Portfolio vs Resume: Which is Best For a Marketer?

If you are a marketer applying for jobs, you have probably been told to send your resume. That’s normal. Most job listings ask for one. But when you hop on LinkedIn or job groups, you start seeing something else... marketers posting links to their portfolios.

Some even land jobs without sending a resume at all. So now you are stuck wondering: Do I need a portfolio? Or is my resume enough?

Let’s settle that once and for all in this blog.

What’s the Difference Between a Resume and a Portfolio?

A resume is a summary of your professional life. It’s usually a one-page document that includes your work experience, education, skills, and maybe a few bullet points about what you have done in past roles. It’s neat. It’s formal. It’s what most companies ask for.

Think of it like a menu at a restaurant. It tells people what you can do but doesn’t show how it looks or tastes. A portfolio, on the other hand, is the actual dish. It’s a collection of your real work. That could include:

Social media campaigns
Blog posts you have written
Emails you have designed
Ad creatives you made
Marketing results you have driven

In short, a resume tells. A portfolio shows.

Also Read: How to Write a Great Cover Letter (with Samples for Marketers)

So, Which One Do Hiring Managers Care About More?

Short answer: It depends on the role.
Long answer: Let’s look at some real-life scenarios.

Scenario 1. Social Media or Content Roles

If you are applying for a role in social media, content writing, or email marketing, a portfolio is a must because these jobs are all about creativity and execution. Hiring managers don’t just want to read managed Instagram for a skincare brand. They want to see:

What kind of posts have you created
How many followers have you gained
What did your engagement rate look like

Your portfolio will speak louder than your resume here.

If you only send a resume that says, Managed the company’s social media accounts, you will blend in with hundreds of others. But if your portfolio shows you grew LinkedIn followers from 0 to 10,000 in 4 months and outlines the process, that’s a proof and unforgettable.

Scenario 2. General Marketing or Growth Roles

Let’s say you are a generalist and have done a bit of everything - email, SEO, paid ads, branding. In this case, you need both a resume and a portfolio. Your resume overviews your experience and shows a bigger picture, like 4+ years of marketing experience across SaaS, e-commerce, and DTC. Your portfolio shows how deep your skills go in each area.

It’s like giving them a trailer and a sneak peek at a 3-hour movie. It zooms in:

One slide shows an SEO case study
One shows a paid ads campaign
One shows a brand guideline you helped build

That tells a better story than a one-page resume ever could.

Scenario 3. Applying Through Job Portals

Let’s be honest. Job portals are resume-first systems. Most companies ask for a PDF upload. Some use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to filter keywords. In this case, your resume helps you get your foot in the door.

However, wise marketers drop their portfolio links at the top of their resumes. Something like... Portfolio: yourname.notion.site. Now you have got the best of both worlds. You invite them to explore your work even if they skim your resume.

No matter what scenario or phase you are in marketing, your resume is an entry pass while your portfolio spotlights you in the crowd of competition. Trust me, building both takes the same effort (might be a little more for the portfolio, and that's okay).

When you blend both, like in scenario 3, the ROI will exceed your expectations, giving more weightage to the portfolio.

Then again, send it as per the recruiter's requirements.

Why Resume Alone Won't Help You Stand Out?

Let’s be honest: everyone has a resume. Even if you are a brilliant marketer, your resume might sound like 99 others. Most say things like:

Managed campaigns across multiple platforms
Led social media strategy
Improved engagement rates

That’s all good but claiming things with no proof or results to show... it’s vague. What if you send a portfolio instead that shows:

A blog post that ranks #1 on Google
An email campaign that got a 45% open rate
A carousel that got 10k shares on Instagram

That’s not just impressive. It’s memorable. And that’s what you want as a job seeker. And you don’t need to work at a big brand to build a strong portfolio. You can include side projects, freelance work, internships, passion projects, or even fake campaigns for imaginary brands.

Yep, fake projects count too, if they are well thought out. For example, you can create a mock email series for a startup or design a fake landing page for an app. These still show your thinking, creativity, and skill.

How to Build a Simple Marketing Portfolio?

No need to build a website or hire a designer. Start simple.

Use free tools like Notion, Canva, GDocs, GSlides, or Wix (if you want a website look). Here’s what to include:

An Intro Section:
Keep it short. Just tell people who you are and what kind of work you enjoy. For example, Hi, I’m Rahul. I’m a content marketer who loves writing emails, blogs, and landing pages that drive results. Here’s some of my best work.
3–5 Work Samples:
Each project should have a short title, what you did, why it mattered, and a screenshot or link.
A Short Case Study (optional):
If you have worked on something like a product launch or an ad campaign, write a short case study. A few lines explaining what the problem was, what you did, and what happened. It could be, Helped a SaaS client increase sign-ups by 30% through a 3-email onboarding sequence.
A Link to Your Resume:
Keep everything in one place. Make it easy for people to view your work and get your resume.

Use the below table to help you decide if you need a portfolio. Marketing in general is as vast as an ocean and we have only included a few broad niches. So, if your work involves even a bit of any of these niches, please consider it as your decision metric.

Marketing portfolio decision making cheat sheet

What Makes a Good Portfolio?

A good portfolio is:

Easy to read
Clean and organized
Focused on results (not just tasks)
Full of real (or realistic) work

Avoid these mistakes:

Adding too many projects (3–5 is enough)
Using too much jargon
Making it hard to view (use open links, not file downloads)
Ignoring mobile layout (people check portfolios on phones too!)

Also, customize it when needed. If you are applying for a content role, highlight your blogs and emails first. If it’s for a paid ads job, start with your campaign examples. Here's a more detailed guide on how you can build a marketer portfolio.

How Resume + Portfolio Work Together

Here’s a simple trick: Send your resume as requested. But add a small line at the top: 👀 Want to see my work? Here’s my portfolio: [Link]

That small line could make a big difference. It tells the hiring manager:

You are serious about your craft
You have real experience (even if it’s self-made)
You are not just another copy-paste candidate

That’s how you get interviews.

What You Can Do Today (Action Steps)

Here’s how you can get started right now:

Pick a platform: Use Notion, Canva, or Google Slides.
List 3–5 projects: Use freelance work, internships, or side projects.
Write short descriptions: What you did and the results.
Add visuals: Screenshots, links, or mockups.
Link your resume: So everything’s in one place.

Done? Great. Now paste that link at the top of your resume and LinkedIn bio.

Final Thoughts

If you want to grow in your marketing career, don’t just say what you can do, show it.

A resume helps you get in the room but a portfolio helps you seal the deal. Together, they are your best shot at landing that job. So whether you are just starting or looking for your next big move, don’t wait. Start building your portfolio today, even if it’s small and scrappy.

It might just be the thing that gets you hired.