About you
Two or three lines on what you're interested in and the kind of role you're aiming for.
Career portfolio for students: what to include, even with no experience
A career portfolio is the proof behind your CV — your qualifications, experience, projects and references in one place. Here's what to put in yours and how to build it online for free.
What to include in a career portfolio
Qualifications
Courses and grades, including ones still in progress.
Experience
Jobs, work experience, volunteering and clubs — what you did and what it shows.
Projects and work samples
Photos, designs, code, writing or anything you made. Links to GitHub or Behance work well.
Evidence
Certificates, reference letters and verified activity records.
Skills
Each skill tied to an example, e.g. 'Teamwork — ran the Year 9 charity bake sale'.
CV vs career portfolio vs skills passport
What it is
CV: A 1–2 page summary
Portfolio: A collection of examples of your work
Skills passport: A full record of qualifications, experience and proof
Rewritten per job
CV: Yes
Portfolio: Sometimes
Skills passport: No — you choose items to share
Includes proof
CV: No
Portfolio: Work samples
Skills passport: Certificates, references, verified activities
Best for
CV: Job applications
Portfolio: Creative, digital and practical roles
Skills passport: Applications, college and apprenticeships
Need a CV too? Try the first CV with no experience guide or the free CV builder.
Career portfolio questions
What is a career portfolio?
A career portfolio is a collection of evidence that shows what you can do: qualifications, experience, projects, work samples and references. It backs up the claims on your CV with real examples.
What should a student career portfolio include?
A short introduction, your qualifications, any work experience or volunteering, projects or work samples, certificates and references, and a list of skills each tied to a real example.
Do I need a portfolio if I have no experience?
Yes — it's even more useful. School projects, clubs, caring responsibilities, sport and volunteering all count, and a portfolio shows them better than an empty CV.
How do I make a career portfolio online for free?
Shine's free UK Skills Passport™ works as an online career portfolio: add qualifications, experience and evidence files, and choose what each employer sees when you apply.