Building a
Career Portfolio
How to Present Yourself to
Potential Employers
Presented by April Legler,
Lecturer of Career Education, KSOB
What is a Portfolio?
 What is your understanding of a portfolio
and its purpose?
 Who has traditionally created portfolios?
 Does anyone have a portfolio?
2
Definition
 A portfolio is a documentation and
demonstration of your accomplishments
representing growth in your skills and
understanding of those skills over time.
 The portfolio not only documents your
results but also how you got there and
what you learned in the process.
3
Employers are asking…
 “How much will you cost me to train?”
 “Can you keep your personal life in order
so that it does not interfere with work?”
4
Employers are seeking…
 Proof of current relevant soft skills
 Real work samples
5
Two Broad Categories of Skills
 Transferable




across careers, jobs,
and industries
organizational
interpersonal
work-style
 Work Content



do a specific type of
job
immediate
contribution
gained through
course work and job
experience
6
Employers Want the “Total Package”
 Excellent communication skills
 Technical proficiency
 Leadership
 Teamwork
 Interpersonal skills and personal traits
7
Portfolio Advantages
 Clearly shows your individuality,
personality, & skills
 Speaks to your skills without your having
to say directly “I’m good”
 The resume gets you the interview, the
portfolio gets you the job
8
Steps for Assessing Your
Major Accomplishments
1. What I Did?
2. What I Learned?
3. What’s Next?
(We will be using a group activity to
reinforce these steps in a minute.)
9
#1: What I Did?
 The first step is documentation
of events, activities, and skills
that have been accomplished.
 It is a collection of your most
important accomplishments,
both personal and
professional.
10
# 1 Artifact
 Choose a tangible item to exhibit the
accomplishment or skill you have just
selected to showcase
11
Activity: What did YOU do?
 Think of a skill you wish to highlight and
an “artifact” from an activity you have
done that could showcase it.
OR
 Think of something truly significant you
have done and what skill that
demonstrates. What artifact can you use
to showcase that?
12
#2: What I Learned?
 The next step is going back and looking at
each entry and writing “statements”
identifying and explaining the purpose of
each piece of evidence so that the entries
are meaningful when reviewed by others.
 These statements should also contain
reflective comments about your learning.
13
What I Learned-Sample
 To develop an annual budget of $6000
 To keep accurate line-item entry books
of income and expenditures
 To create and maintain excel
spreadsheets of monthly finances
 To create annual financial statements
14
Activity: What did YOU learn?
 Write a statement of what you gained
from the activity that you selected just
now.
15
#3: What’s Next?
 Review each entry
 View as springboard to future learning
 Revisit and examine work accomplished
 Professional and personal growth
 Assimilate information into
“skills and achievements”
for resume and interview process
16
What’s next-Sample
 Add activity and accomplishments to
resume
 Improve organization of records to
facilitate creation of annual report
17
Activity: What is next for YOU?
 Write what you will do to use or improve
what you have begun in this class
activity.
18
Sample Artifacts for a Portfolio
 Career & professional
 Professional











development goals
Resumes/Cover letters
Your work philosophy
Self-assessment records
Transcripts
Work history
Skill areas
Works in progress
(activities and projects)
Work & learning samples
Work term reports
Certificates, diplomas,
degrees, & awards





memberships & service
Records of community
service/volunteer work
(brochures, letters of
recognition, etc.)
Newspaper clippings
featuring you
Letters of appreciation
Photographs/Media
Networking contacts
Letters of
recommendation/
references
19
Career Portfolio Sections
 Management philosophy
 Professional goals
 Resume
 Work samples by skill areas
 Works in progress
 Community service (transferable skills)
 Professional memberships
 Degrees, certifications & awards
 References
20
Sections: Philosophy and Goals
 Mgmt Philosophy-brief description of
your beliefs about yourself and the
industry (Career Objective Statement)
 Career Goals-professional goals for the
next 2-5 years
21
Section: Resume
 Your resume provides a brief summary
of your education and experiences.
22
Section: Skill Areas
 Skill areas-tabbed sections containing
information on your skills and experiences
relating to specific areas



Marketing
People Management
Technology
 Target skills desired by companies you are
interviewing


Job advertisements
Job descriptions
 Focus on measurable skills
 Technical skills
 Soft skills
23
Skill areas that employers want from
recent graduates.
 Analytical
 Listening
 Communication (Oral & Written)
 Multicultural
 Computer Skills
 Creativity

 Decision Making

 Flexibility
 Interpersonal
 Leadership



Understanding
Organizational
Problem Solving
Research
Teamwork
Time Management
24
Work Samples
 Work sample-physical examples of your work



One for every skill
Projects, reports
Real work samples preferable to school projects
 How do I get them?



What are you good at doing?
Rummage through your stuff at home and at work
for samples
Plan to secure work samples
25
Propriety on Work Samples
 Do I need to get permission to take
copies of my work?


If you signed a confidentiality agreement
If you are a contractor or employee
 Use the templates of your work
 Do NOT share proprietary or personal
information
 Do share letters, customer comments,
class or workshop projects
26
Section: Additional Proof
 Works in Progress-brief list of works,
activities, projects or efforts that are ongoing.
 Letters of Recommendation-support or
reference that verify your abilities in a
certain skill area
27
Section: Transferable Skills
 Sources




Community service
Volunteer organizations
Avocations (intense hobbies)
Intramural activities
 Artifacts



Letters of recognition
Photos of projects completed
Programs and brochures
28
Transferable Skills Support…
 Soft skills






Teamwork
Presentation skills
Communication skills
Attitude
Leadership
Others
29
Section: Professional Growth
 Memberships-member cards, citations,
letters
 Certifications
 Diplomas, Degrees, or Awards-copies of
actual recognition received
30
Section: Reference Materials
 Academic Plan of Study-list of courses
and what you learned in them
 Faculty and Employer Biographiesdescriptions of the people whose
signatures appear throughout—who are
they, what do they do
 References-list of people who can verify
your character, academic record or
employment history
31
Group Activity
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Break into small groups and select an
individual to “record” for the group.
Pick 3 skills from the list provided.
Share experiences with your group, in which
you each have developed those 3 skill areas.
Identify and lists ways to document that
experience in your portfolio.
Report out to the group.
32
Skill areas most wanted by employers from
recent graduates.
 Analytical
 Listening
 Communication (Oral & Written)
 Multicultural
 Computer Skills
 Creativity

 Decision Making

 Flexibility
 Interpersonal
 Leadership



Understanding
Organizational
Problem Solving
Research
Teamwork
Time Management
33
Showcase Tips: Paper Portfolio
 Include an introduction







and table of contents
Organize work samples
into skill areas
Keep to a consistent
format
Don't include original
documents
Don't punch holes in
your documents
Number sheet
protectors, not contents
Use quality paper &
captions to enhance
Create all text on
computer
 Use a high-quality printer
 Don't use too many fonts
 Be creative
Tailor your portfolio to
include only relevant
information to the
opportunity you are
seeking
 Observe a maximum
length of 10-15 artifacts
 Consider having a copy of
your portfolio or important
parts of it to leave behind
with an employer

34
When Is It Appropriate to
Present Your Portfolio
 In an Interview


To illustrate skills you are asked to describe
As concrete proof of your accomplishments
as they relate to the opportunity at hand
(Generally do not send with your application package
unless requested.)
35
And Also…
 In a Job Performance Evaluation




To remind the employer of your
contributions and accomplishments
Focus on the time since your last review
Include career highlights, works in
progress, group/individual achievements
Give to supervisor 2-3 weeks before
review
36
Hard Copy vs Electronic
HARD COPY
 Introduces oneself
 Answers questions
during interview
 Summarizes
qualifications
ELECTRONIC
 To compete for an
interview
 As additional
research for
candidates
 As follow-up
37
Online Portfolios
 Idea 1: Online resumes
 Idea 2: Linked resumes
 Idea 3: Online portfolio collections
38
Online Resumes
39
Linked resume
40
Close-up view of linked info
Period: XX/YY – XX/YY
National Agency for Telecommunications
(Anatel) Brasília, Brazil
Telecommunications Engineer
XXX (detailed job assignments)
XXX
Reason for leaving: resigned for personal reasons.
Supervisor Contact: Mr. John Boss,
jboss@anatel.gov.br
(+55 61) 323 7865
41
Linked Online Resume
42
Resume Link to Created Websites
43
Resume Link to Brochures
44
Classic Online Portfolio
45
Online Portfolio Index
46
Portfolio link - 1
47
Portfolio link - 2
48
Portfolio link - 3
49
Portfolio link - 4
50
Portfolio link - 5
51
Online Portfolio Postings
 http://www.portfolios.com
52
Portfolios.com Portfolio Sample
53
Portfolio link -1
54
Portfolio link - 2
55
Online Portfolio Postings
 http://members.tripod.lycos.com/
56
Tripod.com Portfolio Sample
57
Online Examples of Career Portfolios
Basic Online Resume:
http://www.guidesign.com/tammy/index.htm
This format is virtually identical to a paper-based resume format. Note lack
of internal links.
Web Designer's Portfolio:
http://www.carteret.com/mikefahy
A linked resume with good example of integrating work samples within a web site.
Graphic Designer's Portfolio:
http://www.6869.com/resume/index.html
A classic online portfolio with clean, simple design and great graphics.
Portfolio For Self-Employment:
http://careerlifeconsulting.com
Check out Joan Richard's on-line portfolio that promotes her company, CareerLife
Consulting Services.
58
Purposes of the Portfolio
 Self-assessment: who you are and what
you want to do
 Repository for necessary documents:
keeps everything for the career together
 Interviewing tool: sell yourself
 Performance appraisal tool: show
supervisor your work strengths
59
In Summary
 Everyone can use a portfolio to manage
both their professional or career assets
and showcase their potential.
 The very act of organizing your portfolio
brings clarity to your career direction.
 This process requires reflection &
analysis.
 When you sequence your samples in your
portfolio, you begin thinking more broadly
about your collection of talents. You think
more deeply about who you are.
60
Collect NOW – Sort later
 Set up your system


Calendar
Designated collection point
 Schedule your self-review times
 Sort later
 Think Ahead—you are worth it!
61
Evaluation Questions
Use:
Strongly agree
Agree
Disagree
Strongly disagree
Don’t know
1. I found the presentation of material easy to
understand.
2. This Discussion session increased my
knowledge on the subject presented.
3. I will be able to use some of the information
from this Discussion session in the future.
4. The presenter was well prepared for this
Discussion session.
5. This presentation should be repeated in future
semesters.
62