Establishing Your Voice

Previously, we covered what your users would expect when viewing your portfolio. 0:00 But let's now talk about what you would like to expect. 0:05 We need to establish your expectations because your portfolio 0:09 is a collection of what you value and what you are passionate about. 0:13 And how you're chasing after those things with a long-term career in mind. 0:18 In other words, 0:24 we need to establish your personal brand or the practice of marketing yourself. 0:26 Your personal brand is a culmination of your personality and 0:31 the things you do, and care about. 0:36 Your personal brand defines the voice you use throughout your portfolio. 0:39 So it's important to consider three primary factors when defining your voice, 0:45 proficiency, authenticity, and consistency. 0:51 Let's define these. 0:55 First, proficiency is the strength of your skill set. 0:58 We rely on proficiency to discuss what specific skills 1:02 you bring to the portfolio. 1:07 Are you quick when it comes to coding and swift? 1:09 Do you have a keen eye for typography and mobile devices? 1:13 These are your bragging rights. 1:16 Even if you're early in the adoption of these skills, 1:19 be proud of what you've learned. 1:22 But remember that you're still in the process of learning. 1:26 Second is authenticity. 1:30 Authenticity is the clarity of your values. 1:33 Meaning, what are the things that matter to you both professionally and personally? 1:36 Are you excited about certain types of projects or subject matter? 1:41 I'm strongly encouraging you to use an active voice when writing. 1:46 Here's an example. 1:52 My talents and passions are my guide as I train for 1:53 start-up life in the next chapter of my career. 1:58 That sounds far more engaging than I hope that I might work for a start-up one day. 2:02 On the language that you incorporate into describing your projects and process. 2:08 Last, we have consistency or the predictability of your message. 2:14 This is a very important but often, overlooked piece of building a portfolio. 2:19 You want the way you show and 2:25 discuss your work to be predictable in the context of your portfolio. 2:27 This predictability shows up as formatting, scale, language, 2:33 and even in the form of using a spell check to avoid possible errors. 2:38 Are you speaking formally, or informally? 2:44 Long form or brief? 2:46 Humorous or serious? 2:48 Consistency goes a long way to adding a professional polish to your body of work. 2:50 The thing that makes you, 2:57 you is exactly what we are looking to highlight in your portfolio. 2:59 You aren't everybody else, and you should acknowledge, appreciate, 3:04 and use those differences to give you a voice that sets you apart as well. 3:09 I'll see you in the next video. 3:14