Part 2

Design from Your Mind

This is Part 2 of my ePortfolio series. Read my previous post on the basic information on ePortfolios. I will now discuss how to design your ePortfolio.

There are several ways to lay out your ePortfolios, but only you have the ability to design them according to your own imagination. There are various possibilities to make your web site a unique and guest-friendly place. RCampus ePortfolios enable users like me to get creative, providing different ways to edit your virtual headquarters.

Your Web Site Address: Choose Wisely

First and foremost, members need to make a login name that they can remember. This cannot be changed and will be displayed in the URL for your web site in the form of http://my.rCampus.com/my-login-name (unless you purchase an inexpensive domain name, of course). Try to think of a simple, short name that guests won’t be likely to forget. For example, I used a user name that I have for many web sites: schemmens. It depicts my first and middle initials as well as my full last name. This will attract employers and school administrators, while revealing the professional person you have set out to become. Remember, this web site could be viewed by a vast array of people, so avoid using random, immature names, such as your middle school instant messaging screen name. Make it unique.

Skin Your Site

The system offers a list to select the appropriate “skin” from. Simply put, skins are the backgrounds seen on web pages. You can preview different samples in full screen before you decide that it’s the one to be applied to your site. I, however, kept my background simple by using the “Clean White” skin (link). Depending on your audience, you need to take into account how your web site comes off to the viewer. Since I have created my ePortfolios for professional people to view, I felt like a plain white background would be the most appropriate. With a clever design, you risk the chance of employers and school administrators quickly exiting the site, incorrectly judging the kind of person you are.

Consistent Content on Every Page

You can customize the header and footer any way you want.

The site header is displayed at the top of each page of your web site. Try to make it “pop” and summarize what your web site is all about. For example, my header reads: “A Portfolio of Stephanie Hemmens” (link). It is bold, centered and in the “large” size. When people read this, they automatically understand who the owner is and what can be expected while browsing the site.

The site footer is displayed at the bottom of each page of your web site. When you first start using your site, the footer is automatically made. It is centered and contains generic hyperlinks to “my home,” “contact me” and “about me.” In my case, I just used this default footer (link). This feature is very convenient, because it enables visitors to click on a few important links that are displayed on multiple pages, thus not requiring them to locate them in a specific area.

What’s on the Menu?

You can change the top and side menu settings to your desire.

The general menu options allow visitors to access other areas of RCampus without leaving your personal web site. Again, I chose to keep mine simple by only displaying the “my home” tab (link). This is the only item that is required to be on display. When clicked on, it takes the visitor back to your home page.

You can also add or remove menu options, change their order of appearance, make submenus and change menu labels. At the beginning of one’s experience with ePortfolios, there are a number of unused menu options to select from. You can customize the default labels from the current menu to anything you choose. As an example, the side menu of my main Website displays the following items: “Home,” “Resume,” “Sample Work,” “Blogs,” “Photograph Gallery,” “Letter of Recommendation,” “Books For Sale,” “Other Career Profiles,” “My ePortfolios,” “About Me” and “Contact Me” (link). Furthermore, the side menu of my college ePortfolio displays the following items: “ePortfolio Home,” “Statement of Purpose,” “Goals,” “Accomplishments,” “School Work,” “My Main Website,” “About Me” and “Contact Me” (link).

Home is Where the Heart Is

Your web page should somehow invite guests to browse through the different sections of your site. Uploading a personal photograph of yourself is a great way to do this. I chose a close-up portrait of myself in my graduation cap and gown, because it reveals how presentable I am to the public (link). Avoid any images that you would not want others to come into contact with. They always say: “Dress for success.” Not only does this apply when interviewing with someone, but it is also the appropriate phrase for your images that are accessible to employers and school administrators. Make the picture big enough for others to distinguish what you look like, but don’t make it overcrowd your page. Moreover, a short paragraph would fit nicely on your home page, as well. It should introduce who you are, what you do and why you are here (i.e. the reason for browsing through your site) as well as encourage visitors to contact you. My introduction is very concise and to the point (link).

Need More Ideas?

From the “manage web site” icon, there is a section where users can check out thousands of web sites built by others. Don’t hesitate to see some samples and get different ideas of what RCampus ePortfolios have to offer.

Read my next post on how to use the online content editor for RCampus ePortfolios.