Jaye Rochon is a Telly Award-winning visual storyteller
When I worked in corporate television, one of my favorite bosses—hello, Larry!—not only encouraged his team of producers and editors to keep our reels updated, but he would tell us to block out time on the job to get them edited. “At least once a month,” he would advise. He understood how competitive and volatile the entertainment industry can be and the importance of staying current. Larry was like our TV production Guru, always teaching us the creative professional’s equivalent of basic self-care.
Fast-forward a couple of decades, and I had a bit of an epiphany while recently updating my website. The most powerful reason to update your portfolio, CV, and reel regularly is the incredible boost in confidence it can give you.
It’s not just about market volatility or staying SEO-relevant—though those are important, too. It’s about witnessing the skills you’ve developed, the progress you’ve made since your last update, the fun you had, the trials you overcame, the clients you met and retained, and the incredible creative growth you’ve experienced in just one quarter’s worth of work.
2024: So Far, So Good!
While updating your portfolio can boost your confidence and help you understand your worth, it also reaffirms why you love what you do. Completing that quarterly update will leave you with a creative swagger that’s nothing short of magical. This newfound confidence might also inspire you to ask for that well-deserved raise, promotion, or rate increase.
Conversely, if you feel disheartened during these updates, consider it a sign. It may be time for a career pivot or to start using your refreshed reel/portfolio to seek new clients, gigs, or a completely different job. When I began to dread updating my reel while in corporate, I realized it was time to rethink my career path. If my work no longer felt like my own and all I could remember about a project were the endless, nit-picky revisions, it was clear I needed to make a change—perhaps even take the risk of working for myself, which is exactly what I wound up doing.
So go ahead and update your portfolios and reels now. Witness how far you’ve come. Marvel at the art you bring to the world. Remember, you are a powerful, magical creator.
✨Shine on! ✨
~J. 💖
Let’s chat! When did you last update your portfolio, and how did it help you? Do you feel compelled to do it now that you’ve read this post? 🙃 Please comment below and let me know your thoughts!
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