• CCA Student Sign In

Filthy Rich Writer

The #1 All-in-One Online Copywriting Program

The #1 All-in-One Online Copywriting Training Program

  • What Is Copywriting?
    • What Is Copywriting?
    • Why Copywriting is the BEST Career for Writers
  • Blog
    • Most Popular
    • Mindset & Professional Development
    • Portfolio
    • Business Development
    • Book Recommendations
    • Pitching
    • Copywriting Tips
    • Terms to Know
  • Podcast
    • Build Your Copywriting Business Podcast
    • Latest Episodes
    • Student Stories
  • Copywriting Training
    • Learn About the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy
    • CCA Next Level
  • CCA Reviews
    • CCA Reviews
    • Videos: CCA Student Stories
    • Videos: CCA Student Reviews
    • CCA Student Wins
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • About Nicki Krawczyk
    • Press
  • Copywriting Tools

Must-Haves for Your Copywriting Print Portfolio

By Nicki Krawczyk Leave a Comment

View of a grey staircase where legs in a blue suit and an arm holding a black briefcase walk up the steps.

I know: in this day and age, it can seem kind of antiquated to have to use a print portfolio. But even though you have an online portfolio (and you do right?) you’d better plan to show up for interview with a print portfolio, ready to show off your work.

For copywriters applying to in-office jobs, putting together a print portfolio is something that they often forget … until they’re in the interview and have no way to show their prospective employer their work. Bad look, right?

It’s why we put together an entire course on creating your print portfolio in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy. So, even if you’re planning to work freelance right now, you have every step you need if you stumble across the perfect in-house job that you don’t want to pass up!

So, if you’ve got an interview coming up and don’t have your print portfolio together, here are the basics of what you’ll need.

A 11″ x 14″ Portfolio Case

Sometimes called “presentation cases,” portfolio cases are available at any art store or online. You can get a portfolio case that has plastic sheets that you can slide work into, we recommend one that closes or zips so none of your work slides out as you’re carrying it.

Even better if it has a binder on the inside. The binder is for “archival pages,” which are essentially page protectors that you can slip paper samples of your work into (kind of like a photo album).

Key takeaway: It doesn’t have to be fancy. The real superstar of your portfolio is the work, not the portfolio itself.

A 11" x 14" Portfolio Case

Your Copywriting Samples

If you have print pieces, slip these right in the archival pages. If you have digital pieces, print them out at the highest quality you can and add them, too. You may have to hit a print shop to get the quality you want.

Be as thorough as possible about putting work in your print portfolio. It can be easy to just upload images to your website and neglect to add them to your print portfolio. But just imagine being in an interview without a computer and wanting to reference a piece of work…that you have on your site and not in your hand.

Art Portfolio Folder

A Strategic Order to Your Work

And that strategic order should depend entirely on who you’re showing it to. If you have a few specific pieces you want to make sure a prospective employer sees, you don’t want to waste time flipping past pages and pages of non-applicable work, right? That’s the #1 print portfolio mistake that copywriters make—and it can cost you the job.

You’ll want to include any samples that:

  • Have the same or similar tone to this organization’s tone of voice
  • Show the same or similar industry as your prospective employer
  • Reflect your range, both in tons and in mediums

Before you have an interview, rearrange your print portfolio so that the most important pieces for your prospective clients to see are right up front. And, of course, take out any samples you no longer believe reflect your best work. There will probably be plenty of time to show them the less essential pieces (if it’s even necessary), but if there isn’t, you want to be sure they see the important pieces, right?

Your Turn! How have you put together your print portfolio? Let us know in the comments!

Psst: This page contains affiliate links.

Last Updated on March 21, 2024

Filed Under: Portfolio Tagged With: interview, land work, on-staff jobs

Interested in Copywriting? Get our Free Video Training!

Plus, get on the list for updates, freebies, and more :) 



About Nicki Krawczyk

Nicki is a copywriter, copy coach and the founder of Filthy Rich Writer. She's been writing copy for more than 20 years.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Click here to subscribe

Break Into Copywriting

Sign up to get our FREE video training, special resources, and more!



Click here to subscribe

Comprehensive Copywriting Academy

Join the copywriting training program that's helping people just like you build successful copywriting careers!

Learn more
Comprehensive Copywriting Academy from Filthy Rich Writer

Portfolio Tips

  • Nicki Krawczyk, founder of Filthy Rich Writer and the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast
    Ep. 43: 4 Biggest Copywriter Portfolio Mistakes
  • Home office with desktop computer, tablet, and a mobile
    3 Copywriter Portfolio Examples That Wow Clients
  • Nicki Krawczyk, founder of Filthy Rich Writer and the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast
    Ep. 22: Why Every Copywriter MUST Have an Online Portfolio

Top Resources

  • What is Copywriting?
  • How Much Do Copywriters Actually Make?
  • Is Copywriting Hard to Get Into?
  • Why Copywriting Certificates Are B-S
  • How Soon Can You Make Money as a Copywriter?
  • What Does a Copywriter Actually Do?
  • Copywriting vs. Copyediting: What's the Difference?
  • Avoid the Copywriting Niche Trap
  • Upwork is NOT the Path to Copywriting Success
  • Getting Started in the Comprehensive Copywriting Academy

Recent Articles

  • Nicki and Kate sit at a table with podcast recording microphones, notebooks, and Filthy Rich Writer mugs, with the words "Build Your Copywriting Business" above them.
    Episode 227: How Do I Write an About Page? [Copywriting Tips]
  • Nicki and Kate sit at a table with podcast recording microphones, notebooks, and Filthy Rich Writer mugs, with the words "Build Your Copywriting Business" above them.
    Episode 225: What Jobs Can I Do As a Copywriter?
  • Nicki and Kate sit at a table with podcast recording microphones, notebooks, and Filthy Rich Writer mugs, with the words "Build Your Copywriting Business" above them.
    Episode 223: If Not Now, When? A Deep Dive Into Decision Making
  • Nicki and Kate sit at a table with podcast recording microphones, notebooks, and Filthy Rich Writer mugs, with the words "Build Your Copywriting Business" above them.
    Episode 221: “I Don’t Want To!” Tactics for Completing Un-Fun Tasks
  • Nicki and Kate sit at a table with podcast recording microphones, notebooks, and Filthy Rich Writer mugs, with the words "Build Your Copywriting Business" above them.
    Episode 220: How to Have Uncomfortable Client and Work Conversations
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Copyright © 2025 Filthy Rich Writer | Contact Us | FAQs |About Us | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy| Business Affiliates

Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}