How to Create a Career Portfolio

Why – the purpose of a PortfolioWhat To Include

What Employers are Looking For  MAKE A GREAT IMPRESSION

What is it?

● A portfolio is a collection of your career, education and professional activities.

● Be sure to arrange the material in an organized fashion with clearly labeled sections.

A portfolio should include:

● Biography● Career Philosophy● Career Goals● Resume● Work Sample● Certifications● Diplomas

● Degrees● Transcripts● Awards● Professional

Memberships● Committees● Community Service● Reference Materials

Why should you create a career portfolio?

● A career portfolio helps you to distinguish yourself from the competition.

● It will help you to clearly communicate yourself to the employer.

● Creating a portfolio will also help prepare for the interviewing process.

Biography

● A biography is a brief summary of your career, education and relevant activities.

● Include short descriptions of the classes you took, the places you've worked, the organizations you participate in and any relevant goals that you have achieved.

Career Philosophy

● A career philosophy is your mission statement.

● It is a summary of your core professional beliefs.

● Your career philosophy helps the employer match you up with their work culture.

Career Goals

● Your career goals should be focused on what you expect to achieve in the next two to five years.

● Describe what skills you expect to attain/advance and how you plan to do so.

● Discuss how you plan to participate and/or compete in professional organizations.

Resume

● Your resume should be a very brief summary of your career portfolio.

● It should include a brief career objective, education, work experience, skill section and the obligatory references available upon request.

Work Sample

● This is one of the most important sections of your career portfolio.

● Include photographs, menus, designs and business plans that you created.

● If it was group work, indicate which individuals were involved with their contact information.

Reference Materials

● Biographies of people who appear in your portfolio

● Letters of recommendation● List of references, contact info and

relationships

Additional items to include

● Certifications● Diplomas● Degrees● Transcripts● Awards● Professional Memberships● Committees

What supplies do you need?

● An attractive binder● Sheet protectors with tabs● Quality paper● Business cards