How to mention your portfolio in a cover letter (with examples)

You've built a portfolio, and you want the people reading your applications to actually open it. Simply pasting a link at the bottom of a cover letter rarely does that. A busy hiring manager needs a reason to click, and a clear idea of what they'll find.

This guide covers where to mention your portfolio in a cover letter, how to point to specific pieces rather than the whole site, how to format links so they work, how to use application forms, and how to follow up without being pushy.

Why the mention matters

A cover letter is a short argument for why you fit a role. Your portfolio is the evidence. The best cover letters connect the two: they make a claim, then point to proof.

Compare:

"My portfolio is available at the link below."

with:

"Last year I rewrote the help center for a small accounting software company, and support tickets about invoicing dropped noticeably in the following months. The full case study, including the before-and-after articles, is on my portfolio."

The second version gives the reader a specific reason to click and tells them exactly what they'll see. That's the goal.

Where to mention it

In the opening, briefly

If your portfolio is central to the role, as it often is for design, writing, development or other creative and technical work, it can be worth mentioning early.

"I'm applying for the junior UX designer role. I've included links to two case studies below that show how I approach research-led redesigns."

Keep it to one sentence. The opening should still focus on the role and why you're interested.

In the body, attached to evidence

This is the most effective place. When you describe an achievement that relates to the job, link to the project that shows it. One or two specific references in the body are worth more than a generic mention anywhere else.

"Your job ad mentions improving onboarding for new users. That's exactly what I worked on at my last role: I redesigned our setup flow and ran usability tests with customers before launch. You can read how I approached it in my onboarding case study."

In the closing or signature

End with a simple pointer to the whole portfolio, and include the link in your signature block alongside your email and phone number.

"You can find more of my work, including writing samples and references, on my portfolio. I'd welcome the chance to talk about how I could help your team."

Point to specific pieces

Linking only to your home page asks the reader to search for what's relevant. Most won't. Linking directly to the one or two projects that match the job does the work for them.

Choose the right pieces

Read the job ad carefully and pick:

1. The project that best matches the main responsibility of the role.
2. One project that shows a second requirement from the ad, such as working with stakeholders, handling data or managing a budget.

Two is usually enough. More than three and the letter starts to read like a list.

Say why each one is relevant

Don't just name the project. Connect it to the role in a sentence.

Before:

"Please see my projects: Clinic Booking Redesign, Newsletter Relaunch, Annual Report."

After:

"Since this role involves a lot of patient-facing communication, my clinic booking redesign may be most relevant: it shows how I simplified a confusing process for people who weren't comfortable online."

If a project doesn't yet have a page you'd want to send someone to, the guide on how to write a case study will help you write one.

Before sending, click every link in your letter yourself. Make sure each one opens the right page, loads on a phone and doesn't need a login.

Formatting links so they work

How you format a link depends on where the cover letter ends up.

In an email or a document you send

• Use descriptive link text where the format allows it: "my onboarding case study" as the clickable text, rather than a long raw address.
• Also include the plain address once, usually in your signature, in case formatting is lost. A short, clean address helps; see choosing a portfolio domain.
• Export documents as PDF and check the links still work in the exported file. Some tools drop links on export.

In plain-text boxes on application forms

Many online application systems turn your letter into plain text. Clickable link text will disappear, so:

• Write the full address on its own line, starting with https.
• Keep it short. Long addresses with tracking codes or many slashes look messy and may break across lines.
• Put it after the sentence that explains it, so the reader knows why it's there.

"You can read the full case study here: https://yourname.com/projects/onboarding"

In a printed letter

Use a short address that's easy to type. A QR code can help for in-person events, but in a mailed or handed-over letter, a short readable address is usually enough.

Using the application form itself

Many forms have a field for a website or portfolio. Always fill it in, even if the link is also in your letter. Some reviewers only look at the form fields.

If there's a field for "additional information," use a sentence to point to the most relevant project, the same way you would in a letter. If there's no website field at all, include the link in your cover letter and on your resume header. The guide to where to share your portfolio covers the resume and other spots.

Make the landing page ready

When someone clicks, the first screen they see should confirm they're in the right place.

• Your name, role and a clear headline are visible immediately.
• The project you mentioned is easy to find, or better, the link goes straight to it.
• Contact details are easy to reach from any page.
• The site works well on a phone, because many people open links on one.

If a recruiter clicks a link from your letter and lands on an outdated page, the letter loses its force. A quick check before each application is worth it. Our guide to common portfolio mistakes lists other things to look for.

Tailoring for each application

You don't need a different portfolio for every job, but you can choose different pieces to point to. Keep a short list of your projects with one line on what each one shows: research, leadership, writing, results with numbers, working with a tight budget. When a new job ad arrives, match its main requirements against your list and pick the two best fits.

If you're applying for very different kinds of roles, consider making sure each type has at least one strong project on your site, so you always have something specific to link to.

Following up

A follow-up message is a good moment to point to your portfolio again, especially if you've added something relevant since applying.

When

A common approach is to wait about a week or two after the application deadline, or after the date the employer said they'd respond. If an ad says not to follow up, respect that.

What to say

Keep it short, polite and useful:

"Hello Ms. Okafor, I applied for the content designer role on 3 March and wanted to check whether you need anything else from me. Since applying, I've added a new case study about rewriting error messages for a payments app, which relates to the work described in the ad. You can read it on my portfolio. Thank you for your time."

That message gives a reason to look again without pressuring anyone.

After an interview

In a thank-you note, link to a project you discussed, or one that answers a question you felt you didn't answer well. "You asked how I handle feedback from several stakeholders; this project shows how I managed that." See presenting your portfolio in an interview for preparing the conversation itself.

A quick checklist

• The portfolio is mentioned where it supports a claim, not only at the end.
• You link to one or two specific projects that match the job.
• Each link has a sentence explaining why it's relevant.
• Links are tested, work on a phone and survive plain-text forms.
• The website field on the form is filled in.
• Your signature includes a short, clean portfolio address.
• Follow-ups add something new rather than just asking for an update.

Putting it together

The point of mentioning your portfolio in a cover letter isn't to prove you have one. It's to give a reader a specific, relevant reason to look at your work. Attach links to claims, point to the one or two projects that fit the role, format links so they survive any system, and use follow-ups to share something new. Done well, the letter makes the case and the portfolio closes it.