Created by CakeYou'll learn:How to write a professional animator resume? What is the best animator resume format? How to make an animator resume template? Top 10 animator resume dos and don'ts Animator resume sample “Let it go, Let it go!..” Walt Disney Animation Studio shocked the global audience with the meticulous details on Princess Elsa and all other characters. The profound knowledge of creating a compelling narrative making the characters move falls in the animator’s hand. While animators relied on hand-drawn storyboards and works in the past, most of the responsibilities now are completed on computers and professional software. Whether the candidate is devoting themselves to different fields, ranging from 3D animation, 2D animation, character animation, scene, and background animation, it is truly a job that integrates creativity, artistic techniques, and project management. Although the art portfolio is one of the most (if not the most) important factors in the artistic industry, a strong animator resume can beef up the candidate’s possibility to land an interview, a closer look at one’s portfolio, and maybe the job itself. From the essence of tackling an animator resume, to contents and suggestions on the application letter for animator, or the perfect guide to resume format for animation freshers... This article has it all! How to write a professional animator resume? Step 1: Create a personal brand mark for the animator resume. A resume headline is also known as the candidate’s professional brand marked on their animator resume.Resume headline: a one sentence/phrase synopsis of a candidate’s highest-profile and achievements related to the animator position. It is placed below the candidate’s full name. Edit your headline to the specific animator job description. This is different from copying existing headlines on animator resumes, but instead to get an idea of what an ideal personal image fits the industry/company/role. Step 2: Crack the case for thy animator resume summary. An animator resume summary refers to a lengthened version of the headline. If healing is the candidate’s hashtag, an animator resume summary would the candidate’s bio that gives concise notes on the candidates’ skills and achievements. Adjectives at the front give a personal tint to the animator resume and the application and help establish the candidate’s brand (needs to be attuned with animator job descriptions). Fragmented sentences written are preferred. Animator resume summary samples: Animation student resume summary example: Animator with formal education in RISD. Received Honorable mention in 2018 Animex Awards. Proficiency with Blender, Maya, CAD4, and Adobe series. 3D animator resume summary sample: 3D animator with a proven history working at AAA, AR game industry for 5+ years. Creative and adept in character design. Computer animator job resume summary example: Experienced computer animator familiar with Unity 3Ds. Contributed to compelling storytelling and landscape design for animation “XYZ” and “ABC.” Step 3: Include key skills for animators on the resume. What special skills are needed for an animator resume? As its name suggested, animator resume skills are the candidate’s professional skills related knowledge about the animation field. The creative industry values portfolio/demo reel more than anything. Links to the candidate’s portfolio and work are a must and a mandatory section on an animator’s resume. Those crafting a resume for animator fresher (in terms of employment history), no worries, one’s animation project can speak of oneself. Essential animator resume skills range from 3D modeling, character design to CGI, VR/AR, art foundations, and more, depending on the position, industry, and company the candidate is working. Animator resume skill examples Proficiency in:UnityBlender C4D Maya 3Ds Max design Unreal engineA knack for Storytelling / Narrative Storyboard / Film Language / Camera Movement Spatial Design /Character Design Motion Graphics /Graphic Design Sculpting Prototyping C++ / Modeling Math Project ManagementAttention to Detail Step 4: Attune the animator resume to the job descriptions. It is crucial to mire a professional profile in one’s animator resume suitable for the position one’s applying for. Attuning one’s animator resume to the animation job descriptions is ideal for showing one as the perfect fit. Step 5: Thoroughly proofread the animator resume. To avoid razzle-dazzle, a candidate should thoroughly proofread their animator resume to avoid hilarious mistakes. What is the best animator resume format? Chronological resume format:Follow the time sequence and dates the candidate’s experiences from present to past Generally, most animator resumes adopt this format as it’s the safest choice to go. Functional resume format:Focus on animator resume skills instead of employment history. An optimal resume format for animator resume. Need a strong portfolio and demo veels to back it up. Targeted resume format: A “targeted'' animator resume format for specific role company. Beef up chances at the cost of time and effort. Works well with cover letter for animation job with no experience to show determination passion.Hybrid resume format: Combining the functional and chronological resume formats, the hybrid resume format is best for experienced candidates. Show both strengths in skills and employment history at the cost of length. Brevity is the key. How to make an animator resume template? A good animator resume template doubles the chances of a trip to the job. There are two common ways the candidate chooses to craft their animator resume template.Option 1: Microsoft Word Mac OS Pages Online animator resume examples can be your starting point. Although animator is a position fueled by creativity and artistic skills, the resume itself doesn’t need to be fancy and flamboyant. Check out online animator resume examples for some inspiration.Mandatory sections for every animator resume template: Contact Information, Skills, and Working History. Besides, remember that "Brevity is the key." Avoid fancy designs that are non-ATS friendly. Common FormatsFont style:Classics and comprehensibility should be one’s priority, such as ...ArialHelveticaCambriaTime New RomanCalibriFont size:12 as the primary font. It could be varied from 10-16 font size for headline/notes. Option 2: Online Resume Maker Using Word editors is a suitable method if one holds design skills. If not, online resume builders will make the candidate’s life much easier! Most Popular Resume Builder for Animator Resumes: Cake✨ Cake is an online resume builder that allows users to customize their animator resumes with snippets. Not only does it provide free animated resume templates, but is also known as a friendly resume builder for artists and engineers. Top 10 animator resume dos and don'ts ✅ One should … Only include information relevant to animation positions and industries. Indeed, adding personalized hobbies can humanize the application process, but one may be deemed creative or unprofessional depending on the company culture. Focus on quantitative results, which are the best way to showcase one’s achievement from a concrete perspective. Adopting ATS-friendly animator resume templates is a must. Use active verbs to present one’s determination, willingness to take on responsibility, and active team members. Craft a formal animator cover letter to supplement the resume.❌ One should not …Confuse an animator resume with animator CV.Animator Resume v.sAnimator CVResume: one page of professional summary targeted for a position/jobCV: extended documentation of the candidate’s background, with extensive pages and is used chiefly in academic contextsUsing old-fashioned animator resume objectives will show the candidate’s incompatibility in a fast-paced environment current global trend (animation is a creative field that changes every day).Tell personal information that may prompt and invoke unwanted discrimination (age, marital status, etc.). P.S: Normally, there are no strict animator education requirements. Yet it would be optimal to have formal training and education in art foundations / related fields.Disclosing information from former employers is not a smart move.Sending the animator resume in word format may be deemed unprofessional. Let's put what you've learned from the article into practice and start making an attractiveanimatorresume with us! It's totally free and you can download your resume in PDF or share it online.Try It Out Animator resume sample Chloe Blake 3D Character Animator Designer at Pixar Studio Mobile: (+2) 012-112222Email: [email protected]/in/chloeblake Summary 3D Pixar character animator with 5+ years of experience in deadline-driven studio settings. Experienced in the movie and gaming industry. Past projects and collaboration include “ Toy Story 3” and “Soul.” Work Experience Character Animator, Pixar, CA Sep. 2016 - Present Designed, created, and animated cinematic character animation for 5+ movies and art projects. Supported art directors with character and inorganic forms movements. Led the character prototyping and pre-visualization for “Toy Story 3” and “Soul”. Provided consultative guidance for new projects and initiatives. Animator Assistant, AAA Game Studio, NYJun. 2014 - Aug. 2016Nominated for XXY awards 2016 for honorable mention in character animation in AAA games. Responsible for storyboard design and character prototype modeling. Designed animation project pipeline in-game cycles. Assisted cinematic animation for Steam game title “Zelda 2: AAABY”. Collaborated with teams with narration designers and programmers. Skills Proficiency Unity Blender 3D modeling Mathematics Sculpturing Character Design Storyboard Design Storytelling Cinematic Principles Prototyping Project Time Management Teamwork and Collaboration Attentive to Details Education Sheridan CollegeGraduate Certificate in Computer Animation (2014) --- Originally written by Julia Chu ---

Created by CakeIn this article, you'll learn:What Are Career Goals?How to Set Career GoalsTips on How to Set Professional GoalsProfessional Development Goals ExamplesSetting and achieving career goals are essential for professional development and fulfillment. Before we get to that, it’s important to know that professional goals are different from personal goals. While personal goals are connected to maintaining health, happiness, relationship, and well-being, professional goals are related to accomplishments in education and work. Your long-term personal and professional goals may lead to interdependent or even contradictory results, so it is important to prioritize and set clear milestones beforehand to achieve the best possible results. People who have clear career aspirations spend their time wisely and are guided to accomplish necessary milestones to reach their ultimate goals. For starters, here are some benefits of clarifying your job goals before and after a job search: Before a job search, you want to:Think about the challenges and growth that the next opportunity will bring you, not just better a title or salary package.Find a job that aligns with your passion and interests that would fuel your well-being at work.Seek out ways to improve your current skill set to apply for better job opportunities.After getting the job:Identify your professional values and give priorities to what matters for your work-related goals.You will feel motivated to do your job and make the most out of it, sometimes leading to better performance outcomes than what was asked.With measurable and objective goals, you can immediately see the results and decide whether you need more time to complete a goal or move on to the next challenge, which could mean a promotion or a timely job change.What Are Career Goals?Before we get into the intricate details, let’s talk about general meanings. What is the meaning of having career aspirations? How do we define career goals? While most may think of career goals as the dream position or job they want to have, career goals or objectives can also be short-term career goals that will take you to accomplish your long-term career aspirations. Thus, having career goals means determining your desired career path, and recognizing the stepping stones that would take you to your dream role. In general, you could categorize your goals for the future into short-term, mid-term(optional), and long-term goals. Short-term Career Goals These include the skills, experience, or accomplishments achievable in 1 to 1.5 years to help you reach your mid-term career objectives.Some examples of short-term career objectives are:Acquire a new skill or learn a new languageDevelop professional contacts with leaders and influencers in your field Mid-term Career Goals Mid-term career goals define as 3 to 5 years stepping stones that guide you to your long-term professional goals. Some examples of mid-term career goals are:Move to a larger city with more decent job opportunitiesSwitch to a different industry to build experience and gain new skill set Long-term Career Goals These are your vision and mission statements. They are the future state of your career. Long term career goals should sound something like these:Being promoted to managerial roles at your dream companyBecome a CEO of a Fortune 500 company How to Set Career GoalsConsider the following steps when exploring and setting your career aspirations. 1. Conduct thorough self-assessment. Examine your career values, interests, skills, experience, and personality traits to formulate your career goals thoughtfully. One could do this by reflecting upon their academic and work history, finding out the activities that they enjoy the most, and determining the skills and personality traits that enabled them to achieve success. If you get stuck during the process of determining your career development goals, meet up with a career coach or advisor for guidance when assessing your background and planning out your future career. Example:Max, a senior student at college, struggled to map out a career plan that suits him and determine his career plans after graduation. He examined his academic and work history and recalled spending a meaningful summer job shadowing for a clinical social worker and volunteering at hospitals. He enjoyed helping out the clients and monitoring their progress over time. After Max conducted his self-assessment, he listed verbal communication, problem-solving, and ethical decision-making skills as key skills that suited his interests and personality. 2. Consider different career paths. After you’ve created a comprehensive list of personal interests and professional strengths, you can start to brainstorm on the type of career path that fits you, that you can see yourself achieving as your future aspirations. Try taking a career quiz or searching for local or online resources that list out a variety of career options for the particular field(s) that you are interested in. Minimize the list to about 10 careers that you have a strong interest to learn more about. Example:Ann, a freshman seeking a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts, is still exploring her options and figuring out the potential careers she wants to pursue. She searched online with “careers for artists” and came down to a list of 5 occupations that she is interested in learning more about including graphic designer, UX/UI designer, illustrator, animator, and photographer. She also found out that many artists acquire additional skill sets in other disciplines for cross-functional opportunities. To diversify her lists, she’s eager to learn more about careers in digital marketing and online teaching as part of her professional career goals. 3. Research your selected career options. The next step is to research in detail the career options you’ve identified and determine if any of them matches your skills, interests, and career values. You can refer to their career journey when setting your own career goals. Some effective ways to get insiders’ perspectives include conducting informational interviews with alumni or people in similar positions on LinkedIn, searching career information online (articles, videos, podcasts), and looking for job shadowing or internship opportunities for occupations that you are most interested in. Example:Jules researched online and read about the careers she identified. She found out some of the occupations she listed don’t quite suit her interests and personality traits, so she narrowed down her career aspirations selections to two main careers: art director and digital marketer. She wanted to gain a deeper understanding of the two careers, so she reached out to a college alumnus and a local professional in each of the fields to learn more about what their day-to-day looks like and how they’ve planned out their careers. 4. Analyze the pros and cons and decide your career aspirations. Once you have a better understanding of the career options worth considering, it’s time to analyze and weigh your options to plan out your future goals. List out the pros and cons of the remaining options and pick the ones that best match your key criteria. Tips on How to Set Professional GoalsOne of the most common ways to set professional goals is to follow the SMART goal framework. To create effective career goals, your goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. Let’s take a closer look at how to set SMART professional goals: 💡 Be clear and specific about your career aspirations. To become successful, you have to first define what success means to you. Making your career goal as detailed as possible would help you decide whether you have accomplished it or if you need more time. For instance, instead of saying “I want to learn the Japanese language”, you can say, “I will take two years of Japanese language lessons and pass JLPT N2 level.” This will allow you to have a clearer direction of where you want to go and what you want to achieve in terms of your career goals. 💡 Determine how to measure success. As you set your career goals, make sure to come up with a way to measure your success. Success metrics serve as important criteria for measuring your outcomes. Without it, you won’t know when to move on to the next career objective. It could be setting a timeframe or a KPI to your goal. Instead of a subjective statement like “I want to perform better at work this quarter,” put numbers into it by saying “I want to reach $X sales goals this quarter to get a $Y bonus.” 💡 Break goals down into smaller steps. If you keep setting big goals that you can’t achieve in the short run, you will lose the momentum to keep going because you aren’t seeing immediate results and achievements. Rather, make your career goals attainable by breaking your long-term vision into short-term and mid-term goals. This will also prevent you from procrastinating since it is easier to take smaller steps that accumulate to high aims. 💡 Set realistic but challenging goals. Your goals have to be relevant and realistic, yet challenging. The goals you set should make sense to your values and your long-term career aspirations. For instance, it wouldn’t make sense for someone to win a medal in the Olympics when he/she isn’t an athlete at all. A truly effective career development goal should also challenge you to accomplish great things. Set goals that push your limits and contribute to your long-term career goals. 💡 Set a timeline for goals. Plan out a timetable for your goals. With a duration date to accomplish a work-related goal, you will be motivated to keep yourself accountable and on schedule. Setting a goal end date will also prompt you to scrutinize your goals and give enough time for potential roadblocks. Allow room for change and flexibility when giving your goals a due date. If you didn’t complete a goal on time, it doesn’t mean you failed as long as you are moving in the right direction. Professional Development Goals ExamplesOutline Short-term and Long-term Goals for Students ExamplesShort-term and Long-term Goals for FreshersExamples of Professional Nursing GoalsCareer Goals for Accountants ExampleHR Professionals Development GoalsEngineering Career GoalsCareer Aspirations for ManagersCareer Aspirations Examples for Software EngineersCareer Objectives Examples of Social WorkersMarketing Career GoalsFinance Career ObjectivesCustomer Service Career ObjectivesCareer Objectives for Project ManagersExecutive Assistant Career GoalsTeacher Career GoalsCareer Aspirations Examples for LeadershipCareer Goals Examples for Performance ReviewCareer Plan Examples for InternshipCareer Development Plan Examples for Postdoctoral ScholarsShort-term and Long-term Goals in InterviewShort-term and Long-term Goals for Students ExamplesShort-term:Submit all class assignments a week in advanceAchieve good test and participation grades in all coursesGet to know and maintain good relationships with professors and TAs Long-term:Attain a board position in student organization(s) for each academic yearMaintain a GPA above 3.75 and attain Dean’s List each semesterComplete at least 15 credits per semester to graduate on time Short-term and Long-term Goals for Freshers Short-term:Build a LinkedIn profile and hone resume writing and interviewing skillsNetwork and conduct informational interviews with alumni and professionals in the fieldPlan the college courses to take for each year and join professional student organizations to access more information about college and internships Long-term:Acquire internship, volunteer, or job-shadowing opportunitiesSeek out entry-level opportunities to get in-depth hands-on experiencePlan for the time to start preparing for grad school and certifications Examples of Professional Nursing Goals Short-term:Optimize the quality of patient care and increase work efficiencyImprove technical skills by attending in-service trainingEnhance communication and interpersonal skills Long-term:Get nursing certifications or an advanced degree in the next 3 yearsBecome a mentor or nursing advocate to share industry insight outside the organizationContinue self-education through medical newsletters, publications, forums, and networking events Career Goals for Accountants Example Short-term:Attend various training in different aspects of accounting to expand skill setTake management courses to prepare for a higher positionReduce paperwork and improve productivity by transferring all procedures to digital format Long-term:Help create $X new revenue by securing additional $Y financingCreate new policies and procedures that help reduce the average invoice processing timeObtain primary credentials including passing the CPA exam in the next 2 years HR Professionals Development Goals Short-term:Boost the percentage of job openings filled within the expected deadline from 40% to 50% this yearIncrease the annual talent retention rate by 20% this yearPromote good company culture and improve employee satisfaction with rewards and recognition Long-term:Streamline the remote hiring process for greater hiring efficiencyIncrease the number of available onboarding and training programs in the next 2 yearsAchieve an average of over 80% participation rate in team-building activities for the next 3 years Engineering Career Goals Short-term:Work on at least 2 features using Java and PythonTake and pass 1 online course on SQLGet positive feedback from 3 co-workers on technical communication skills Long-term:Become a Senior Software Engineer in the next 2 yearsFix 3 critical-important level bugs as a Senior EngineerMentor a small group of interns or new hires joining the team Career Aspirations for Managers Short-term:Complete all performance reviews within 8 weeks by conducting 6 interview sessions per weekReduce weekly meeting time from 1 hour to 30 minutes each with meeting agenda prepared beforehand to increase efficiencyKeep track of team productivity and achieve quarterly KPIs Long-term:Increase department sales by 20% in the next 2 yearsLaunch 2 new company products in 3 yearsAttend networking sessions each month to keep up with other industry professionals Career Aspirations Examples for Software EngineersLong-term:Get computer security certification this yearDeepen knowledge of additional programming languagesComplete a coding project from start to finish using JavaScript Long-term:Become a team lead in the next two years to manage and solve complex problemsObtain a Master’s degree in software engineering in the next two yearsEarn a promotion to the senior developer within 3 to 5 years Career Objectives Examples of Social Workers Short-term:Utilize project management software to increase administrative work efficiencyFollow-up with two clients each day to establish a better long-term relationshipImplement a tracking plan for clients suffering from alcoholism and review the plan each month Long-term:Join professional organizations to network with other social work professionalsCreate a resource platform to spread awareness about social programs and support available for struggling communitiesIncrease authority in the field to advocate change in social policies Marketing Career Goals Short-term:Increase collaboration with other departments, promotion channels, and externally outside the organizationConnect with customers(interviews, surveys, focus groups, social listening) to deepen market insightsDevelop a good understanding of horizontal marketing functions and their KPIs Long-term:Specialize in one or more specific marketing functionsBecome comfortable setting and managing large marketing budgetsAchieve a managerial position and/or spread influence beyond the organization Finance Career Objectives Short-term:Develop leadership and project management skills during internshipsFind a job as a financial analyst postgraduateOptimize company budget by analyzing recurring costs and reducing company expenses Long-term:Acquire a Master’s degree in Risk ManagementEnroll and pass all three levels of CFA within 4 yearsOpen own financial consulting company at hometown Customer Service Career Objectives Short-term:Increase staffing by 15% for the next budget year by onboarding 3 new call center representatives each monthMaintain an average of 95% customer satisfaction score each quarterBecome compliant with electronic filing requirements by the end of the year Long-term:Increase sales by 5% each year for the next five yearsMaintain Top 5 internal ranking in the next 3 yearsMaster a second language to serve the next prominent customer group Career Objectives for Project Managers Short-term:Prioritize and refine projects backlog for the monthOptimize the communication between the team and each stakeholderDeliver projects within time and budget by keeping track of all the progress information in digital format Long-term:Being promoted to Senior Project ManagerGain a strategic understanding of organizational goals and implement relevant initiativesBuild both internal and external networks and get buy-ins from long-term stakeholder relationships Executive Assistant Career Goals Short-term:Make sure all meetings are scheduled in time each week and prevent any time conflict from happeningStay organized with all work messages and updates by dedicating 15 minutes each day to clear out any clusters or unclear to-do itemsImprove technical skills on office computer systems Long-term:Work proactively and provide effective problem-solving skills when accidents happen or when there’s a sudden change in scheduleBeing promoted to Senior Executive Assistant in 2 yearsGet a Master’s degree in Business in 2 years Teacher Career Goals Short-term:Plan and revise the curriculum for next semester to comply with remote learning requirementsTeach a new course under the same departmentSuccessfully manage 3 courses of over 50 students with a TA this semester Long-term:Complete a Master’s degree in education administration in 2 yearsBuild a strong network with regional and international professors, educators, and lecturersBecome department head in the next 5 years Career Aspirations Examples for LeadershipShort-term:Develop strong interpersonal, decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking skillsMeet up individually with each person in the team to discuss their career goals and provide effective feedback this weekPlan and set milestones for the month and ask for team feedback Long-term:Become familiar with multiple project management tools and stick to a few necessary ones to streamline the task tracking processAccept more responsibilities by managing a department in the next 2 yearsPractice listening to diverse feedback and solving them when making decisions Career Goals Examples for Performance Review Short-term:Collect at least 5 business cards from new networks at every networking eventSchedule meetings with other managers that might be interested in investing in your organizationRevamp the office environment to improve employee productivity Long-term:Improve communication channels across all departments with a better all-in-one communication platformOffer live assistance to customers through phone calls and direct messagesHost monthly educational events for employees on topics of interests Career Plan Examples for Internship Short-term:Learn how to build professional presentations (storyboard, design, copywriting, etc.)Gain a working knowledge of Excel data manipulation, formulas, and modeling techniquesLearn to conduct online market research with Google Analytics Long-term:Hone the ability to connect with co-workers and managersNetwork with other like-minded studentsBuild relationships with supervisors who can serve as career advisers or future reference Career Development Plan Examples for Postdoctoral Scholars Short-term:Write and submit a draft of the review article to the mentors by the end of the monthApply for a fellowship by the deadlineAttend the professional skills development workshop next month Long-term:Chair multiple sessions of international meetingsAdvise graduate students for their thesesSeek a tenure-track faculty position at a college or university Short-term and Long-term Goals in Interview Short-term:“I will plan the video contents for the month and compose 1 script per week.”“My goal is to earn $100K this year as a manager with flexible work hours to put more time in networking and self-education.”“I want to improve my productivity by prioritizing the work and reducing the time spent on replying to emails and setting schedules.” Long-term:“My long-term career goal is to lead a regional sales team into the most competitive team in the organization with millions of annual sales in three years.”“I will work my way up the corporate ladder to become a senior executive at your organization.”“I will pursue a Master’s degree in Business Management in the next two years.” 🔑 Key Takeaways:In this article, we’ve walked through the ways to define career goals, steps to develop professional goals, tips to follow the SMART framework when creating career goals, and career objective examples for different roles and scenarios. While it may seem like a difficult and time-consuming process, having your career goals ready before you apply or accept another convenient job offer would help you make efficient decisions for your career.With Cake, you can easily create a resume online, free download your resume’s PDF formats, and utilize ATS-compliant templates to create a resume. Land your dream job, create your resume online (free download) now!Create resume --- Originally written by Sandy Tuo ---

Created by CakeIn this article, you'll read about:What Is a Video Portfolio?How to Make a Video PortfolioBest Websites to Showcase Your Video PortfolioTips to Create a Video PortfolioVideo Portfolio ExamplesWhenever you are on social media, be it Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., with every few scrolls there will be a video that pops up on your screen. According to HubSpot, 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool and video is the primary form of media used in content marketing. It's not surprising since our brain responds to images faster than text. With that said, although a traditional full-text resume is still highly favorable by many employers and necessary to review candidates' qualifications, having a video portfolio will increase your chance to be remembered. If you're wondering if video portfolios are only for photography or videography-related roles (in the form of a videographer's website or videographer portfolio) we'll say you shouldn't limit yourself. Any of these professions below can benefit greatly from a video reel portfolio: ArchitectsInterior DesignersGraphic DesignersIllustratorUX/UI DesignersProducerContent CreatorDirectorMachine Learning or AI EngineersActorsNews Anchor/PresentersModelsWhat Is a Video Portfolio?A video portfolio is essentially a collection of your best work/projects in a video format. It is a branding tool and also a space to display the body of work of a creative professional. Regardless of the niche, there are some key components that a video portfolio can't miss. A video portfolio website should at least contain a resume (it can also be in the form of a video resume, like Elle Woods' Harvard entrance essay), past works, links to social media, and contacts. If you have won any awards or your work has been recognized, it's a selling point that can be included in your video portfolio. There are many mediums to host your video portfolio. Let's dig into where you can create your video reel portfolio. 🎬 Website A personal video portfolio website is perfect for someone who has been building their brand or is considering starting one. Although they take more time to construct, personal video portfolio sites allow more flexibility, especially for freelancers who need to showcase their individuality. 🎬 Online portfolio Portfolio services such as Cake, Behance, and Carbonmade provide a great starting point for those who want less hustle in crafting their free video portfolio.📝 Note: Online portfolio builders offer simplicity in documenting your video portfolio, they are the platform where you upload your videos. Meanwhile, a "portfolio website" is your personal website where you can also embed your video portfolio in. 🎬 YouTube or other video sharing sites Dedicated to sharing videos, platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Dailymotion are suitable for showcasing your video reel portfolio. These free video portfolio channels allow your video portfolio to be discovered by more than just potential clients or employers. 🎬 Social media With the rise of social media usage, Instagram, Facebook, even LinkedIn can be an extension for your online video portfolio. For instance, if you are a videographer who already has a professional videographer website, you can take advantage of your Instagram account to post some other video reel portfolio materials that didn't make it on your website. How to Make a Video PortfolioIn this article, we will guide you through making, specifically, an online video portfolio. Now, here's what you need to do in order to set up your professional video portfolio. 1. Find your niche. Deciding on your target audience or your niche can either be the easiest or hardest thing to do. You might be a jack of all trades and can thrive in many industries, but having a specific audience will help you to be noticed faster. For instance, if you love weddings and your style encaptures an ethereal and romantic mood, your portfolio as a videographer should focus on wedding ceremonies, pre-wedding events, and wedding receptions. Hence, the wedding industry is your niche. 2. Choose the medium for your video portfolio. As we explained above, you can choose to host your video portfolio on your own website, such as using a free video portfolio website like WordPress, Wix, etc. You can also make use of online video portfolio services like Cake for free or a paid service like Carbonmade to present your video reel portfolio. 3. Design your online video portfolio page or website. Your video portfolio design should optimize how the information is consumed by viewers. Aim for easy navigation, high visibility, and conciseness. Put a splash of your personality and style into your video portfolio design. 4. Show off works with different styles and skills that are relevant to the targeted audience. Carefully select the video reel for your portfolio and show some variety. They can comprise shorts or features for big corporations, non-profits, personal projects, etc. But everything you put on your video portfolio has to be intentional and relevant to your niche, including the skills and services you offer. 5. Upload the videos. Make sure your demo reels are the correct ones and have high-quality images and sound before uploading them to your video portfolio website. If you resort to a portfolio service maker, check the file restrictions for the online video portfolio first, as they might only accept certain formats or have file size limitations. 6. Include the behind-the-scenes (BTS). This video production part for your portfolio is important to show potential collaborators or employers how you work and provides some insight on what they can expect from you. Show them how you rig your lighting and equipment, direct the model or subject, frame a shot, and others. 7. Include a CTA and your contact details. A strong, persuasive call-to-action (CTA) is as vital as your video portfolio content, if not more important. Whoever is watching your video portfolio needs to know what to do next. Provide them with your email, phone number, or ask them to fill out the contact form on your video portfolio website. 8. Make copies. Copy your video reel portfolio into a flash drive or burn it to a DVD. Taking this extra step as a precautionary action will save you the trouble of not being able to connect to the internet or having a laptop to present your online video portfolio. Best Websites to Showcase Your Video PortfolioSince we mentioned there are many amazing platforms where you can build your video portfolio, we've narrowed it down to the 7 best video portfolio websites for you to choose from. Let's take a look! ✨ Cake Cake offers a clean yet comprehensive platform to build a free online video portfolio. It's a 3-in-1 online portfolio service, portfolio-resume combo, and a job search channel that is completely free for registered users. However, you can't directly upload your video reel to your portfolio on Cake. Your video should already be uploaded on YouTube or Vimeo, for instance, and then you can connect your demo reel to your free video portfolio on Cake. ✨ Carbonmade A simple video portfolio platform, Carbonmande's aesthetic is definitely made for creative creators. Its modern templates and layouts are customizable and you can definitely put your personal style from top to bottom. Although Carbonmade offers a free trial, if you want your video portfolio to look professional with HD video and audio, the monthly fee starts at USD 12. The cheapest subscription only provides SD video and audio, probably not the best for your buck if you're planning on creating a superb video portfolio. ✨ Wix The drag-and-drop feature from Wix makes it one of the easiest free website builders. Either selecting from their templates or starting from scratch, the possibility for your video portfolio design is unlimited and left to your imagination. The free plan, unfortunately, only provides an assigned URL, limited storage, and bandwidth. If you want to use a personalized URL (for example, your name as the domain) for a more professional-looking video portfolio website, it's only available for Wix's premium subscriptions. ✨ Squarespace Also a top-runner website builder, Squarespace offers extensive services that can meet your videographer portfolio website needs. They have portfolio templates catered for videographers that can optimize your video portfolio design. With Squarespace, they offer a 30-day free trial. But after 30 days, you need to pay to create a video portfolio website (or any website for that matter), and Squarespace doesn't have complete flexibility for their templates. ✨ Vimeo Pro Vimeo is not only for video sharing. It's also a video making, video editing, and live streaming platform. They have templates for you to choose to create a stunning video portfolio. However, call-to-action and Google SEO discoverable features are only available starting from their Business plan, which can be quite pricey, especially for those who are just starting out. ✨ Youtube As one of the most popular video hosting platforms, YouTube is free and has unlimited storage. You can upload the highest quality video reel for your portfolio on this platform. With its popularity, you can also attract people that aren't necessarily potential clients or employers who can be potential fans and build your branding. But you should also be aware that YouTube can take down your videos at any moment.So, what is the best website for a video portfolio?The answer really depends on what your needs are and how much money and time you are willing to invest in creating your video portfolio. Tips to Create a Video PortfolioWe've covered how you can create a video portfolio. Next, let's dive into the things that will get you seen. 💡 Regularly update your online video portfolio or video portfolio website. Maintaining your video portfolio is essential to let prospective clients or employers know what your recent projects are. On the flip side, you can also check if your video portfolio is getting enough traffic or if anything should be tweaked. 💡 Compress the video files for a smoother viewing experience. High-quality files tend to load slower because they consume more storage. You want to make sure that your video reels are compressed so they can be viewed as effortlessly as possible while browsing through your video portfolio. 💡 List the gears and software used during the production. Giving details on the equipment and tools in the description of your video portfolio will help your future clients or employers gauge your skills and proficiency. Additionally, they would know what kind of output they can expect from you. 💡 Include your favorite projects. Your favorite project might be something that's fun to work on or something that holds a certain place in your heart. By elaborating on a favorite project on your video portfolio, viewers can understand what your values are. 💡 Include the projects that were challenging for you. A challenging project demonstrates your determination, which is a great thing to show on your online video portfolio. You can elaborate how you've learned new things by overcoming that challenge, and that could add to your skill sets. 💡 Include the projects that you are most proud of. You've worked night and day to create exquisite videos. It's only appropriate if you give yourself some credit for your hard work. Giving recognition to the work you're most proud of shows that you are confident in your abilities and ready to tackle what's next! 💡 Shoot your family, friends, or yourself if you don’t have much experience yet. You can always find inspiration anywhere. As a starting point, you can produce some video reels for your portfolio with the help of your family and friends. Video Portfolio ExamplesDesigner Animator Online Video Portfolio on Carbonmade by Allen LaseterFilmmaker Video Portfolio Website by Salomon LigthelmFilm Production Company Website by Zang FilmsFilmmaker, Video Designer, and Stage Director Video Portfolio Website by Khoa LeWedding Photographer and Videographer Website by Gione da SilvaMotion Designer Video Portfolio Website by Aran QuinnArt Director, Animator, and Front End Developer Portfolio on Carbonmade by Mark Russell--- Originally written by Teresa Edria--