OK, so I’m going to make the case for the portfolio site being a blog first that also functions as a portfolio, rather than a standalone site. I’m not sure I really believe the argument I’m making, so bear with me.
Over on my blog, I’m sticking with a nice clean layout in MistyLook, which to me seems like a sort of timeless blog format – black text on white background and minimal visual clutter for a space that simple to navigate and easy on the eye.
Front page is the blog proper, which it occurs to me I need to update more frequently. That’s because this tactic means the first thing potential employers/editors/etc. will see will be my blog. Plenty of pros there – I can demonstrate that I’m a good writer, am up to date on news and have a broad range of interests and sources, have a strong voice and can turn material around quickly, and am engaged with a readership. Y’know, eventually. Not right now or anything. Should probably get on that.
Which is also the biggest con here – connecting my blog with my professional fortunes means that the blog has to be more professional than it is right now. That means writing more frequently, crafting better quality posts, pimping the hell out of my content to drive a respectable readership, and probably a significant reduction in dick and fart jokes by volume. In other words, less spouting off, talking out my ass, and publishing ill thought out screeds in moment’s of passion. In the words of one of the great poets of our age, I will be required to check myself, lest I wreck myself.
Also on the main page are the standards – blogroll, archive, tag cloud, category list and so on and so forth – and page links to my About page (Short bio, nothing fancy) Clips (just the best stuff – no need to put anything I’m less than proud of up for more scrutiny than it’s due, and we all have those pieces – should end up at about 10 links to my best work, updated… I dunno, quarterly) and CV (which it occurs to me I need to trim for this purpose).
As for new toys – I’ll be installing an audio player plugin shortly, for the purposes of sharing the all-too occasional podcasts I record with a colleague, which should help make the argument to potential employers that I’m a multi-tool player. In the interest of stronger branding, Twitter integration is on the shortlist as well, while ShareThis is functional, but needs to be configured. Embedly is also active for increased flexibility and utility’s sake.
