfolio “will provide prospective employers not only with a more complete picture of you as a candidate, but will also immediately differentiate you from the rest of the applicants,” the Pathbrite article says.
But as you and your hiring managers start receiving these digital portfolios, you may not be sure how to judge them. What should you be looking for? What red flags should alert you to problems? And how can this tool be especially helpful when you’re seeking remote workers?
Robert Half International offers an excellent checklist for reviewing digital portfolios. For example, it suggests that you ask:
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1. “Did the candidate highlight his or her best work?”
If a digital portfolio is padded with “filler” examples or many variations of one design, that should be a warning sign, the article says.
If you’re seeking a remote worker, you should make sure the candidate’s best work was completed from his home office or other remote location, using the tools that would be available to him if he worked for you.
2. “Are the work samples relevant?”
The candidate should choose work samples that are relevant to the position for which she is applying. This shows that she has researched the role and your company, the article from Robert Half notes.
Again, if the position calls for a remote worker, make sure that at least some of the samples were produced away from a corporate office.
3. “Is the digital portfolio up to date?”
Serious candidates should keep their portfolios current, the article notes, meaning most work samples should be from the last few years. This holds true whether the candidate is going to work remotely or in a corporate office.
4. “Is it intuitive?”
The article notes that the portfolio should be “easy to navigate without excessive clicking and scrolling. And whether it’s organized chronologically, by media type or by industry, a strong digital portfolio will showcase a job seeker’s skills in a way that is both engaging and clear.”
5. “Is it aesthetically pleasing?”
Form and function should be in balance, the article says, creating a portfolio that looks good, but isn’t distracting.
For potential remote candidates, this is especially important, as they may not have an opportunity to meet with you face-to-face. They must recognize the additional impact that gives to their digital presentation.
6. “Is the digital portfolio free of errors?”
If it’s full of typos, missing information, or broken links, that should be a red flag, the article says. That goes double for a potential remote worker, who will be expected to manage detailed work without a manager hovering over his shoulder.
7. “Is meaningful context provided?”
This is perhaps the most relevant question for a potential remote hire. As noted by Robert Half, compelling captions should be part of the digital portfolio, telling a story about solving real-world client problems.
“Look for candidates who not only provide captions featuring a description of their role in the project, the date, and any software or special skills used, but also quantifiable information about how the work boosted the bottom line or positively impacted key stakeholders.”
And if they’re going to work remotely, look for information about their ability to motivate themselves, stay on task when working away from an office, and collaborate with colleagues who may be located hundreds of miles away.
By keeping these questions in mind while reviewing digital portfolios, you should be able to make a good first assessment of potential remote work candidates. When you proceed to the interview phase, you’ll also be more prepared to ask the questions that should bring you the right person for your position.
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Readers, how have digital portfolios helped your hiring process? What suggestions for hiring managers would you add to the list above? What do you wish more job candidates would add to their portfolios? Please share your ideas in the comments section.
Photo Credit: bigstockphoto.com
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