Just wondering if anyone has a portfolio, either online or a hard copy for local networking or local clients?

What would you put in your portfolio?

I understand what some VAs that work with Web designing and images, etc would want to keep in their portfolio.

But for a VA that offers transcription, adminstrative work, Int Marketing, what would you suggest for this type of portfolio?

I am thinking press releases, business templates could go into my portfolio, however I don't want to give any too much information on how I actually work. Any thoughts?

Thank you

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JoCarole
http://www.shoreofficeservices.com

Jo-Carole - I think it's a ticklish thing. Much of our work as VAs is confidential, and it all belongs to the client, not us. I guess if you do something you want to put in a portfolio, you can always ask the client's permission to do so.
As a writing VA, I just try to have lots of articles, blog posts, etc. already available online as samples of my skills.
Mostly, though, I think client testimonials can reasonably substitute for portfolios.

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Mary H. Ruth/Virtual Writing & Communications
http://www.writingVA.com

Jo-Carole,

I do have a portfolio online and include examples of my work. I am in the process of updating it now as we speak. I have included some client projects, with their permission of course. I was not going to but one of my clients that I format reports for made the suggestion, sent me a completed copy from a public published report and that got the ball rolling. Of course I am careful to put up the nuts and bolts and not anything that would compromise any of my clients. The ones that I have there thought it was a great idea because they now have more searched information on the web for their own company.

The others I used my own company forms/fliers and works. When I answer client inquiries I be sure to let them know samples of my works are online and they seem to like that they get a little preview from me.

The only thing I will not include is from my financial services.

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Lee Drozak
My Office Assistant

I have several pieces that I've done for a former employer that I keep as examples of my work. Since they're a non-profit, they're happy for more people to see the work *grins*. However, it is important to get agreement from a client before you post any work done for them, including the specific items you can show.

I have a friend on-line who did graphic design work, and when he was starting out, he used to keep a portfolio of "fake" clients. That is, he'd do work based on a hypothetical client to be able to show prospective clients. That way they could get a feel for the quality of his work, and he got more practice while he was building his business.

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Jodith Allen
Administrative Arts

I have a softcopy of my portfolio on my site. I also have an article I did of portfolios on my site. www.clrvirtualconnection.com

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Rebecca Thompson
CLR Virtual Connection * fanTABulous fan pages

Thanks everyone, I appreciate you taking the time out to answer this poll

Mary - it's true about client confidentiality, have to work on getting more testimonials too.
Lee - I was thinking also about putting up some of my forms that I created too.
Jodith - that's an idea, creating your own samples to use.
Rebecca - thanks, both good ideas

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JoCarole
http://www.shoreofficeservices.com

I did keep a book over the years of brochures, newsletters and ads that I created. I used the book a few times to show potential clients what I could do and I believed that since the documents were for print they were "public". Today, my documents/forms created stay with the client, but I have described in general terms some previous projects on my website. I believe testimonals are the way to go and I am collecting some now.

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Bernice
Energy Virtual Assistant

I do more creative work, so I have a portfolio on my site. I'm still figuring out ways to display it better (just pdf's right now, but it would be better with images). I get permission from clients to put samples on my site, if appropriate, and some of the samples are writing samples of my own from magazines. I think it helps to have the samples for me since clients are going to ask me to email them my work.

But I also agree with Bernice on testimonials. I think they are easier to access and really tell the meat of the story on what you can do.

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Lindsay
www.writingthatsizzles.net

You're re-lighting the fire under me, Jo-Carole. I have a nice online portfolio that right now isn't linked to my Web site because I haven't finished my site overhaul. I really need to get that done...thanks for the reminder.

My portfolio is mostly made up of articles or testimonials from people I've done editing for. I do have a couple of administrative portfolio items. It was a lot of work making them usable, though, and I'm not sure it was worth all the effort. What I did was take copies of a few complex documents and spreadsheets and substitute a heavy black "censored" mark for all the sensitive names, logos, and numbers. I had to try out a number of documents before I found a couple that would work. The problem was that some documents end up as nothing but black marks! Long story short--for admin work, references or testimonials might be more useful.

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AnnaLisa Michalski, Sunny Words Writing Services