Your Job Skills Portfolio: Giving You an Edge in the Marketplace

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Your Job Skills Portfolio Giving You an Edge in
the Marketplace

• By Donna Herrington

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What is a Portfolio?

• Job hunting tool
• Gives employer complete picture of who you are
• ?Your experience
• ?Your education
• ?Your accomplishments
• ?Your skills

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Types of Portfolios

• Traditional Portfolio pieces of work that
  showcase your experience, accomplishments and
  talents put together in a three-ring binder.
• Web-based Portfolio a portfolio created by
  accessing space on an online website.

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Before Creating Your Portfolio

• Collect pieces of work, certificates, awards,
  newspaper articles, etc.
• Make a list of your accomplishments, skills.
• Document community service/volunteering with
  dates and locations.

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Before Creating Your Portfolio

• Take relevant pictures
• Ask for letters of recommendations
• Collect high school and college transcripts

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Professional Portfolios should be in a three-ring
binder

• Need a table of contents
• Use some kind of system to separate parts tabs
  or dividers

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What types of things go in a Portfolio?

• Career Summary and Goals description of what you
  stand for and where you see yourself in two to
  five years.
• Professional Philosophy/Mission Statement a
  short description of the guiding principles that
  drive and give you purpose.
• Resume summary of your education,
  accomplishments and work experience.

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Include in a Portfolio

• Volunteering/Community Service a description of
  any community service activities, volunteer or
  pro bono work you have completed.
• References List a list of three to five people
  who are willing to speak about your strengths,
  abilities, and experience. At least one reference
  should be a former manager.

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Include in a Portfolio

• Transcripts, Degrees, Licenses, Certifications a
  description of relevant courses, degrees,
  licenses, and certifications.
• Professional Associations
• Military Record Awards and Badges

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Include in a Portfolio

• Awards and Honors a collection of certificates
  of awards, honors and scholarships.
• Conferences/Workshops a list of conferences,
  seminars and workshops youve participated in.
• Letters of Recommendations

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Include in a Portfolio

• Skills, Abilities and Marketable Qualities a
• detailed description of your skills and
  experience.
• List of Accomplishments a detailed list that
  highlights the major accomplishments in your
  life.
• Samples of your work a sampling of your best
  work, including reports, papers, studies,
  brochures, projects, presentations, etc.

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• Select the categories that best show off your
  talents and accomplishments.
• Initial portfolio creation is time consuming but
  keeping it up-to-date is necessary and fairly
  easy.

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After Completion

• Use in preparation for an interview
• Use as a self-confidence builder
• Use as a resource once employed in a job

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Uses of Portfolio

• Take it with you to all interviews
• Use it as a tool to get a job
• To showcase your talents
• A tool to get a second interview

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Additional Resources

• http//www.dal.ca/career/career_1729.html
• http//www.amby.com/kimeldorf/portfolio/
• http//www.quintcareers.com/job_search_portfolio.h
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