Difference between a portfolio and a resume.

A portfolio and a resume are both crucial tools used by professionals to showcase their skills and experiences, but they serve different purposes and contain different types of content. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:

1. Purpose and Usage:

   • Resume: A resume is a concise document that summarizes a person's professional qualifications, including their education, work experience, skills, and achievements. Its primary purpose is to provide potential employers with a quick overview of a candidate's suitability for a job. Resumes are typically used to apply for employment.

   • Portfolio: A portfolio is a collection of work samples that demonstrate a person's skills, competencies, and experiences in a specific field. It is used to showcase the quality and range of an individual's work. Portfolios are commonly used in fields where creative or technical skills are paramount, such as graphic design, writing, architecture, and software development.

2. Content:

   • Resume: Resumes usually include personal information, a summary or objective, work history, education, skills, and sometimes references. The content is presented in a structured, often bullet-pointed format and is limited to one or two pages.

   • Portfolio: Portfolios contain examples of actual work, such as designs, writings, case studies, projects, presentations, or code samples. They may also include descriptions of the projects and the individual's specific contributions or roles.

3. Format:

   • Resume: The format of a resume is typically textual, with a clear and professional layout. It is designed to be easily scannable to highlight the most important information.

   • Portfolio: Portfolios can be presented in various formats, including physical binders, digital files, or personal websites. They are often more visual and creative, showcasing the actual work in a way that demonstrates the individual's style and abilities.

4. Customization:

   • Resume: Resumes are often tailored to specific job applications, highlighting the most relevant experiences and skills for the position.

   • Portfolio: While portfolios can also be customized for specific opportunities, they generally provide a broader overview of an individual's work and style.

5. Industry Relevance:

   • Resume: Resumes are used across almost all industries and professions as a standard part of job applications.

   • Portfolio: Portfolios are primarily used in creative, technical, and academic fields where tangible work products can effectively demonstrate skills and quality of work.

In summary, while both resumes and portfolios are used to present an individual's professional background, a resume provides a brief overview of one's qualifications, whereas a portfolio offers a deeper insight into one's specific skills and accomplishments through actual work samples.