Portfolios
Show Them What You Can Do
M. Reber
© 3/12/2016
Overview of Portfolios
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Definition of Portfolios
Hardcopy Portfolios
E-Portfolios
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Definition of Portfolios –
What Is a Portfolio?
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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
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Overview of Portfolios
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Definition of Portfolios
Hardcopy Portfolios
E-Portfolios
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Hardcopy Portfolios
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Hardcopy Portfolios
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Definition of a Hardcopy Portfolio
Advantages
Disadvantages
What You Need
Content
Writing Samples
Presenting
Maintaining
Do’s and Don’ts
6
Hardcopy Portfolios –
Definition
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An attractively packaged collection of printed
writing samples
 3-ring presentation binder
 Leather attaché case
 Leather portfolio case
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Printed on heavy, high-quality paper
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
Advantages
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Portable – easily carried to interviews
Tangible – a physical representation of your
work
Traditional – expected by potential employers
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
Disadvantages
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Individuals in remote locations can not browse
through it.
Portfolio can be damaged or lost.
Space is finite.
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
What You Need
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3-ring presentation binder or leather case
Dividers and labels
Page protectors
Pockets
High-quality paper (at least 28 lb.)
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
Contents
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Title Page
Table of Contents
Resume
Writing Samples
Personal business cards
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
Writing Samples
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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.
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Hardcopy Portfolio –
Presenting
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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.
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Hardcopy Portfolio –
Maintaining
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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 interes
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Hardcopy Portfolios –
Do’s
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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.
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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
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Overview of Portfolios
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Definition of Portfolios
Hardcopy Portfolios
E-Portfolios
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E-Portfolios
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E-Portfolios
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Definition of an E-Portfolio
Advantages
Disadvantages
Getting Started
Content
Design/Layout
Presenting
Maintaining
Do’s and Don’ts
E-Portfolio Hosts
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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.
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
Advantages (cont.)
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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.
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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.
Cannot explain the following details of your work if you
are not present:
 Teamwork
 Document timeframes
 Lifecycles
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Do not have any control over digital copies of your
samples:
 Unauthorized copying
 Unauthorized alteration
 Plagiarism
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E-Portfolios –
Disadvantages (cont.)
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Proprietary information and intellectual property
are at stake:
 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.
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E-Portfolios –
Getting Started
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
Content
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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
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E-Portfolios –
Design/Layout
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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.
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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.
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
Maintaining
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Keep your e-portfolio fresh by:
 Adding up-to-date writing samples.
 Changing your layout, color choices, style, and
images.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
E-Portfolio Hosts
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Writer’s Residence
Google Sites
WordPress
ImpactFolio
EFolioWorld
iFreelance
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E-Portfolios –
Writer’s Residence
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Is accessible at
http://writersresidence.
com.
Is tailor-made for
journalists and writers
to create online
portfolios.
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E-Portfolios –
Pros of Writer’s Residence
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
Cons of Writer’s Residence
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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.
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E-Portfolios–
Google Sites
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Is accessible at
http://sites.google.
com.
Is a well known
name on the web.
Is based locally in
California.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
Pros of Google Sites
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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.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
Cons of Google Sites
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
WordPress
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Is accessible at
http://wordpress.
com.
Looks and feels
more like a blog
than an eportfolio on first
presentation.
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E-Portfolios –
Pros of WordPress
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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.
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E-Portfolios –
Cons of WordPress
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
EFolioWorld
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Is accessible at
http://efolioworld.com.
Designed for career
seekers, students,
educators, and
institutions to organize,
manage, and display
academic and career
information.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
Pros of EFolioWorld
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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.
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E-Portfolios–
Cons of EFolioWorld
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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.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
iFreelance
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Designed for freelance
writers, photographers,
and more
Connects buyers to
service providers (you)
Connects service
providers (you) to
projects
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
Pros of iFreelance
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Offers marketing tools to maximize portfolio
visibility.
Does not charge any commission on money you
earn.
Creates a personal URL for your portfolio.
Provides a cool thumbnail view of your writing
sample before the viewer opens the attachment.
Offers discounts for longer membership
agreements.
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E-Portfolio Hosts –
Cons of iFreelance
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Membership level and pricing structure limits
storage space and determines position in
directory and bid searches.
Allows advertisements to clutter the look of the
E-Portfolio.
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E-Portfolios –
Comparison Table
Writers
Residence
Google
Sites
WordPress
ImpactFolio
• 30 days
trial
• 1 year free
for students
• $8.29/
month
Free
Free
• 30 days trial
• $21/ month
• $50 setup fee
Storage
Unlimited
10 GB
3 GB
About 10 GB
Security
No
Password
protection
available
Password
protection
• Password
protection
•Watermarking
• Individual file
protection
Cost
Password
protection
EfolioWorld
iFreelance
Free with
institutional
license
• $3.75$12.00/
month
based on
membership level
and length
of
agreement
25 GB
5 samples
to unlimited
Password
protection
No
Password
protection
available51
E-Portfolios –
Comparison Table (cont.)
Writers
Residence
Google
Sites
Word
Press
Impact
Folio
Efolio
World
iFreelance
Customi One prebuilt
-zation
template
Limited
customization
Basic
template
25 fully
customizabl
e templates
Limited
customization
Limited
customization
Blog
included
 Pay extra
for Ad-free
space

Extras
Phone and
email
support
Integrates
videos from
YouTube
Upload
music and
video
 HTML
editor
 Blog

Marketing
and
performance
tools
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E-Portfolios –
Student Sample of Writer’s Residence
Accessible at http://eportfolio64.writersresidence.com
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E-Portfolios –
Student Sample of Google Sites
Accessible at http://sites.google.com/site/eportsample
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Technical Writing At
De Anza College
The purpose of De Anza’s Technical Writing
Program is to help you build your portfolio and
reach your career goals!
For in-depth information, go to
http://www.deanza.edu/twrt/
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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 .
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Technical Writing Program at De
Anza College: Core Courses
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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
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TWRT 62 Survey of Technical Writing: Focuses on technical and
business writing assignments such as feasibility reports, progress reports,
and proposals
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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
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TWRT 64 Technical Writing Seminar:
Applies acquired skills to create
specialized technical projects, such as web pages and newsletters, within a team
environment
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De Anza College
Marrietta Reber
Department Chair of Technical Writing
(408) 864 – 5565
rebermarrietta@fhda.edu
http:// faculty.deanza.edu/reberm
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No Time for a De Anza Course?
Want One-on-One Coaching?
Marrietta Reber
Executive Upgrade Consulting
marrietta@executiveupgradeconsulting.com
www.executiveupgradeconsulting.com
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