Online portfolios are the modern man’s business card. Accessible to anyone with an internet connection and able to house your entire body of work, it’s one of the best ways to catch the eye of a possible employer. However, not all portfolios are created equal. Here’s what to embrace and what to avoid.

DO invest in your introduction.

As paintings in a gallery only catch the eye for a few seconds, so, too, does your home page. Make visitors want to click through by keeping it short and avoiding fluff.

DO cultivate connected pieces.

Only post your best work and only showcase work that indicates the kind of stuff you want to pursue into the future. If you don’t have enough material for your future goals, it’s time to get to work and make more in that direction.

DO make it easy to navigate.

Nothing turns away possible clients faster than a website that is a mess to figure out. When it doubt, keep it simple. Let the work speak for itself. If it’s good enough, you won’t need much more than basic information.

DON’T treat it like a personal project.

Remember, this portfolio is supposed to exhibit your professionalism. Every side project you pursue is not worth posting.

DON’T post work you don’t want to do.

Your portfolio is a collection of not only the work you do but the work you want to do. Even if a piece is amazing, if you don’t ever want to work in that style again, don’t post it.

DON’T avoid social media.

Choose one or two platforms to start cultivating an audience. Learn to use hashtags. Tag people. Get your audience growing through modern networking. You never know who might see your site and offer you a job.