QR code on your CV: showing your portfolio and work samples in an application

A CV should be short. Work samples, projects and references do not fit on it. A QR code solves this when the CV is on paper: at a job fair, in an interview or in a folder. It leads to what you want to show and needs only two square centimetres for it.

When a QR code on a CV makes sense

• when the CV gets printed, for example at fairs or in an interview
• when you have work samples: portfolio, projects, videos, code
• when you work in a creative, technical or marketing field and want to show that you use digital tools

For an application sent as a PDF by email, a clickable link is often more convenient. The two are not mutually exclusive: a link in the text and a QR code for the printout.

Where the code should lead

Not to your home page and not to a social network full of private posts, but to a page made for recruiters. A portfolio page with three to five selected pieces, a folder with references and work samples, or a professional profile all work well. What matters is that the page works without logging in and on a phone.

One code per application

Dynamic QR codes count their scans. If you give each application its own code, you can see whether someone opened your portfolio. You do not learn who or when, only whether and how often. For an ongoing job search, 20 free dynamic QR codes are plenty. The destination can be changed too: if a new project comes along, you update the portfolio, and the CVs you have sent still point to the latest version.

Design: subtle rather than loud

• in the header next to your contact details or at the bottom of the sidebar
• about 2 to 2.5 cm in size, with a light margin all around
• a short label underneath: “Portfolio” or “Work samples”
• black on white, so it scans reliably
• test with two phones before sending, also from the printout

Free and without an end date

Job searches often take longer than planned. A QR code from a trial period that stops redirecting after two weeks would be embarrassing on a CV. At Same-QR, 20 dynamic QR codes are permanently free, with no trial period, no credit card and no ads when scanning. The destination can be changed twice per code.

Conclusion

A QR code on a CV is worth it if you have something to show and your CV gets printed. Point it to a tidy page, keep the design subtle and give each application its own code if you want to know whether someone looked.

Frequently asked questions