Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: How to Create a Portfolio
• Part 2 of 3: How to structure your work
• Part 3 of 3: How to use a portfolio
• Expert advice
• Tips
• Warnings

Your resume may help you get an interview invitation, but in the interview, you need to stand out from other job seekers. A career portfolio will allow you to showcase your achievements and work examples so that potential employers have an idea of ​​your abilities. Building a portfolio will take your time and effort, but it will be worth it if a portfolio helps you land your dream job.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: How to Create a Portfolio

1. 1 Start with an up-to-date copy of your resume. A resume is one of the main and most important documents in your portfolio. A document with a summary of your education and experience should always be present in your portfolio, even if you have already submitted your resume to a prospective employer.
   • You can keep more than one copy of your resume in your portfolio in case the employer wants to keep one copy.
2. 2 List your skills and abilities. Consider all the work activities that you are capable of doing to make the list. If you have skills in different areas, try categorizing them or creating separate skill pages so you can add or cross out individual items later when adjusting your portfolio to suit your specific job.
   • List skills in dealing with people, such as the ability to negotiate, lead a team, or communicate effectively. You can reinforce these skills with examples or recommendations from the portfolio.
   • List skills learned on your own. The portfolio can include examples of skills you have learned on your own without formal education.
3. 3 Attach copies of licenses, diplomas and certificates. Scan or make copies of paper licenses and certificates to complement your portfolio. Extracts can be attached to diplomas and important subjects can be highlighted.
   • In the case of statements, it is better to scan documents in order to make several copies at once. Perhaps you are applying for different positions and want to highlight different subjects.
4. 4 Receive letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation from people who know about your skills and work ethic will help convince potential employers. If the person has worked with you for a long time, the potential employer will be able to understand from the letter of recommendation what to expect from you.
   • Former employers are a good source of referral if you separated from them amicably and were on good terms with your boss or supervisor. Ask your line manager for letters of recommendation.
   • Teachers from your university or courses, especially experts in subjects relevant to the job title, can also be good sources of referral. For example, if you are looking for a position as a web designer, then seek a recommendation from the instructor who taught the front-end development classes.
   • Also, do not forget about public figures or politicians if you know them personally and have worked together.
5. 5 Collect examples of your work. Choose relevant examples that demonstrate your skills and make a good overall impression. If you are still at the beginning of your career, then you can attach examples of school and university projects.
   • You can create examples of work specifically for the portfolio, but it is important not to overdo it, as potential employers value more work completed in previous jobs or studies on a tight schedule and taking into account the requirements of the manager or teacher.
   • Examples of work can be accompanied by reviews of the work performed. For example, you can indicate that you received the highest grade for a project or a promotion for work performed.
6. 6 List your awards and achievements. You need to show your best side in a portfolio, so include all the facts that you are proud of, even if they have very little to do with your work. Employers usually like to take successful people into their company.
   • For example, if your soccer team won the city championship, be sure to include this fact in your portfolio.
   • Diplomas for participation in sports and awards from public figures also a place in the portfolio. Usually, you should not list only political and religious awards unless you are interviewing with a political or religious organization.

Part 2 of 3: How to structure your work

1. 1 Consider the types of content you want to include in your portfolio. For the vast majority of vacancies, the portfolio consists of standard landscape sheets. Only in a few areas will you need to use oversized sheets or digital media for your portfolio.
   • A portfolio can include any portable items. Large documents can also be positioned between the pages of the selected folder.
   • For the technology field, you can create a portfolio work CD.
2. 2 Buy a three-ring binder or presentation binder and accessories. Typically, a portfolio looks best in a three-ring folder. Use tabs to organize individual sections of your portfolio. Other inserts may be required depending on the content of the folder.
   • For example, if the sample works are stored on a CD, you can use a CD sleeve that can be filed into a three-ring folder.
   • These supplies can be found on the Internet, at a stationery store, or even in regular supermarkets. Be sure to check out the office supply and school supply stores.
3. 3 Start with a title page and content. The front page should contain basic information about you, including your full name and contact details. In the table of contents, include the portfolio sections and document types that each section contains (as a quick reference).
   • You can also buy separate subfolders with a ready-made content page, in which the names of each section are indicated, corresponding to the inscriptions on the folders.
4. 4 Divide portfolio content into categories. The specific categories will depend on your skills and industry. Usually, the simplest portfolio option follows a typical interview process.
   • For example, most employers start their interviews with a question like "Tell me about yourself." Make it easy for yourself and make the About Me section the first in your portfolio. A section can include a resume, information about your hobbies and interests, and personal skills such as language skills. Here you can also attach letters of recommendation or make a separate section for them.
   • You can make separate sections for education, previous jobs, or community participation.
5. 5 Create tabs or subfolders for each section. These inserts will help you switch between sections without having to flip through individual pages. They will also protect portfolio pages from damage.
   • Colored tabs or subfolders containing the section's content usually have no other labels. Pages with content are used for easy navigation between sections.
   • Subfolders or separators can contain special frames in which you can write the name of each section. When using these subfolders or separators, print the section names on the computer and insert the separators into the printer. Tips for properly formatting your document in a text editor are usually included with the set.
6. 6 Check all documents carefully. Check the document several times for grammar and spelling errors before filing in your portfolio. You can also show your documents to another person in case you missed something.
   • A portfolio should show your best side. A blunder on any of the pages can make the wrong impression on the employer and ruin your entire work.

Part 3 of 3: How to use a portfolio

1. 1 Bring your portfolio to interviews. During interviews, you can refer to the portfolio as needed. Take advantage of opportunities to show examples of your work and other materials.
   • Be prepared to leave a portfolio if the employer wants to review the documents after the interview. Do not bring originals or only copies of documents with you.
2. 2 Tailor your portfolio for specific jobs. The master portfolio copy contains all the documents that can be shown to potential employers, but for specific cases, only individual files may be required. Add and remove documents based on the specific requirements of the employer or position.
   • You can start with letters of recommendation. For example, if you know that the person who will be interviewing is a graduate of your university, then the letters from the faculty can be displayed more prominently.
   • When choosing examples of jobs, leave only those samples that correspond to the jobs or requirements for the applicant for a specific position. For example, when interviewing for a graphic designer position, an employer is unlikely to be interested in the stories you wrote for literature classes, even if they were published or awarded. Such work does not demonstrate your graphic design skills in any way.
3. 3 Browse portfolios to gauge your career development. Get in the habit of reviewing the master copy of your portfolio every year. Review each document, enter updated data and remove obsolete works that have lost their relevance.
   • This evaluative look at your career will help you identify training gaps and areas where you need to continue training to meet new industry demands.
   • You can also identify skills that will open up new opportunities for you.
4. 4 Digitally duplicate the main portfolio copy. You probably don't want to accidentally lose all the work you've done.With digital copies of all documents, you can conveniently update or restore information if a physical copy of your portfolio is lost or damaged.
   • You can also post a portfolio on your site and include a link to the site on your resume. This is especially useful if you work in technology or information.

Expert advice

An example of a career portfolio content:

• Two to three pages of introduction with an engaging title page and topic page. Describe your top skills to make a good first impression.
• Two to four pages of more details about your professional career. This section can be used as a visual demonstration of your career path.
• Examples of solutions to complex problems in the past. Indicate situations, tasks, actions and results.
• Section with certificates, awards and recommendations. Include all recommendations and ratings of your work from third parties.
• One or two pages describing your actions in the case of hiring and examples of solutions to the current problems of the organization.

Tips

• When using newspaper articles in your portfolio, find PDF copies of the pages, or scan the pages and create a PDF yourself. In a photo editing application, darken the entire page except for the article you want to display.
• Do not number portfolio pages. This makes it harder to add or remove pages when updating your portfolio.
• All documents created specifically for portfolios should include a consistent font and font size for consistency and a clean look.

Warnings

• Do not include in your portfolio work that may reveal proprietary information belonging to former employers. If in doubt, ask your former employer to obtain permission to use the work.