I don't understand what you are calling "Persona". Is that like an avatar or a pet? In spanish that just mean people.
But I'm posting some diagrams.
When you make some creative work you have this 3 elements. As we are in the Graphic design industry the artist is "Me".
In some cases a person can be 2 elements at once, for example a portrait photography where the client and user can be the same.
1) In the first case, an excentric artists who is making a new kind of painting trowing paintballs naked from an helicopter. Probably he dosen't care about a gallery or a buyer of the painting.
The blue arrows show the direction of the ""looks"", who is expected to look at who.
2) In this second case lets say the client is a super sport car company. The client want the new car model to be a symbol and the design arround it must make people turn the eyes into the brand.
The majority of pets, and marketing campains are targeted this way.
3) This third case is a functional design, the way a subway turnstile looks, a street sign, etc.
The question here is what aproach you want to show?
a) I don't think at an entry level people will look for you for who you are They don't know you at all. A vast majority of clients want to see what can you do for them. (case number 2) If you want to try that aproach, make emphasis on case studies, a clear webdesign, probably following current trends. Yea you are showing your work! but you are considering the viewer or potential viewer as you primary design factor.
b) Some art director can look for a particular style and you want to make a strong statement on your unique style. You are mad, you are a rebel. The webdesign you do is a crazy one that is more as a puzzle than a corporate boring design. Yeap there is a chance a visitor will leave before finding the first link, but it dosen't matter to you. There you are in a case number 1.
I am adding a note here. When you are designing your own portafolio it turns that the client, the big bubble on case number 2 is you.
