How to Add a Portfolio Link in Your Resume (With Examples)

A portfolio link can make your resume stand out. It lets employers see your actual work instead of just reading about it. Here's how to add portfolio links effectively.

Why Include a Portfolio Link?

Show, Don't Just Tell

Instead of saying "proficient in web design," show your designs. A link proves your skills.

Stand Out from Other Candidates

Most applicants only submit text. A portfolio link gives you an edge.

Save Resume Space

Instead of describing every project, link to a comprehensive portfolio with details, images, and case studies.

Track Employer Interest

With trackable links, you can see when employers view your portfolio. Use Linkyhost's Portfolio Link tool to create a trackable link that tells you exactly when and how often your portfolio is viewed.

Where to Place Portfolio Links

The placement of your portfolio link on your resume matters. The right position depends on your industry and how central the portfolio is to the role you are applying for.

In the Header

Place links prominently at the top. This is the best option when your portfolio is the single strongest selling point on your resume — common for designers, front-end developers, and photographers.

JANE SMITH
Software Developer

jane@email.com | (555) 123-4567 | San Francisco, CA
linkedin.com/in/janesmith | github.com/janesmith
Portfolio: janesmith.dev

When to use the header: The hiring manager sees it immediately, even if they only skim the first few lines. Use this placement when the role explicitly asks for a portfolio.

In the Summary or Objective Section

If your resume includes a summary or objective paragraph, weaving the link into that section provides context.

SUMMARY
Full-stack developer with 5 years of experience building
scalable web applications. Recent projects include a real-time
dashboard and an e-commerce platform — see examples at
janesmith.dev/work.

When to use the summary: This works well when you want to provide context around the link rather than presenting a bare URL.

In a Dedicated Section

Create a "Links" or "Online Presence" section:

ONLINE PRESENCE
─────────────────────────────────────────
Portfolio: www.janesmith.dev
GitHub: github.com/janesmith
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janesmith

When to use a dedicated section: This is the cleanest option when you have multiple relevant links (portfolio, GitHub, LinkedIn, blog). It keeps the header uncluttered and groups all online presence in one place.

Within Project Descriptions

Link to specific work when describing projects:

E-COMMERCE PLATFORM REDESIGN
Led redesign that increased conversions by 35%
View project: portfolio.janesmith.dev/ecommerce-case-study

When to use project-level links: This is effective when different projects demonstrate different skills. Rather than sending the employer to a general portfolio page, you point them directly to the most relevant case study for each bullet point.

Portfolio Examples by Profession

Different professions call for different portfolio approaches. Here is what works best in several common fields.

Designers (UI/UX, Graphic, Product)

Designers are expected to have visual portfolios. Focus on presentation quality — the portfolio itself demonstrates your design skills.

What to include:

• 5–8 of your strongest projects with case studies showing the design process (research, wireframes, iterations, final result)
• Before-and-after comparisons when applicable
• Metrics that show impact (conversion rates, user engagement improvements)
• Tools and methods used (Figma, user testing, design systems)

Best platforms: Personal website, Behance, Dribbble

Example header:

SARAH PARK | Product Designer
sarah@email.com | (555) 234-5678 | New York, NY
Portfolio: sarahpark.design
Dribbble: dribbble.com/sarahpark

Developers (Front-end, Back-end, Full-stack)

For developers, the portfolio is a combination of working code and the ability to explain technical decisions.

What to include:

• GitHub profile with clean, well-documented repositories
• 3–5 live project demos with links to both the deployed app and the source code
• A brief README for each project explaining the tech stack, architecture decisions, and what you learned
• Contributions to open source projects, if any

Best platforms: GitHub, personal website, CodePen (for front-end snippets)

Example header:

ALEX CHEN | Full Stack Developer
alex@email.com | San Francisco, CA
GitHub: github.com/alexchen (80+ repos)
Portfolio: alexchen.dev

Writers and Content Creators

Writers need to show published work and range. A portfolio PDF is often the most practical format since clips may be behind paywalls or taken down over time.

What to include:

• 8–12 of your best published pieces across different formats (articles, whitepapers, case studies, social copy)
• Links to live publications when available
• A portfolio PDF as backup for paywalled or removed articles — upload it to Linkyhost for a clean, trackable link
• Brief context for each piece (client, objective, results if available)

Best platforms: Personal website, Medium, Contently, PDF portfolio via Linkyhost

Example header:

MAYA JOHNSON | Content Strategist
maya@email.com | Chicago, IL
Writing samples: mayajohnson.com/clips
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/mayajohnson

Photographers and Videographers

Visual portfolios need to load fast and showcase your best work at full quality.

What to include:

• A curated gallery of 15–25 images organized by category (portraits, events, product, editorial)
• Video showreel hosted on Vimeo (not YouTube, to avoid ads and distractions)
• Information about equipment and post-processing workflow, if relevant to the role
• Client testimonials or project context

Best platforms: Personal website (Squarespace, Format, SmugMug), Vimeo, Instagram (for supplementary social proof)

Example header:

JAMES RIVERA | Photographer
james@email.com | Los Angeles, CA
Portfolio: jamesrivera.photo
Instagram: @jamesrivera.photo (12k followers)

Creating Professional Portfolio Links

Option 1: Personal Website

Best for: Designers, developers, creatives

Pros:

• Complete control over presentation
• Custom domain looks professional
• Can include blog, contact form, etc.

Cons:

• Requires setup and maintenance
• Costs money (domain, hosting)

Option 2: Portfolio Platforms

Best for: Quick setup, industry-specific features

Popular options:

• Behance - Design portfolios
• Dribbble - UI/UX work
• GitHub - Developer projects
• Medium - Writing samples
• YouTube - Video content

Option 3: PDF Portfolio with Shareable Link

Best for: Traditional industries, print designers

1. Create a PDF portfolio
2. Upload to Linkyhost
3. Get a shareable link
4. Add link to resume

Advantage: Control exactly what employers see, works offline when downloaded.

URL Formatting Tips

The way your link appears on your resume affects both readability and professionalism.

Use a custom domain when possible

A custom domain like janesmith.dev or janesmith.design is the gold standard. It is short, memorable, and signals that you take your professional presence seriously. Domain registration typically costs $10–15 per year.

Keep URLs short and clean

Remove tracking parameters, trailing slashes, and unnecessary paths. The URL should be something a hiring manager could type from memory after glancing at a printed resume.

Good: janesmith.dev/work Bad: janesmith.dev/index.html?ref=resume&utm_source=pdf

Drop the protocol prefix

On a resume, janesmith.dev reads better than https://janesmith.dev. Every modern browser handles the URL without the https:// prefix, and removing it saves space and reduces visual clutter.

Use a link shortener as a last resort

If your portfolio URL is truly long (e.g., a Google Drive share link), create a shorter redirect. Options include:

• A custom redirect on your own domain (janesmith.dev/portfolio pointing to the long URL)
• Linkyhost to create a clean, trackable short link
• Bit.ly or similar services (though branded links look more professional)

Test every link

Before sending your resume, click every link in the PDF. Confirm they open correctly, load quickly, and do not require a login. Ask a friend to test from a different device to catch permission issues.

Formatting Portfolio Links on Resumes

Use Clean URLs

Good:

• portfolio.janesmith.dev
• janesmith.dev/work

Bad:

• portfolio.janesmith.dev/index.html?ref=resume
• drive.google.com/file/d/1a2b3c4d5e6f7g8h9i/view?usp=sharing

Shorten Long URLs

If your URL is long, use a URL shortener or custom domain:

• Original: mycompanyportfolio.wordpress.com/graphic-design-samples
• Better: bit.ly/jane-portfolio
• Best: janesmith.dev/design

Make Links Clickable in PDF Resumes

If submitting a PDF, ensure links are clickable:

1. In Word: Select text → Insert → Link
2. In Google Docs: Select text → Insert → Link
3. Test the PDF by clicking links before sending

Don't Underline or Use Blue Text Unnecessarily

Many resume templates use blue/underlined text for links. This looks dated. Instead, use a subtle style or just include the URL.

Industry-Specific Portfolio Tips

Developers

Include:

• GitHub profile link
• Live demo links for projects
• Technical blog if you have one

TECHNICAL LINKS
GitHub: github.com/janedev (50+ repos, 200+ contributions)
Blog: janedev.io/blog

Designers

Include:

• Behance or Dribbble
• Case studies with process
• Before/after examples

DESIGN PORTFOLIO
Behance: behance.net/janedesigns (15 projects, 5k followers)
Case Studies: janedesigns.com/work

Writers

Include:

• Published clips
• Blog or Medium
• Writing samples PDF

WRITING SAMPLES
Medium: medium.com/@janewriter (50+ articles)
Clips: janewriter.com/clips

Marketers

Include:

• Campaign results
• Strategy documents
• Content examples

MARKETING PORTFOLIO
Campaign Case Studies: janemarketing.com/work
Results Dashboard: linkyhost.com/abc123

Creating a Resume Link for Your Resume

Sometimes you need to share your resume as a link rather than an attachment:

1. Save resume as PDF
2. Upload to Linkyhost Resume Link
3. Get a professional, trackable link
4. Use in:
   • Email signatures
   • LinkedIn profiles
   • Job applications that request URLs
   • Cover letters

Benefits:

• Track when employers view your resume
• Update your resume without sending new links
• Professional appearance

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Broken Links

Always test your links before sending resumes. Check monthly.

2. Password-Protected Portfolios

Remove barriers. Employers won't request access.

3. Outdated Work

Only show recent, relevant work. Quality over quantity.

4. Slow-Loading Sites

Test your portfolio's speed. Employers won't wait.

5. Not Mobile-Friendly

Many recruiters review on phones. Test mobile experience.

6. Generic URLs

portfolio-final-v3.pdf looks unprofessional. Use clean names.

Tracking Portfolio Views

Want to know when employers check your portfolio? Use trackable links:

1. Upload your portfolio PDF to Linkyhost
2. Share the generated link on your resume
3. Check your dashboard to see:
   • Number of views
   • When it was viewed
   • Viewer locations

This helps you:

• Know which applications are being reviewed
• Time your follow-up emails
• See which jobs are most interested

Quick Checklist

Before adding portfolio links to your resume:

• Links work and load quickly
• URLs are clean and professional
• Portfolio content is current
• Mobile-friendly
• No login required to view
• Links are clickable in PDF
• Relevant to the job you're applying for

Example Resume Header with Portfolio Links

ALEX CHEN
Full Stack Developer

alex@email.com | San Francisco, CA | (555) 987-6543

Portfolio: alexchen.dev
GitHub: github.com/alexchen
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/alexchen

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many portfolio links should I include on my resume?

Limit yourself to two or three links maximum. Include your primary portfolio and one or two supplementary links (such as GitHub or LinkedIn). Too many links clutter the resume and dilute the impact. If you have multiple relevant profiles, create a single landing page that links to all of them and use that one URL on your resume.

Should I include a portfolio link if I am applying for a non-creative role?

Yes, in many cases. Analysts can link to data visualization projects, project managers can share case studies, and sales professionals can link to presentation decks or campaign results. If you have work product that demonstrates relevant skills, a portfolio link adds value regardless of industry. Upload a PDF portfolio to Linkyhost's Portfolio Link for a clean, professional URL.

What if my portfolio is a PDF instead of a website?

A PDF portfolio is perfectly acceptable, especially in traditional industries. Save it as a PDF, upload it to a hosting service, and include the shareable link on your resume. Services like Linkyhost Resume Link let you upload the PDF and get a professional link with view tracking, so you know when an employer opens it.

How often should I update my portfolio?

Review your portfolio every three to six months and whenever you complete a significant project. Remove outdated work that no longer represents your current skill level, and add recent projects that demonstrate growth. Before any active job search, do a thorough review to ensure everything loads correctly and reflects your best work.

Do ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) follow portfolio links?

Most ATS platforms do not follow links or evaluate portfolio content. The links are primarily for the human reviewer who reads your resume after it passes the ATS screen. To ensure the ATS parses your resume correctly, include the link as plain text (not hidden behind anchor text) and avoid placing it inside headers, footers, or text boxes that some ATS software cannot read.

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Related guides:

• Create a Portfolio Link - Build a trackable portfolio URL
• Resume Link Generator - Create trackable resume links
• PDF to Link - Share documents as URLs