Here’s a simple truth we see every week: the candidates who make shortlists aren’t just “strong
communicators” with “proven results.” They show it. In a world where titles blur and tools
change monthly, a marketing portfolio is the fastest way to turn claims into evidence—for every
discipline: brand, content, performance, CRM, product marketing, and marketing ops.
This isn’t a designer’s-only thing. It’s a clarity thing. A portfolio shows how you think, what you
shipped, and the outcomes that followed. It helps hiring managers move faster, and it helps you
control your story.

Quick personal note: going through portfolios is genuinely one of my favourite parts of the
job always interesting, and often surprising. If we’re honest, we actually hired a marketer for
our own team because of a portfolio they’d sent in for a different role. The work told the story
better than anything else.

A good portfolio is professional proof. It takes the line “managed paid social” and turns it into a
before/after: the account structure you built, the creative tests you ran, and how ROAS or CPA
actually moved. It clarifies your role—what you owned versus what you influenced—and it
shows how you collaborate with design, product, and sales. Just as importantly, it signals your
personal brand: how you present ideas, structure information, and guide a reader from problem
to result.

And yes, it speeds up decisions. When clients can see outcomes at a glance, they stop guessing
and start booking interviews.

Keep it tight and human. Aim for 5–8 pieces of work that show range and depth. Each one
should read like a mini-story: Challenge → Role → Actions → Results. One page per project is
enough if you make it clear and visual. Mask sensitive figures if needed (ranges or indexed
charts are fine). Show thinking, not just artefacts.

About; Focus: Two or three lines on what you actually do (lifecycle, brand, paid media, product
marketing) and what roles you’re targeting.

Selected Work: 5–8 case studies using Challenge → Role → Actions → Results, with one or two
graphics where relevant.

• Outcomes; Metrics: Commercial impact beats vanity: ROMI, CAC/LTV, pipeline or ARR
  influence, conversion, retention, incrementality.
• Tools; Stack: GA4, Looker, HubSpot, Klaviyo, Salesforce, Meta/TikTok Ads, Figma, etc.—and
  your level of proficiency.
• Process; Collaboration: Briefing, testing, analysis, iteration; how you worked with
  design/product/sales or agencies.
• Contact; Availability: Make it easy to book a call and download a light PDF.
  Role-by-role ideas to spark your case studies: Brand/Content (tone-of-voice, narratives, pillar
  pages, share-of-voice and engagement), Performance/Growth (audience strategy, creative
  testing matrices, budgets, CPA/ROAS trends, lift studies), CRM/Lifecycle (segments, journeys,
  deliverability, LTV uplift, churn reduction), Product Marketing (positioning, launch plans,
  enablement, win/loss), Marketing Ops/Analytics (dashboards, attribution, data governance,
  experimentation).

Make it easy to read. Lead with outcomes—your biggest wins should fit on one screen. Use clear
headings and short paragraphs. Own your contribution (“I owned X, partnered with Y, measured
Z”). Protect confidentiality. And remember: most first looks happen on mobile; make it
skimmable and offer a PDF alongside your site.

Mistakes that quietly cost interviews: overstuffing, assets with no context, only vanity metrics,
unclear contribution, out-of-date examples. Fix these five and you’re ahead of most applicants
we see.

Project template: Seasonal Paid Social Launch (Retail) — Challenge: Launch a new line in a
crowded category with limited creative and a 3-week runway. Role: Campaign lead—strategy,
creative brief, budget, reporting. Actions: Built an audience ladder, ran rapid creative sprints,
enforced UTM hygiene, delivered weekly read-outs. Results (8 weeks): +64% ROAS, −28% CPA,
+19% new-to-brand; retained lift confirmed via holdout.

When you apply through Spencer Recruitment, your portfolio helps us map you to live briefs
faster, advocate for you with hiring teams using their KPIs, and prep you for interviews with
what each client values most. It turns a good CV into a clear story.

Checklist: 5–8 strong case studies; Challenge → Role → Actions → Results; commercial metrics
(ROMI, CAC/LTV, pipeline/ARR, retention); clear tool stack; mobile-friendly site and concise PDF;
updated within the last 90 days.

Want a sanity check on your portfolio? Send it to brendan@spencerrecruitment.com and we’ll
share quick, friendly notes on clarity, outcomes, and what to sharpen for your target roles.