Yes, a portfolio with photos of your work is highly recommended. When applying for jobs in the beauty business, a resume can be a dime a dozen. But showing physical evidence of the amazing beauty work you’ve done, such as before-and-afters or even just the final products, can set you apart from the pack. Images are the best way to demonstrate your creativity, passion and skills to potential employers. Taking photos for your portfolio should begin when you start doing client work you’re proud of in the student salon. You don’t want to graduate from beauty school and have nothing to show potential jobs. If you’re about to graduate and you’ve forgotten this step, you may need to enlist some friends and family to let you do their hair, nails or makeup so you can build up a portfolio of images. Try to highlight a variety of different models, styles and services to showcase the breadth and depth of our work. Before-and-after shots are particularly good at displaying your skills. Higher quality images are always preferred, so avoid small, blurry cell phone pics if you can. Eliminate all the clutter in the photo and do close-up headshots. Assemble your portfolio pieces into a simple, clean, professional-looking binder or bound book (you can usually print and spiral bind your portfolio in your local print shop). If you are showcasing hair, nail and makeup services, consider using tabs to separate each section. If you are designing your portfolio on the computer, include a brief description and explanation of the work completed for each portfolio piece. Many people choose to supplement the printed cosmetology portfolio they have in-hand when they hit the pavement for job interviews with an online cosmetology portfolio. This is an awesome tool for you to include in online job applications, so you can just link to the portfolio online. Online portfolios are especially easy to keep updated as styles change and your skills grow.