© 2008

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Definition of Portfolios
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Hardcopy Portfolios
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E-Portfolios

 A collection of your best work.
 A presentation of all your work that is organized and annotated.
 A showcase of your writing and design skills to potential employers
 There are two types:
 Hardcopy portfolios
 E-Portfolios


Definition of Portfolios

Hardcopy Portfolios

E-Portfolios

Hardcopy Portfolios
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Definition of a Hardcopy Portfolio
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Advantages
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Disadvantages
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What You Need
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Content
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Writing Samples

Presenting

Maintaining

Do’s and Don’ts

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Definition
 An attractively packaged collection of printed writing samples
 3-ring presentation binder

Leather attaché case
 Leather portfolio case
 Printed on heavy, high-quality paper

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Advantages
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Portable – easily carried to interviews
Tangible – a physical representation of your work
Traditional – expected by potential employers

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Disadvantages
 Individuals in remote locations can not browse through it.
 Portfolio can be damaged or lost.
 Space is finite.

Hardcopy Portfolios –
What You Need
 3-ring presentation binder or leather case
 Dividers and labels
 Page protectors
 Pockets
 High-quality paper (at least 28 lb.)

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Contents
 Title Page
 Table of Contents
 Resume
 Writing Samples
 Personal business cards

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Writing Samples
 Choose your best quality pieces only.
 Select writing samples according to the job.
 Include a variety of document types.
 Limit the sample to just a few of the best pages.
 Select the order to present your documents:
 Chronological where you display your work samples in order of date, i.e. your most recent work first.
 Functional where you classify and display your work samples according to topics like instructions, reports, etc.

Hardcopy Portfolio –
Presenting
 Review your portfolio and decide which samples to highlight during your interview.
 Prepare some presentation comments.
 Rehearse with a partner.
 Do not just hand the portfolio to the interviewer and let them flip through it.
 Walk the interviewer through your portfolio.
 Point out specific items in your portfolio to show you have skills of interest to the interviewer.

Hardcopy Portfolio –
Maintaining
 Keep your portfolio fresh by adding up-to-date writing samples.
 Write additional pieces to fill out your portfolio or to target your portfolio to a new industry.
 Consider writing:
 Manuals for open source software
 Instructions for operating a TiVo, a digital camera, an iPod, or other gadgets
 Articles related to your field of interest

Hardcopy Portfolios –
Do’s
 Retain copies of your best on-the job work, whenever possible.
 Obtain permission to include on-the-job writing samples in your portfolio.
 Present content in the order you would like interviewers to see it in.
 Make extra copies of your resume.
 Make extra copies of one or two writing samples to leave with the interviewer.

Hardcopy Portfolio –
Don’ts
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Don’t include documents that contain proprietary or confidential information.
Don’t forget to provide your contact information.
Don’t leave your portfolio behind:
 Might get lost or damaged
 Pages might be removed

Overview of Portfolios

Definition of Portfolios

Hardcopy Portfolios

E-Portfolios

E-Portfolios

Definition of an E-Portfolio

Advantages

Disadvantages

Getting Started
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Content

Design/Layout

Presenting

Maintaining

Do’s and Don’ts
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E-Portfolio Hosts

E-Portfolios –
Definition
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An electronic version of a traditional hardcopy portfolio.
An opportunity to display your writing and design skills, professional image, and knowledge.
A technological component to the whole package of portfolio, resume, and cover letter.
An opportunity to give employers another window into your personality and qualifications.

E-Portfolios –
Advantages
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Can access work samples from a central location.
Can access work samples online and from remote locations.
 Can show your work samples in various formats demonstrating software knowledge.
 Can display your web page organization and design skills.

E-Portfolios –
Advantages (Cont.)
 Can show employers your work before and after an interview.
 Can create multiple e-portfolios on the same webspace and in a short time, tailored to different job profiles.
 Can easily implement future updates.
 Can have a secondary storage for electronic files in case of a disaster.

E-Portfolios –
Disadvantages
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Many hosts limit storage space that may not be sufficient to store all your work using that host.
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Cannot explain the following details of your work if you are not present:
Teamwork
Document timeframes
Lifecycles
Do not have any control over digital copies of your samples:
 Unauthorized copying
 Unauthorized alteration
 Plagiarism

E-Portfolios –
Disadvantages (Cont.)
 Proprietary information and intellectual property are at stake:

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Privacy of documents and work may be compromised once they are publicly available on the web.
Copyrights of work could be put in danger when you sign up with a host.
 Violation of a confidentiality agreement could lead to prosecution.

E-Portfolios –
Getting Started
 Select a hosting site to store your e-portfolio.
 Create an account to log into the hosting site.
 Present a valid credit card if your hosting site requires a fee.
 Select the best electronic versions of your work samples to present in your e-portfolio.

E-Portfolios –
Content
 Include a variety of document types like instructions, report, etc. in different formats such as Word or FrameMaker.
 Create one page for each of the following in your e-portfolio:
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Welcome page
Education
Skills
Work history
Writing samples
References
Contact

E-Portfolios –
Design/Layout
 Decide the design/layout:
 Websites offer different pre-built templates, select one for your e-portfolio.
 Or, custom design your e-portfolio using the tools the hosting site offers.
 Select the order to present your documents:
 Chronological where you display your work samples in order of date, i.e. your most recent work first.
 Functional where you classify and display your work samples according to topics like instructions, reports etc.

E-Portfolios –
Presenting
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Send employers a link to your e-portfolio along with your cover letter.
Remember to give the employers security permissions to view your e-portfolio.
Show your e-portfolio during the interview.
Send your e-portfolio after a phone interview.
Explain your work with written or audio comments when you are not present.

E-Portfolios –
Maintaining
 Keep your e-portfolio fresh by:
 Adding up-to-date writing samples.
 Changing your layout, color choices, style, and images.
 Keep backup copies of the latest version of your work samples on your computer and CDs.
 Protect your work with a password.
 Change passwords periodically to protect your files.
 Pay host subscriptions regularly.

E-Portfolios –
Do’s
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Display work samples on your page instead of providing a link to download them if possible.
Obtain permission to include on-the-job writing samples in your e-portfolio.
Protect your work with a password to limit the number of people who can view it.
Upload text files in PDF format to make copying your work difficult.
Direct the visitor where to go, providing as many links as possible to related content on other pages.
Present content in the order you want interviewers to see it.

E-Portfolios –
Don’ts
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Don’t upload large images:
 They slow down the loading of a page
 The storage space on the site is usually limited
Don’t forget to provide your contact information.
Don’t forget to keep the latest version of your e-portfolio in a folder on your computer in case of mishap
Don’t use serif fonts. Some users read information in
UNIX clients, which does not always display serif fonts correctly.
Don’t talk about “this document” or “this manual” or
“these instructions” in your work samples page.

E-Portfolios –
E-Portfolio Hosts
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Writer’s Residence
Google Sites
Word Press
ImpactFolio
EFolioWorld

E-Portfolios –
Writer’s Residence
 Is accessible at http://writersresidence.
com.
 Is tailor-made for journalists and writers to create online portfolios.

E-Portfolios –
Pros of Writer’s Residence
 Offers a free 30-day trial to everyone or a oneyear free subscription to students with a school email address.
 Displays samples of work in whole-page published format.
 Offers unlimited storage space for work samples.
 Does not display ads on the site.

E-Portfolios –
Cons of Writer’s Residence
 Offers only a few templates which limits customization.
 Offers limited number of pages and page titles.
 Clutters the website in case of multiple writing samples.
 Eliminates styles once writing samples are pasted into site pages.
 Does not protect copyrights since content cannot be restricted.

E-Portfolios –
Google Sites
 Is accessible at http://sites.google.
com.
 Is a well known name on the web.
 Is based locally in
California.

E-Portfolio Hosts –
Pros of Google Sites
 Is free and easy to use.
 Offers fully customizable templates.
 Restricts e-portfolio viewership with passwords and permissions.
 Provides 10 GB storage space which is ample for writing samples.
 Allows as many pages as you like.
 Integrates videos from YouTube

E-Portfolio Hosts –
Cons of Google Sites
 Page navigation can be confusing for first time users.
 Color hex charts and links are not provided for users who want to customize color schemes.
 Options for page layout are limited.
 Individual files more than 10MB in size cannot be uploaded.

E-Portfolios –
Word Press
 Is accessible at http://wordpress.
com.
 Looks and feels more like a blog than an eportfolio on first presentation.

E-Portfolios –
Pros of Word Press
 Offers free hosting service.
 Is easy to use even for a non technical student.
 Provides over 60 themes for page layout and design.
 Offers privacy with members-only blog options.
 Blocks spam.
 Saves your posts frequently as you write.

E-Portfolios –
Cons of Word Press
 Offers only 3 GB storage space which is not much for samples with images.
 Does not provide a preview when editing.
 Does not offer an ad free space without paying a yearly fee.

E-Portfolios –
ImpactFolio
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Is accessible at http://www.impact
folios.com.
Host is geared more towards artists.
Lends a professional image.

E-Portfolios –
Pros of ImpactFolio
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Provides a near unlimited space to upload files.
Provides over 25 customizable website templates.
Secures individual files with separate passwords.
Provides watermarking option.
Displays ad free web pages.

E-Portfolios –
Cons of ImpactFolio
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 Cost of opening and maintaining the site is not ideal for a student on a budget.
It limits only six web pages for content.
Host promotes the commercial sale of work which may not be ideal for writers working with intellectual property and classified material.

E-Portfolio Hosts –
EFolioWorld
 Is accessible at http://efolioworld.com.
 Designed for career seekers, students, educators, and institutions to organize, manage, and display academic and career information.

E-Portfolio Hosts –
Pros of EFolioWorld
 Offered to students free of charge at twelve
California community colleges in the California
Virtual Campus (CVC) program called eFolio
California.
 Defined security and user permissions restrict who can view the e-portfolio.

E-Portfolios –
Cons of EFolioWorld
 Needs institutional licensing to use this host.
 Does not allow text editing and formatting on
Mac.
 Allows only Word, PDF, and HTML documents.
 Associates work with an institution, which may not be ideal for freelance writers.

E-Portfolios –
Comparison Table
Cost
Storage
Security
Writers
Residence
• 30 days trial
• 1 year free for students
• $8.29/ month
Unlimited
Google
Sites
Free
10 GB
No
Password protection available
Wordpress
Free
ImpactFolio
• 30 days trial
• $21/ month
• $50 setup fee
Password protection
3 GB
Password protection
About 10 GB
• Password protection
•Watermarking
• Individual file protection
EfolioWorld
Free with institutional license
25 GB
Password protection

E-Portfolios –
Comparison Table (Cont.)
Writers
Residence
Google Sites Wordpress ImpactFolio
Efolio
World
Customi zation
Extra
Features
One pre-built template
Phone and email support
Limited customization
Integrates videos from
YouTube
Basic template
25 fully customizable templates
Limited customi zation
 Blog included
 Pay extra to go Ad-free
 Upload music and video
 HTML editor
 Blog

E-Portfolios –
Student Sample of Writer’s Residence
Accessible at http://eportfolio64.writersresidence.com

E-Portfolios –
Student Sample of Google Sites
Accessible at http://sites.google.com/site/eportsample

Technical Writing At
De Anza College

Technical Writing Program at
De Anza College

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Receive comprehensive instruction in resume writing, interviewing, and job hunting.
Build a professional portfolio that will blow away your competition in an interview.
Explore career and professional opportunities through research and interaction with industry professionals .
Receive job postings through the Technical Writing Department listserv.
Develop planning, analysis, organization, project management, and business communication skills relevant to a variety of fields to achieve your personal career goals .
Learn from professionals with years of industry experience
Gain experience creating documents from proposals and progress reports to a 50 page camera-ready instructional manual.
Earn either an AA Degree or a Certificate of Achievement in
Technical Writing from De Anza’s acclaimed program .

Technical Writing Program at De Anza
College: Core Courses
 TWRT 61 Introduction to Technical Writing: Introduces basic writing techniques for technical communications. Topics include functional description, process writing, technical vocabulary, resumes, and technical editing
 TWRT 62 Survey of Technical Writing: Focuses on technical and business writing assignments such as feasibility reports, progress reports, and proposals
 TWRT 63 Technical Publications: Expands on the planning, writing, and editing skills learned in previous classes to design and write a camera-ready technical manual
 TWRT 64 Technical Writing Seminar: Applies acquired skills to create specialized technical projects, such as web pages and newsletters, within a team environment

Department Chair of Technical Writing

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