CAREER PORTFOLIO
Your biggest time commitment will be the initial development of your portfolio, but once you've developed it, keeping it current and up-to-date should be fairly easy. Your two biggest decisions in developing your portfolio are determining the format of the portfolio and the organization of the portfolio.
Once the development is complete, you then have to gather, write, copy, and assemble the material that goes in the portfolio. This process will not only result in a professional portfolio, but should help you be better prepared for your job search.
So, what types of things go in a portfolio? Here are the basic categories. Don't feel you need to use these exact ones for your portfolio. The key to remember as you contemplate these items is that you want to give reasons for the employer to hire you -- you want to showcase your education and work experience by showing examples and evidence of your work, skills, and accomplishments.
1. Career Summary and Goals:A description of what you stand for (such as work ethic, organizational interests, management philosophy, etc.) and where you see yourself in two to five years.
2. Professional Philosophy/Mission Statement:A short description of the guiding principles that drive you and give you purpose. Read more in our article,
3. Traditional Resume:A summary of your education, achievements, and work experience, using a chronological or functional format.
4. Scannable/Text-Based Resume:A text-only version of your resume should also be included.
5. Skills, Abilities and Marketable Qualities:A detailed examination of your skills and experience. This section should include the name of the skill area; the performance or behavior, knowledge, or personal traits that contribute to your success in that skill area; your background and specific experiences that demonstrate your application of the skill.
6. List of Accomplishments:A detailed listing that highlights the major accomplishments in your career to date. Accomplishments are one of the most important elements of any good job-search.
7. Samples of Your Work:A sampling of your best work, including reports, papers, studies, brochures, projects, presentations, etc. Besides print samples, you can also include CD-ROMs, videos, and other multimedia formats.
8. Research, Publications, Reports:A way to showcase multiple skills, including your writtencommunicationsabilities. Include any published papers and conference proceedings.
9. Testimonials and Letters of Recommendations:A collection of any kudos you have received -– from customers, clients, colleagues, past employers, professors, etc. Some experts even suggest including copies of favorable employer evaluations and reviews.
10. Awards and Honors:A collection of any certificates of awards, honors, and scholarships.
11. Conference and Workshops:A list of conferences, seminars, and workshops you've participated in and/or attended.
12. Transcripts, Degrees, Licenses, and Certifications:A description of relevant courses, degrees, licenses, and certifications.
13. Professional Development Activities:A listing of professional associations and conferences attended -- and any otherprofessional developmentactivities.
14. Military records, awards, and badges:A listing of your military service, if applicable.
15. Volunteering/Community Service:A description of any community service activities, volunteer or pro bono work you have completed, especially as it relates to your career.
16. References List:A list of three to five people (including full names, titles, addresses, and phone/email) who are willing to speak about your strengths, abilities, and experience. At least one reference should be a former manager.
Formats for Portfolios
There are two different formats for portfolios; hard copy print and electronic. You may want to create both.
Hard Copy Print Portfolio
· Organize items in a three-ring binder.
· Use clear plastic sleeves to protect your materials and make them easier to organize and see.
· A portfolio is approximately 10-20 pages.
· A table of contents helps direct readers to particular items and gives a general idea of how the portfolio is organized.
· Tabs can be used to highlight areas indicated in the table of contents.
· Use captions on every piece of evidence in the portfolio. Captions lead the reader to the importance and understanding of the piece. If you need to leave your • portfolio with an employer, captions help it stand on its own. Captions work best when they are concise, specific, and eye-catching. Use a bright color to help them stand out and draw the reader in.
· Consider making a duplicate of your portfolio to leave with employers if they ask to examine it for any length of time.
· Make sure everything is error free and grammatically correct.
Electronic Portfolio
· Can be on the internet, be a stand-alone version on your laptop, or be on a DVD.
· Showcase your skills by adding sound, video, and animation, keeping in mind it should be professional.
· Make it organized, and easy to navigate and browse with the most important information available in the fewest clicks.
· Pick a unifying design theme and be sure the color scheme and design elements are not overwhelming.
· Keep it simple and consistent with readable fonts and files that are not too big to download and view.
· Some advise limiting the font and color choices to no more than three.
· Use menus and icons effectively.
· Provide brief statements or introductions to your work that link to the full descriptions and examples.
· Link to related web sites, resources, and professional organizations.
· If your portfolio is on the internet, include the address on your resume and in any correspondence you send related to your job search.
· Make sure everything is error free and grammatically correct.
Organizing a Portfolio
There are different ways to organize your portfolio. Two of the most popular and useful ways to organize it are by subjects or by skill or knowledge areas.
· Subject order includes organizing by areas such as school subjects, or by job or project, such as independent study, lab experience or internship.
· Skill or knowledge order matches projects or activities to skills and knowledge. You can use the job description to help you decide what to include. If the job description asks for teamwork, public speaking, computer and communication skills, organize your items by those skill areas.
Organizing a portfolio is ongoing. You should constantly be assessing and evaluating the materials in your portfolio and comparing them to the skills needed by employers.
Presentation of Your Portfolio
· When presenting your portfolio to a prospective employer, you should include only necessary items.
· Add and subtract items as the need arises. Reorganize and edit your portfolio to suit each position and company. Your portfolio may change from employer to employer.
· Research each potential employer’s needs and incorporate any work you've done that relates to what you learn.
· You may want to introduce the availability of your portfolio in your resume by stating "Portfolio available for review" with your reference statement.
Using a Portfolio
When you schedule an interview, inform the employer that you have a portfolio and ask if anyone would like to review it prior to your interview. If so, provide it.
There are two methods of presenting your portfolio in an interview: the wait method or the up-front method.
· In the wait method you present your portfolio when a question comes up about a skill or activity that can be answered with proof in your portfolio.
· With the up-front method, you introduce the portfolio in the beginning of the interview and ask whether the interviewer would like to examine it, now or later.
Resources:
http://www.d.umn.edu/careers/cs_handbook/cshandbook_portfolio.html
http://www.quintcareers.com/job_search_portfolio.html