Paulding County School District
Work-Based Learning (WBL) Career Portfolio
2015-2016
A career portfolio is a job hunting tool that you will develop that gives employers a
complete picture of you. It will include your experience, education, accomplishments,
and skill sets. You will be able to use this portfolio in interviews to market yourself. This
year’s monthly assignments will follow GeorgiaBEST criteria and require you to
complete assignments that will be assembled into your final career portfolio. Make sure
to keep all of your assignments electronically. This document is available on the WBL
webpage and is subject to change if deemed necessary by Paulding County WBL
Coordinators.
Please follow these guidelines for your monthly assignments.
 All documents must be typed
 Your name and assignment must be typed on your paper
 Use 12 pt Times New Roman
 Follow MLA format example on the WBL webpage or use this website:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/
 Minimum of one double-spaced typed page (excluding letters)
 Clearly address all questions in the monthly assignments
 Check your work for grammatical and spelling errors
 All areas in your assignment must be addressed in order to earn full credit for
your portfolio
 Your career portfolio is the final exam second semester!
Page
1
Assignments
Month
Due
Due at the monthly meetings.

Completed WBL Paperwork with all Signatures (cannot leave until these are submitted and approved)

Safety Sheet – Handed out at orientation.

Individual Career Plan – Answer questions on provided form to plan out your post-secondary career goals and
what you must do to achieve them.
September


Work Philosophy
Conference Week – Each student will schedule a conference with their coordinator to review the career portfolio
assignments and discuss future career plans.
October

Dress for Success – Create PowerPoint or brochure on appropriate dress for your gender. Refer to form in packet
for complete instructions.
November



Job Shadow Request Due
Letters of Recommendation
Work Samples
December


Cover Letter – A letter to an organization or institution that will accompany your resume.
Traditional Resume - A summary of your education, achievements, and work experience, using a chronological
format.
Follow-up Letter – A letter to an organization thanking them for an interview.
January

Job Shadowing/Interview Questions – Use the provided job shadow interview worksheet when you are job
shadowing. You will interview someone other than your mentor and in another business.
February

Communication - Directions attached.

Career Portfolio Due – Submit your career portfolio with all assignments. Refer to rubric for guidelines. This
will count as your final exam. No exemptions.
April

WBL Survey – You will be provided a survey at the May meeting that will ask for your thoughts/opinions on the
program.
May

August 4
August
March
All Year
*You will need to keep up with any extra assignments/forms that may arise during the monthly meetings.*
Important Reminders: Monthly assignments must be corrected and resubmitted prior to turning in your
final portfolio. Original graded copies AND your corrected copies must be turned in. Refer to your rubric for
specific criteria.
Page
2
Student Name:
Work-Based Learning
CAREER PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
2015-2016
*Turn In With Your Portfolio*
Category
Criteria


Points
Notes
Clear front folder
Cover page related to your career and
include your name
Organization
25



Table of Contents
Labeled section dividers
Documents in order as identified in Table of
Contents

Mechanics/
Written
Communication 
25

Attractiveness
25
Requirements
25
No misspellings, grammatical or
capitalization errors
Accurate information
Proper format


Professional appearance

All documents of the portfolio are present
Documents neat, no rips, wrinkles, etc.
(Including original and corrected
assignment submissions)
Total Points Possible 100 Portfolio Grade
Important Reminders:
Monthly assignments must be corrected and resubmitted prior to turning in your final portfolio. Original
graded copies AND your corrected copies must be turned in. Refer to your rubric for specific criteria.
Page
3
WBL Career Portfolio
Table of Contents
I.
Introduction Letter
II.
Career-Pursuit Information
1. Job Application (hand written and copy of online application)
2. Cover Letter
3. Resume
4. Follow up Letter
III.
Career Research Information
1. Individual Career Plan
2. Job Shadow Interview Worksheet
3. Job Shadow Report
IV.
Soft Skills
1. Work Philosophy
2. Communication
3. Dress for Success
V.
Work Samples
VI.
Awards and Recognitions – Add to all year (examples may include)
1. CTSO, organization, or club
2. Academic
3. Employer recognition
4. Community recognition
5. Etc.
This is an EXAMPLE of your portfolio table of contents. Your portfolio should be in this order.
Important Reminders:
Monthly assignments must be corrected and resubmitted prior to turning in your final portfolio. Original
graded copies AND your corrected copies must be turned in. Refer to your rubric for specific criteria.
Page
4
INDIVIDUAL CAREER PLAN
General Information
Sept
DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions in paragraph form. Your document should follow MLA format
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/01/ and be a minimum of one page. Refer to the rubric before
submitting.
CAREER GOALS:
1. What Pathway are you currently pursuing at your high school?
2. What are you planning on doing as a life-long career? (Ultimate goal.) Example: Internal Auditor
3. List three to five measurable goals that will support your career choice (smaller steps to reach your ultimate
goal)?
Example:
Goal #1: Complete business accounting pathway in high school including receiving EOPA credentials.
Goal #2: Earn a bachelor’s in accounting from a top accounting university.
Goal #3: Complete a paid internship with one of the Big 4 accounting firms.
4. What skills or knowledge do you already have that can support your career choice? (i.e. MSWord)
Example: Detail-oriented, very organized, great at math, advanced skills in MS Excel
POST-SECONDARY/GRADUATION PLANS:
1. Which of the following best describes your plans after graduating from high school?
Straight to Work
Military Training
On-the-job Training
2-Year Technical College
2-Year State College
4-Year College or University
Master’s Degree
Doctorate
Other (please specify)
2. Include your future program of study, highest level of education required, and your desired degree.
Page
5
Sept
Student:
INDIVIDUAL CAREER PLAN
Rubric – Paper
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Student Assessment
Points Earned
Career Goals: All parts were
completed and clearly explained.




High school pathway
Life-long career
3-5 measurable goals
Skills & knowledge
30
Post-Secondary/Graduation Plans:
All parts were completed and clearly
explained.




Plans after high school
Program of Study
Highest-level of education
Desired degree
30
Organization of the information was
neat and orderly
10
MLA formatting was used including
proper heading, title, and double
spaced. 12 point, Times New Roman
was used.
20
Spelling & Grammar
10
100
COMMENTS:
Page
6
WORK PHILOSOPHY
General Information
Oct
DIRECTIONS: Discuss the responsibilities, expectations, attitude, and work ethics important for an
outstanding employee. This assignment should be a minimum of two pages and in MLA format addressing the
points listed below. Include introduction, supporting and informative paragraphs, and a conclusion. Also
include information about how your personal characteristics compare to those of an outstanding employee.
Refer to the rubric before submitting.
RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS
What are your employer’s responsibilities and expectations of you?
ATTITUDE
Describe your attitude?
Has it changed since you have been working?
What is the importance of a good attitude at work?
How can it help you?
How does body language express your attitude?
WORK ETHICS
Research and discuss in a paragraph ethical behavior in the workplace. Provide an example of ethical and
unethical behavior with two different situations.
TEAMWORK
Explain how teamwork is used at your workplace.
Why is being able to work with a diverse group of people important?
Do you believe you are an asset in a team situation and why?
WORK HABITS
What are good work habits at your job?
Explain any poor work habits you have witnessed at your job?
How do poor work habits affect the morale at your job?
Page
7
Oct
Student:
WORK PHILOSOPHY
Rubric – Paper
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Responsibilities & Expectations:
all information is included, explained
clearly, and logically organized
10
Attitude: all information is included,
explained clearly, and logically
organized
15
Work Ethics: all information is
included, explained clearly, and
logically organized
15
Teamwork: all information is
included, explained clearly, and
logically organized
15
Work Habits: all information is
included, explained clearly, and
logically organized
15
MLA formatting was used including
proper heading, title, and double
spaced. 12 point, Times New Roman
was used.
10
Spelling & Grammar
10
Minimum of 2 pages, includes
introduction and conclusion
paragraphs
10
Student Assessment
Points Earned
100
COMMENTS:
Page
8
Nov
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
General Information
DIRECTIONS: Research attire for different occasions. Create a ten-slide PowerPoint presentation or a
COMPUTER GENERATED six-panel brochure that includes 5 Do’s and 5 Don’ts each (Not simply the
opposite of the other) for business formal (interview) and business casual attire for your gender (female or
male). Be sure to cite at least two references and include on the last slide or back of brochure. Follow
rubric on the following page for specifics.
Read through the following paragraphs before you complete your assignment.
Do you know how to dress appropriately for different occasions?
Think about an instance when you were introduced to someone for the first time.
What factors influenced your first impression of the individual? More than likely, the person’s personality and
outward appearance had an impact on your impression of the person.
The type of clothing we wear for various occasions often leaves lasting memories in others’ minds. Casual attire
is appropriate for some occasions, such as sporting events, family gatherings, or an outing with your friends. On
the other hand, business formal (interview) attire is required for a job interview. You need to know how to
dress for the interview so that you will stand out from the rest. By now you probably know the importance of
asking about appropriate dress for particular occasions so that you will feel comfortable and are able to perform
your best. You should also remember that you have only one chance to make your first impression on others.
Extra Credit:
5 points for appropriate business casual dress at the November Work-Based Learning meeting
10 points for appropriate business interview dress at the November Work-Based Learning meeting
Page
9
Nov
Student:
DRESS FOR SUCCESS
Rubric – PowerPoint or Brochure
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Includes 5 Do’s and 5 Don’ts
(tips) for each type of attire. Not
simply the opposite of the other.
Gender specific (female or
male)
20
Each tip was legitimate and was
clearly explained.
30
Organization of the information
was neat and orderly and at
least one relevant graphic per
tip was included.
10
Spelling & Grammar
10
References / Works Cited –
MLA format (At least two
references were included.)
20
PowerPoint – 10 slides
Brochure – 6 panels
(Not including title page or
reference page)
10
Student Assessment
Points Earned
100
Extra Credit (see directions on previous page)
COMMENTS:
Page
10
Dec
WORK SAMPLES & LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
General Information
WORK SAMPLES
Submit exemplary work samples which you created alone or as part of a team. Anything you would put in a
resume, add here to show future employers your accomplishments. Samples can include but are not limited to:




Classroom Projects
Career Technical Student Organization Projects/Activities
Photo Journals
Research Papers
Include a minimum of 3 work samples at this point. More examples should be added before the final portfolio
is submitted at the end of the school year. For each work sample, include a cover page with at least a short
paragraph discussing the work sample and why it was chosen for the portfolio (why would it be of importance
to a future employer?).
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
You will need to formally ask for a letter—by phone, in writing, or face-to-face—from two people from whom
you want a letter of recommendation. This is common courtesy.
Although the content of the letter is normally left to the writer, here are some points to suggest:






Your personal character.
Your work ethic (including punctuality, use of sick time, working with others).
Your motivation.
Your enthusiasm for learning.
Your relevant technical or career-related skills.
Your relevant academic experience.
You should explain to the writer that you will include the letter in your portfolio, which you will use as you
conduct your job search or college application process.
Also explain the time frame for completing the portfolio and ask each writer to complete the letter by a specific
date. Finally, either make arrangements with each person to pick up the letter or provide a self-addressed,
stamped envelope. This courtesy will help ensure that you have your letters on time.
Once you have received a letter, you should thank the writer, either in person or by writing a thank-you note.
On the next page is a Recommendation Request Form. Give one to each of the people you have asked for a
letter of recommendation. These people may be your employer, teacher, or community contact. You may not
have a relative or peer fill out this form.
Recommendation Request Form Sample is on the next page. Use the electronic copy on the WBL webpage to
print copies that will be handed out to individuals completing your recommendation forms.
Page
11
Dec
Recommendation Request Form
Thank you for agreeing to write a letter of recommendation for me.
My full name is ____________________________________ and my phone number is ______________.
Please contact me if you have any questions. I plan to use this letter for—
 Employment
 College Admissions
 WBL Portfolio
My current career/academic goals:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
When writing your recommendation, please consider the items below and how they relate to the plans/goals I
have outlined for you.






Personal character
Work ethic (including punctuality, use of sick time, working with others, etc.)
Motivation
Enthusiasm for learning
Relevant technical or career-related skills
Relevant academic experience
I would appreciate it if you could complete the letter by this date: ___________________
 I will pick the letter up when it is completed.
 I have enclosed a stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Thank you for your help!
Electronic copy available on WBL webpage.
Page
12
Dec
Work-Based Learning Job Shadowing Request
You must fill in every blank in order to be excused for your job shadowing day. You must shadow in
your career field and with someone different than your employer.
Student Name: ________________________________
Student ID: ___________
Date of Job Shadowing:
_______________________________
Name of Company:
_________________________________________________
Address of Company:
_________________________________________________
City, Zip Code:
_________________________________________________
Person shadowing: ___________________________
Phone #: ___________________
Explanation of Shadowing:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature: _____________________________________
Parent Signature:
_____________________________________
*Student is responsible for missed work in all classes.*
For WBL Coordinator only:
Date received: _______________
Date emailed: _______________
Page
13
Dec
Student:
Work Samples & Letters of Recommendation & Job Shadow
Rubric
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
A minimum of 3 work samples.
Each work sample includes a
cover page discussing its
importance – why it was
selected for the portfolio.
Work samples demonstrate
skills desired by employers.
45
Two letters of recommendation
were included. Letters were
NOT from family or friends.
20
Job Shadow Request form
submitted to WBL Coordinator.
15
Organization of the information
was neat and orderly.
10
Spelling & Grammar
10
Student Assessment
Points Earned
100
COMMENTS:
Page
14
COVER & FOLLOW-UP LETTER
General Information
Jan
DIRECTIONS: Find a job you are interested in and gear your cover letter, resume and follow-up letter toward
that job. You may use online webpages, newspaper, flyers, etc. that lists a current job.
COVER LETTER
A cover letter serves as a first impression. It is a way of introducing yourself to prospective employers,
indicating your interest in the position, and highlighting your qualifications.
It is important to address:

Why you are interested in this position/business.

Your career aspirations and goals

The skills and abilities that would make you successful in a particular career.

Why this business should select you.
A cover letter should be personalized while still professional, no longer than one single-spaced, typewritten
page, and in proper business format. Use personal letterhead.
Sample cover letter on the WBL webpage.
FOLLOW-UP LETTER
After any interview you should send a thank-you letter to the employer. This letter gives you the opportunity to
demonstrate, one more time, how your skills and qualifications are a good fit for the position. In addition to
thanking the person you talked with, the thank you letter reinforces that you want the job. You may also view
your thank you letter as a sales letter. You can restate why you want the job, what your qualifications are, and
how you might make significant contributions. The letter is also a chance to discuss anything of importance that
your interviewer neglected to ask or that you neglected to answer as thoroughly, or as well, as you would have
liked.
Sample follow-up letter on the WBL webpage.
LETTER RUBRICS WILL BE PROVIDED AT MONTHLY MEETING.
PLEASE ATTACH TO ASSIGNMENTS.
Page
15
PREPARING A RESUME
General Information
Jan
A resume is a summary of a person’s qualifications. Effective resumes use short statements to inform potential
interviewers about important facts regarding the applicant and to catch their attention. The important facts:



Who you are.
How you may be contacted (mail, telephone, e-mail).
Your experiences, skills, and abilities for the position.
Think about yourself. What skills do you have? What should a potential interviewer now about you? What
achievement(s) could you highlight to help you get the interview?
Draft/revise a resume. Each resume should be personal and reflect your individual strengths. Basic guidelines
for an effective resume:






Type and spell-check it.
Have another person proofread it.
Make it look professional.
Keep it to one page.
Omit personal pronouns.
Use action verbs when describing your job responsibilities.
On the WBL webpage is a simple but highly effective sample resume.
Use this format to present your own information.
Rubric on the following page.
Attach rubric to your resume.
Page
16
Name:
Resume Rubric
Criteria
Overall
Appearance/Style
Category Selection
Experience
5
4
3
Fills page, not
crowded. Consistent
in font style and
layout. Information
is clear. Centered on
page and good
choice of font and
point size. Structure
has clear purpose.
Choice of subject
headings is
excellent. Most
important items are
listed on the top
half. Categories
selected include
enough information
within each to
substantiate the need
for the heading.
Appropriate
experience listed
with organization
name, title, dates,
and location.
Sentence fragments
are concise, direct,
and accomplishment
oriented; strong
verbs and
appropriate verb
tense is used. Listed
in correct
chronological order.
Consistent in
style but has
some uneven
white space or
does not fill up a
page. Important
information may
not stand out
clearly to reader.
Unnecessarily run
onto second page.
Appearance may
lack appropriate
use of bold/italics,
font, bullet points
or indents.
Format is not
appealing.
Information is
not laid out in a
clear format.
Does not draw
attention and has
lack of structure.
Category
selection is well
defined and order
of information on
page is good.
Categories may
need to be
structured
differently to be
more effective.
Lacking
appropriate
categories or
category
selection is
unclear.
Resume does not
include subject
headings.
Degree is listed
with necessary
information but
section could be
expanded. Most
important
information does
not stand out.
Additional
information may
need to be
included to
increase length of
resume or too
much information
may be included.
Section lacks
information and
format.
Section is not
included or crucial
information is
missing.
Shows a persistent
pattern of error or
contains a number
of varied
mechanical errors.
Mechanical
errors are so
widespread that
they are
distracting.
Difficult to read
because of
mechanical errors.
Additional section
is missing key
information.
Included
additional
section, but
information is
weak or
irrelevant.
Additional sections
are missing.
Typos/Spelling
Errors
No or extremely
minor errors
(Capitalization,
spelling, grammar).
Few errors,
shows but
consistent
pattern.
Information may
be abbreviated
when it should be
spelled out.
Additional Sections:
Ex. Skills/activities
Included additional
section with
relevant, well
organized, and easy
to understand
information. If
appropriate,
leadership roles and
related activities are
indicated.
Included
additional section
with relevant
information, and
minimal flaws;
skills or activities
may not be
properly defined.
2
1
Points
TOTAL POINTS
/25
(x2)
Job Shadow Interview Worksheet
Page
17
Feb
DIRECTIONS: After interviewing your job shadow mentor (using the questions below), type the questions
and responses. In addition, type a one page reflection about your job shadow experience. Submit the two typed
documents AND this signed form for credit this month.
Work-Based Learning Student: _____________________________________________
Person Interviewed: ___________________________
Career/Job Title _______________________
1. What training/professional preparation led you to your current career?
2. What are your daily duties and responsibilities?
3. What do you see as the pros and cons of your career?
4. What are opportunities for growth in your field?
5. What is a typical industry salary range for your career?
6. What kinds of experience would you suggest that someone pursue to make them more marketable in this field?
7. What abilities or personal qualities do you believe contribute most to being successful in this field?
8. If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why?
9. What obligations does your employer require of you outside of your regular schedule?
10. What social obligations go along with your job?
11. Are there professional organizations that are beneficial to join?

_______________________________
Student Name
Job shadowed with me on ___________________
Date
_______________________________
Printed Name of Person Shadowed
_________________________________
Signature of Person Shadowed
Company _________________________________
Phone Number _____________________
Page
18Feb
Student:
JOB SHADOW INTERVIEW
Rubric – Paper
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Signed Job Shadow Form
10
Question and Answers are typed.
Answers are typed in paragraph
format.
25
Reflection
30
Organization of the information
was neat and orderly
10
MLA formatting was used
including proper heading, title,
and double spaced. 12 point,
Times New Roman was used.
15
Spelling & Grammar
10
Student Assessment
Points Earned
100
COMMENTS:
Page
19
COMMUNICATION
General Information
Mar
DIRECTIONS: Describe effective written, oral, and non-verbal communication skills. This assignment should
be a minimum of one page and in MLA format. At minimum, your paper should include



Introductory paragraph discussing the importance of communication
Separate paragraphs on each of the following (be sure to address all points described further down on
the page)
o written communication,
o oral communication, and
o non-verbal communication
Conclusion paragraph
You will also be asked to create examples of written and oral communication as discussed in the following
sections. Attach the examples to your paper. You may refer to these examples throughout your paper.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
Explain the importance of written communication as it relates to the following: Emails, letters, Twitter,
Facebook, texting, blogs, personal websites, Instagram.
How can improper written communication negatively affect your reputation, job status, etc?
On a separate page, compose an email to your friend in WBL about the WBL field trip using a Word document.
Then compose another email to your boss requesting time off for your WBL field trip using a Word document.
ORAL COMMUNICATION
Explain the importance of oral communication as it relates to each of the following: face-to-face meetings,
employer relationships, job interviews, phone calls including voice mail messages and greetings.
Type a professional voicemail greeting. Also, write out an unprofessional voicemail greeting.
NON-VERBAL
Give examples of positive and negative non-verbal communication and how it can affect you. Name 3 nonverbal cues you would use in the United States, but would not use in another country. Explain the meaning of
the gesture here in the United States and the meaning of the gesture in another country (be sure to mention
which country).
Page
20
Mar
Student:
COMMUNICATION
Rubric – Paper and Examples
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Student Assessment
Points Earned
Importance of communication paper including
at a minimum of 5 paragraphs. Information is
included and is well organized.





Introduction (5)
Written Communication (10)
Oral Communication (10)
Non-verbal Communication (10)
Conclusion (5)
40
Written Communication Examples
 Email to friend
 Email to boss
20
Verbal Communication Examples
 Professional VM greeting
 Unprofessional VM greeting
20
MLA formatting was used including proper
heading, title, and double spaced. 12 point,
Times New Roman was used.
10
Spelling & Grammar
10
100
COMMENTS:
Page
21
INTRODUCTION LETTER
General Information
Apr
DIRECTIONS: Using proper letter writing format, write a letter introducing yourself, qualities, goals, and
your portfolio. Think of this as a self-reflection. Elaborate on the following areas:




Yourself
o Write why you signed up for Work-Based Learning
o Explain how you have grown through the program and your work experience
Qualities
o Describe special qualities and strengths that make you marketable for your future career
Goals
o Describe your personal and career goals and how you plan to reach them
Portfolio
o Highlight your best work sample and explain what you learned in the process
o Discuss which portfolio assignment was most beneficial and why
Use the following format when writing your letter.
Date
To Whom It May Concern:
Type your letter here. Your letter should contain at least two well written paragraphs.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Page
22
Apr
Student:
INTRODUCTION LETTER
Rubric – Letter
*Turn In With Your Assignment*
Criteria
Points Possible
Yourself
15
Qualities
15
Goals
15
Portfolio
15
Organization of the information
was neat and orderly
10
Proper business letter formatting
was used. 12 point, Times New
Roman was used.
20
Spelling & Grammar
10
Student Assessment
Points Earned
100
COMMENTS:
Page
23