Links, portfolios and online profiles – Page 2

Usually no. Employer websites add clutter, and readers can search for a company themselves. Your links should lead to your own work and profiles.

Instead:

• Add a short description of the company if it is not well known: "Regional chain of 12 pharmacies in Oman".
• Mention the sector and size in your bullets where relevant.

An exception is a specific public result of your work, such as a launched website or published report. Put that link in a projects section next to the description of what you did.

Put each link next to the project it belongs to, written as short readable text. This lets interested readers go straight to the work you describe.

Example:
"Restaurant Booking App – personal project (2025)

• Built a booking app with React and Firebase used by two local cafés.
• Live demo: bookeasyapp.dev | Code: github.com/rashidk/bookeasy"

Tips:

• Link only to work that is live, public and working.
• Keep link text short and consistent in style.
• Do not repeat the same link in the header and the project unless it is your main portfolio.

Avoid it if you can, because extra steps reduce the chance someone looks. If protection is necessary, provide access simply and safely.

Options:

• Make a public version with non-confidential samples, and keep protected work for interviews.
• Provide the password in your cover letter or application message, not printed on the resume.
• Use a password that is unique to this portfolio and not used anywhere else.

Check that the protected page clearly explains why it is protected and how to request access. Recruiters often review many applications quickly, so make your work as easy to reach as possible.

Check what a stranger can see, as if you were the hiring manager. Anything public and linked from your resume becomes part of your application.

Review:

• Old posts, photos or comments you would not want an employer to read.
• Personal details you prefer to keep private, such as your home address or family information.
• Contact details that differ from your resume.
• Facts that contradict your resume, such as job titles or dates.

Use privacy settings to limit personal content, and search your name online to see what appears. Link only the profiles you are comfortable with an employer exploring.

Use icons only alongside readable text, not instead of it. An icon alone cannot be read by many applicant tracking systems, does not work when printed, and may not be clickable in every viewer.

Good approach:

• A small LinkedIn icon followed by "linkedin.com/in/maria-lopez".
• Or simply the text, with no icon.

Bad approach:

• A row of icons with no visible addresses.

Icons are decorative; the text carries the information. If space is tight, drop the icons and keep the text.

Only if the employer invites it or your field values on-camera skills. Most employers prefer a standard written resume, and many will not watch an unrequested video.

If you do use one:

• Keep it short, about one to two minutes.
• Focus on your role, a key achievement and why you suit this type of job.
• Use clear sound, good light and a neutral background.
• Host it where it plays without signing in.

Never send a video in place of a written resume, and be aware that videos show personal characteristics that a written resume does not. Some candidates prefer not to share them for that reason.

Update it or remove the link before applying. An old portfolio can suggest your skills stopped at that point, and outdated styles or tools can work against you.

Quick update plan:

• Remove the weakest and oldest pieces.
• Add one or two recent examples, even small ones.
• Update your bio, contact details and resume download.
• Check every page and link still works.

If you cannot update it in time, leave it off and offer recent samples if asked. A small, current portfolio is better than a large, outdated one.

Add links that show real work: a LinkedIn profile with your education and activities, and, if relevant to your field, a GitHub, portfolio or project page.

Good student links:

• LinkedIn, even if short, with education, projects and volunteer roles.
• GitHub with university or personal projects, for computing students.
• A portfolio of design, writing or media work.
• A specific project, such as a competition entry or research poster.

Skip links to course pages, group chats, gaming profiles or personal social media. One or two strong links are better than many weak ones.

Usually six to twelve strong pieces for an established professional, and three to six for a beginner. Choose quality and relevance over quantity.

How to choose:

• Match the pieces to the jobs you are applying for.
• Show range where it matters, such as different clients or formats.
• Put your strongest piece first.
• For each piece, explain the problem, your role and the outcome.

Reviewers often look at only a few pieces closely, so every piece should be one you are proud of. Remove weaker work rather than keeping it to make the portfolio look bigger.

Follow the employer's instructions first. If none are given, a link is usually easier, because it keeps your email or upload small and lets the reader browse.

Use a link when:

• Your work is online, visual or interactive.
• The files are large.

Use a separate PDF attachment when:

• The employer asks for one.
• Your work is confidential and you share it selectively.
• The application system lets you upload extra documents.

Keep the resume as its own document either way, so it can be read and stored on its own. Name any attachment clearly, such as "Lina-Haddad-Portfolio.pdf".

Add them in the personal details section, which includes a place for links alongside your name, title, email, phone and location. They then appear in your resume header.

Tips:

• Write short, readable addresses, such as "linkedin.com/in/yourname".
• Add only the one to three links that matter for the job.
• Check the preview to see how they fit on the header line.

After downloading the PDF, open it and test each link by clicking and by typing it into a browser. If you notice a mistake after paying, you can edit and download again within 7 days, up to 10 attempts.

It can confuse readers, so make them match or make the link obvious. Differences often come from transliteration, such as "Mohammed" and "Muhammad", or from using a short name online.

Fix it by:

• Using the same spelling on your resume, LinkedIn, portfolio and email address where possible.
• Matching the spelling in your passport or official documents for formal applications.
• If you use a familiar name online, adding it in brackets on LinkedIn, such as "Muhammad (Mo) Rahman".

Consistent names help recruiters find you and confirm that the profile and the resume belong to the same person.

Yes, but make your contribution clear. Team projects are normal and valuable, but a reader may assume you wrote everything if you do not say otherwise.

How to present it:

• In the project description, say what you built: "Wrote the payment API and its tests in a team of four."
• In the repository README, include a contributors section.
• Link to the parts you worked on if the project is large.

Only link repositories you have permission to share publicly. For work projects owned by an employer, do not publish code; describe the project in your resume instead.

Yes, if it has strong reviews and work relevant to the job. A freelance profile can show real clients, feedback and completed projects.

Before linking:

• Check that your profile describes skills that match the job.
• Make sure reviews and completed jobs are visible.
• Hide or update anything outdated.
• Consider whether pricing or availability information on the profile is something you want an employer to see.

On your resume, describe the freelance work as its own entry, for example "Freelance Translator (Arabic–English), 2021–Present", and use the link as supporting evidence rather than the main description.

Only if it is relevant to the job and you can describe it accurately. For social media, content or marketing roles, an audience you built yourself can be real evidence of skill.

How to present it:

• In a project or experience entry: "Grew a cooking channel to an engaged audience through weekly recipe videos."
• Give numbers only if they are current and accurate, and say what period they cover.
• Focus on what you did, such as content planning or analytics, not just the size.

For most other roles, follower counts are not relevant and can look like a distraction. Never buy followers or inflate figures; they are easy to check.

It is usually unnecessary, because the employer already has your resume. An online version helps only if it adds something, such as a portfolio, interactive projects or a convenient way to share your resume at events.

If you use one:

• Make sure it matches the version you sent, especially dates and titles.
• Keep personal details limited, as the page may be public.
• Update it whenever you change your main resume.

For most applications, a LinkedIn profile or a portfolio link is enough. Your private resume drafts in a builder are not public web pages, so they are not something to link.