Portfolio Reflection
With a big step, we are approaching the end of our COS adventure. At the beginning of my studies, I was confronted with something I would never have done otherwise: writing blogs. In the following lines, I would like to reflect on how this format has been for me and what my future path will look like.
Everybody is different and that’s good. But that also means that every person expresses themselves differently. Or better said: every person has to find a way to express himself. Because as we have already learned as a child: If you don’t say what you want, you’ll never get it. Let’s put this into the professional world. Yes, I think in our field it is important to talk about your work in some way. However, and this is a piece of advice I always give to my clients, everyone has to find their own way because otherwise one thing happens: nothing. If I choose a format or a platform that simply doesn’t suit me, then the project will quickly end again and frustration will remain because actually something should have been done. For me, unfortunately, that’s true of blogs.
Why a blog is not the right format for me.
Writing and I have a long history behind us, which you can read about here. As already mentioned, I am unfortunately very insecure when it comes to writing. Still, a certain improvement has become noticeable. Still, writing is not always the best way for me to express myself. On the one hand, I am often not able to put into words what I feel, think and wish for, on the other hand, I often go too far and don’t get to the point. The whole thing is accompanied by my great insecurity with regard to spelling and grammar. So for me, writing means one thing above all: stress. And really none of us wants that.
I speak in pictures
I am a very visual person no matter in what field. When learning I have a photographic memory and I can tell you exactly what is written on page 42 in the history book from 4th grade lower school (of course I can’t anymore, 4th grade lower school was way too long ago, but on the test back then I could and that was enough). I am a big fan of emojis. I think you can say anything to them and they express a lot (for me). The same goes for memes. I could have a whole conversation just with memes. Both are honestly not very professional, so I had to find another platform where I can express myself. That platform for me is definitely Instagram. The microblogging platform with a focus on visual content is I think exactly the right platform for my way of expression. Plus, it’s exactly the service I’m selling.
Conclusion
COS I think has made us all think about things we would never have thought about before. Before I would have said, it is not necessary to show my work anywhere, the main thing is that my work is good. I still stand by that to a certain extent, but I see a portfolio more as a way to exchange ideas. And fortunately, the internet offers unlimited possibilities.
So what do I plan for the future: In the future, I would like to use my personal Instagram profile more as a portfolio. No, I don’t want to become an influencer and no I don’t want to make a living out of it. I live quite well from my actual wage activity. But I would like to use it to stay in contact with certain people (the original idea of social networks) and give insight into my professional activities. Not to put me as a person in the foreground, but my performance, which I sell daily, and behind which I also stand with my name.
Will I succeed from the beginning? No. But it is a process and sometimes it is easier and sometimes harder. Will I enjoy it? Definitely more than blogging. So I close this blog with: follow me on Instagram!