Yes You Do Need a Career Portfolio!

 Career Portfolio:  What is it?  What's in it?

 

Often times, job searching can be a tedious task and many of us don't know how to properly prepare.  I have been there.  I was a college graduate, had just moved back to my home town and needed work.  Most of the people in my family don't have college degrees so my options as to who I could turn to were limited.  

With my back against the wall, I researched and found out what employers in my field were looking for.  I read through hundreds of job descriptions in order to create this really good resume.  I started sending my resume out, and almost immediately, I began getting calls for interviews.  I would go to these interviews and the interviewer would ask me the standard interview questions, but then they asked for certain documentation that I did not have with me at the time.  That's when I decided that, once I found all those documents, I was going to keep them in a safe and ready place and start taking them with me to my interviews.  I did not want any reasons for them to say we will call you.  I wanted to have everything that I needed for them to hire me right then.  And that is why you need a Career Portfolio.  It will help you organize your career information and documents and you will have all the information that a company needs to hire you on the spot.  YES! Eliminate the wait time it will take you to find the documents, submit them to the employer and wait for them to "call you back

So now you know WHY you need a career portfolio, you may be wondering "well what in the world is a career portfolio?"  Don't worry, I have been there too! Back when I was starting out, I had to research EVERYTHING for myself.  There were no coaches to help me.  Which is one of the reasons that I am so passionate about what I do.  Okay now back to the career portfolio.  A career portfolio is a collection of documents to support what your resume claims.  Anybody can create an elaborate resume and list tons of accomplishments, accolades, skills and certifications.  But can they back it up?  That is what your career portfolio does.  It backs up your claims of your education, accomplishments, activities and experiences that your resume outlines.  

Last question you may be wondering is "what exactly goes in my portfolio?"  I am glad you asked!  Here is a list of documents that you want to include in your career portfolio:

• Title Page (with your name and contact information)
• Table of Contents (to help the reader navigate through your portfolio with ease)
• Personal Mission Statement (tells who you are as a person, expanded career objective)
• Cover Letter (optional)
• Resume (error free)
• References (3 professional and 3 personal)
• Degree/Certificate
• Professional Development and Training Certificates 
• Awards and Accomplishments 
• Volunteer Work
• Professional Affiliations (nothing based religious or political views)
• Work Samples (if applicable)
• Statement of Originality (portfolio is your original work and cannot be copied)

 Make sure that you don't use your original documents in your portfolio because the employer may ask to keep it.  Use high quality copies.  If you don't have access to a laser copier or printer, your local WorkSource will allow you to print and make copies.  

 

Your portfolio may be very thin as you begin your career.  Don't worry about that.  Over time, you will be able to see it grow as you being your career and start accomplishing goals! 
 

If you need help creating your professional portfolio, contact me to schedule your free strategy session!  And as always, if you have a specific question or topic that you would like addressed, please email kimestrykoaching@yahoo.com and your answer may be in the next blog! 

 

 

 

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Power and success in 2014 and beyond!