How to Create a Job Portfolio

A job portfolio can be a hard-copy binder or an online collection, depending on your needs and those of your potential employers.

A job portfolio might be just the thing to put an end to your job search---by helping you land the perfect role, that is. A job portfolio---an organized collection of materials that showcases your skills, abilities and achievements---can set you apart from other job candidates by giving potential employers a quick but powerful snapshot of your experience and potential. Once strictly a tool for graphic designers, writers and other creative types, this powerful self-marketing strategy has caught on with job seekers across the board. With a little planning and organization, you could be one step closer to the job of your dreams.

Things You'll Need

• Career-related documents
• 3-ring binder and plastic sleeves or Web site

Instructions

Creating a Job Portfolio

1. Develop a detailed outline of the materials you plan to include in your job portfolio. Career management site Jobwerx.com suggests a general list of documents to include, which you should customize to your needs. Ask peers in your field or consult your industry association to determine the most effective approach for you.

2. Decide whether your job portfolio will be hard-copy, online or both. Which option you choose depends on how you want to use the job-seeking portfolio, the format of the materials you plan to include and the way you think companies in your field would want to access them.

3. Gather materials that already exist and develop any that don't. For a hard-copy job portfolio, print the documents, place them in clear plastic 3-ring sleeves and arrange them in a 3-ring binder. For an online portfolio, you'll need to set up a Web site if you don't already have one. Purchase a domain and hosting services online and design the site, which can be done with little technical expertise using templates that some hosting providers offer. Gather electronic documents and scan printed ones, and publish the documents to your Web site.

4. Your job-search portfolio will be effective only when it tells a current and relevant story about you. Update your portfolio as any of the information changes or you receive feedback about how to improve effectiveness. You also can customize the job portfolio, adding pertinent work samples for a specific interview, for example.

References

• Jobwerx.com
• Quintessential Careers