A portfolio:

• demonstrates how you excel or perform on the job or in the classroom
• presents tangible evidence of what you have done
• represents your efforts at developing new skills and your potential

Types of Portfolios

• Working Portfolio: Holds every artifact that you could possibly use in your portfolio
• Showcase Portfolio: Put together for a specific employer or purpose

Why have a portfolio?

• Market your capabilities in an interview
• Convince others of your skills, abilities, and qualities
• See and evaluate patterns in your own work preferences and values
• Communicate clearly the quality of your professional development
• Prepare for interviews

Background Work

• Research your prospective career field through literature and through job postings. These resources can give a base of the skills that are required of field. Next, when collecting artifacts, consider what skills employers are looking for and provide evidence that you have those skills in your portfolio.
• Portfolio needs to have a focus based on the audience and purpose of the portfolio.

Possible Items to Include

- Title Page
- Table of Contents
- Confidentiality & Originality statement
- Resume or Vitae
- Transcripts
- Professional Affiliations
- Licenses or certifications
- Letters of reference
- Evidence of Specific skills
- Work samples
- Personal Statements (i.e. mission, values, or goals)
- Education and training, internships, special projects
- Workshops, seminars, conferences attended
- Achievements and awards
- Community service, activities, leadership positions held
- Captions/reflections and summary pages - Include: title, purpose, date developed, team members

Steps for Creating Your Portfolio

Step 1: Self-Assessment

• Keep in mind the purpose and focus of the portfolio
• Analyze your “peaks”

  Personal Characteristics

  Experience

  Accomplishments

  Knowledge

  Skills

Step 2: Selecting/Collecting Items

• See the “Possible Items to Include ” list
• Show the evidence of your results, leadership, education, innovation, etc.
• Use a job description to determine which items will be included in your Showcase Portfolio

Step 3: Assembling Your Portfolio

• Sort items into related categories
• Use a 3-ring binder and non-glare sheet protectors
• Number the sheet protectors rather than the actual materials for ease of reorganizing the portfolio at a later date
• Make summary pages to highlight the importance of items
• Include a statement of originality or confidentiality to protect your work

Step 4: Practice Using Your Portfolio

• Knowing where materials are and what you want to say about them will help you to make a seamless presentation of your work