Erin Emery-Dumas

In college, it was highly recommended that we create a website to house a virtual portfolio. I followed this advice very thoroughly throughout my university career, just to be locked out of my original website a year after being hired at my first job. (Forgot the password and none of my emails match an account for some reason.) Because of this, I decided that I needed a new one, and created this website! This time around, I made it a blog, too.

Why is a virtual portfolio beneficial? It’s a great way to compile ALL of your hard work as it’s being completed, and gives employers a thorough overview of what you do. Plus, it’s kind of fun to reflect on things I created in the past compared to what I make now. It’s also a way to network with other people in your field.

But what should you include? There are so many options, and it might be specific to your career. As a music educator, here are the pages I like to keep updated on my website:

• Home – this includes my objective, philosophy/mission statement, and recent blog posts.
• About Me – this is where I give an overview of who I am. It’s kind of like a resume in paragraph-form, without any private details (considering this is a public website).
• Sample Lessons – some of my favorite lessons from this year!
• Projects & Presentations – a compilation of my major papers/projects from college, as well as recent presentations.
• Videos – short clips of me teaching and playing various instruments.
• Contact – a place for people to reach out to me without giving private information.

What are some other things that you like to include in your virtual portfolio? I’d love to hear about it!