Portfolios
The Power of Portfolios
A portfolio is a collection of evidence proving that you are qualified for the position you seek. You can take a portfolio to an interview, a job fair, or to networking events.
What to Include
Manageable portfolios usually contain four to eight pieces, which can be any of the following or any combination of the following:
- Samples of upper division coursework i.e.
results of studies you conducted, examples of work in various software
programs that you mastered, etc.
These show your experience and ability despite a lack of on-the-job experience - Excerpts from papers/reports
Written communication is very important to employers; the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of a topic and ability to research are other key reasons to include these types of documents. - Pictures of projects/group projects
It is important to present tangible examples of your leadership, teamwork, organization, and presentation skills. - Awards, letters of recommendation, thank you letters,
transcripts
Including relevant feedback that attests to your capabilities can be very effective. Some students will have trouble limiting the number of pieces in their portfolio while others will struggle to find enough. The important thing to remember is that each piece must show high quality work.
Writing entry cards will help you prioritize the contents of your portfolio. Entry cards are introductions to each piece in your portfolio. They include a description of the piece, the goals or objectives of the piece, and key skills used in creating the piece.
Hint: we already gave you a few ideas for your key skills when we listed examples of what to include in your portfolio.
The Materials
Invest in the following items:
- A professional looking leather binder (or art portfolio if you have large pieces)
- Enormous amounts of quality paper (white is preferred)
- Card stock (for use as section dividers)
- Page divider tabs
- Top-loading sheet protectors (non-glare)
Looks do matter. Since your portfolio is a collage of various pieces that may or may not have a thing to do with one another, there needs to be some sort of uniting presence. This is usually achieved through design. That means your resume, introduction, table of contents, and entry cards should all look alike in some way. This can be achieved through font and small accents. Notice we said small. A portfolio is a professional document and its design should be kept sleek and minimal.
Organization
As you recall, one of the benefits of simply having a portfolio is that it shows what an organized person you are. Don't let the contents of your portfolio disprove that impression! Typical portfolio organization follows this order:
- Resume
- Introduction
- Table of contents
- Your best piece
- Pieces two through six
- Your second strongest piece
Using Your Portfolio
Now that you have your beautifully assembled portfolio, remember to use it as a prop, not a crutch. In interviews, do not simply pull out your portfolio and plop it on the desk. Use it to further demonstrate skills as you speak about them in the interview. In a job fair, mention that you have several skills that the recruiter's company is looking for and pull out your portfolio as you speak. In informational interviews, ask for feedback and advice about your portfolio.
One Final Word of Advice
A portfolio is not something you can pull together in one late night, so don't even try it. A portfolio will not work, we repeat—will not work—if it is hastily thrown together like a research paper the last week of classes. Portfolios demonstrate assertiveness, organization, and creativity, so give yourself time to be all you can be.
