jobtalks building your career portfolio indiana university kelley school of business contents used...
TRANSCRIPT
02/13/02 MSU College of Social Science
JOBTALKSJOBTALKS
Building Your Career Portfolio
Indiana UniversityKelley School of Business
Contents used in this presentation are adapted from Career Planning Strategies and used with the permission of the author.
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The Career Portfolio
How to Present Yourself to How to Present Yourself to Potential EmployersPotential Employers
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DefinitionDefinition
A A portfolioportfolio is a documentation and is a documentation and demonstration of your accomplishments demonstration of your accomplishments representing growth in your skills and representing growth in your skills and understanding of those skills over time.understanding of those skills over time.
The portfolio not only documents your results but The portfolio not only documents your results but also also howhow you got there and you got there and whatwhat you learned in you learned in the process.the process.
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Employers are asking…Employers are asking…
““How much will you How much will you cost me to train?”cost me to train?”
““Can you keep your Can you keep your personal life in order personal life in order so that it does not so that it does not interfere with work?”interfere with work?”
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Employers are seeking…Employers are seeking…
Proof of current Proof of current relevant soft skillsrelevant soft skills
Real work samplesReal work samples
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Two Broad Categories of SkillsTwo Broad Categories of Skills
TransferableTransferable– across careers, jobs, across careers, jobs,
and industriesand industries
– organizationalorganizational
– interpersonalinterpersonal
– work-stylework-style
Work ContentWork Content– do a specific type of do a specific type of
jobjob
– immediate contributionimmediate contribution
– gained through course gained through course work and job work and job experienceexperience
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Employers Want the “Total Package”Employers Want the “Total Package”
Excellent communication skillsExcellent communication skills Technical proficiencyTechnical proficiency LeadershipLeadership TeamworkTeamwork Interpersonal skills and personal traitsInterpersonal skills and personal traits
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Portfolio AdvantagesPortfolio Advantages
Clearly shows your individuality, Clearly shows your individuality, personality, & skillspersonality, & skills
Speaks to your skills without your having to Speaks to your skills without your having to say directly “I’m good”say directly “I’m good”
The resume gets you the interview, the The resume gets you the interview, the portfolio gets you the jobportfolio gets you the job
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Steps for Assessing Your Major Steps for Assessing Your Major AccomplishmentsAccomplishments
1.1. What I Did?What I Did?2.2. What I Learned?What I Learned?3.3. What’s Next?What’s Next?
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#1: #1: What I Did?What I Did?
The first step is documentation The first step is documentation of events, activities, and skills of events, activities, and skills that have been accomplished.that have been accomplished.
It is a collection of your most It is a collection of your most important accomplishments, important accomplishments, both personal and professional.both personal and professional.
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# 1 Artifact# 1 Artifact
Choose a tangible item Choose a tangible item to exhibit the to exhibit the accomplishment or accomplishment or skill you have just skill you have just selected to showcaseselected to showcase
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Sample Artifacts for a PortfolioSample Artifacts for a Portfolio Career & professional Career & professional
development goals development goals Resumes/Cover lettersResumes/Cover letters Your work philosophyYour work philosophy Self-assessment records Self-assessment records TranscriptsTranscripts Work historyWork history Skill areas Skill areas Works in progress Works in progress
(activities and projects) (activities and projects) Work & learning Work & learning
samplessamples Work term reportsWork term reports Certificates, diplomas, Certificates, diplomas,
degrees, & awardsdegrees, & awards
Professional Professional memberships & servicememberships & service
Records of community Records of community service/volunteer work service/volunteer work (brochures, letters of (brochures, letters of recognition, etc.) recognition, etc.)
Newspaper clippings Newspaper clippings featuring you featuring you
Letters of appreciation Letters of appreciation Photographs/MediaPhotographs/Media Networking contactsNetworking contacts Letters of Letters of
recommendation/ recommendation/ referencesreferences
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#2: #2: What I Learned?What I Learned?
The next step is going back and looking at each The next step is going back and looking at each entry and writing “statements” identifying and entry and writing “statements” identifying and explaining the purpose of each piece of explaining the purpose of each piece of evidence so that the entries are meaningful evidence so that the entries are meaningful when reviewed by others.when reviewed by others.
These statements should also contain reflective These statements should also contain reflective comments about your learning.comments about your learning.
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#3: #3: What’s Next?What’s Next?
Review each entry Review each entry View as springboard to future learningView as springboard to future learning Revisit and examine work accomplishedRevisit and examine work accomplished Professional and personal growth Professional and personal growth Assimilate information into Assimilate information into
“ “skills and achievements” skills and achievements”
for resume and interview processfor resume and interview process
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Sample Arrangement of Sample Arrangement of Career Portfolio SectionsCareer Portfolio Sections
Management philosophyManagement philosophy Professional goalsProfessional goals ResumeResume Work samples by skill areasWork samples by skill areas Works in progress Works in progress Community service (transferable skills)Community service (transferable skills) Professional membershipsProfessional memberships Degrees, certifications & awardsDegrees, certifications & awards ReferencesReferences
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Sections: Philosophy and GoalsSections: Philosophy and Goals
Mgmt Philosophy-brief description of your Mgmt Philosophy-brief description of your beliefs about yourself and the industry beliefs about yourself and the industry (Career Objective Statement)(Career Objective Statement)
Career Goals-professional goals for the next Career Goals-professional goals for the next 2-5 years2-5 years
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Section: ResumeSection: Resume
Your resume provides Your resume provides a brief summary of a brief summary of your education and your education and experiences.experiences.
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Section: Skill AreasSection: Skill Areas Skill areas-tabbed sections containing information Skill areas-tabbed sections containing information
on your skills and experiences relating to specific on your skills and experiences relating to specific areasareas– MarketingMarketing– People ManagementPeople Management– TechnologyTechnology
Target skills desired by companies you are Target skills desired by companies you are interviewinginterviewing– Job advertisementsJob advertisements– Job descriptionsJob descriptions
Focus on measurable skillsFocus on measurable skills– Technical skillsTechnical skills– Soft skillsSoft skills
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SSkill Areas Employers kill Areas Employers Want from Recent GraduatesWant from Recent Graduates
AnalyticalAnalytical CommunicationCommunication (Oral & Written) (Oral & Written)
Computer SkillsComputer Skills CreativityCreativity Decision MakingDecision Making FlexibilityFlexibility InterpersonalInterpersonal LeadershipLeadership
ListeningListening Multicultural Multicultural
UnderstandingUnderstanding OrganizationalOrganizational Problem SolvingProblem Solving ResearchResearch TeamworkTeamwork Time ManagementTime Management
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Work SamplesWork Samples
Work sample-physical examples of your Work sample-physical examples of your workwork– One for every skillOne for every skill
– Projects, reportsProjects, reports
– Real work samples preferable to school projectsReal work samples preferable to school projects
How do I get them?How do I get them?– What are you good at doing?What are you good at doing?
– Rummage through your stuff at home and at Rummage through your stuff at home and at work for sampleswork for samples
– Plan to secure work samplesPlan to secure work samples
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Propriety on Work SamplesPropriety on Work Samples
Do I need to get permission to take copies Do I need to get permission to take copies of my work?of my work?– If you signed a confidentiality agreementIf you signed a confidentiality agreement– If you are a contractor or employeeIf you are a contractor or employee
Use the templates of your workUse the templates of your work Do NOT share proprietary or personal Do NOT share proprietary or personal
informationinformation Do share letters, customer comments, class Do share letters, customer comments, class
or workshop projectsor workshop projects
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Section: Additional ProofSection: Additional Proof
Works in Progress-brief list of works, Works in Progress-brief list of works, activities, projects or efforts that are on-activities, projects or efforts that are on-going.going.
Letters of Recommendation-support or Letters of Recommendation-support or reference that verify your abilities in a reference that verify your abilities in a certain skill areacertain skill area
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Section: Transferable SkillsSection: Transferable Skills
SourcesSources– Community serviceCommunity service– Volunteer organizationsVolunteer organizations– Avocations (intense hobbies)Avocations (intense hobbies)– Intramural activitiesIntramural activities
ArtifactsArtifacts– Letters of recognitionLetters of recognition– Photos of projects completedPhotos of projects completed– Programs and brochuresPrograms and brochures
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Transferable Skills Support…Transferable Skills Support…
Soft skillsSoft skills– TeamworkTeamwork– Presentation skillsPresentation skills– Communication skillsCommunication skills– AttitudeAttitude– LeadershipLeadership– OthersOthers
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Section: Professional GrowthSection: Professional Growth
Memberships-member Memberships-member cards, citations, letterscards, citations, letters
CertificationsCertifications Diplomas, Degrees, or Diplomas, Degrees, or
Awards-copies of Awards-copies of actual recognition actual recognition receivedreceived
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Section: Reference MaterialsSection: Reference Materials
Academic Plan of Study-list of courses and Academic Plan of Study-list of courses and what you learned in themwhat you learned in them
Faculty and Employer Biographies-Faculty and Employer Biographies-descriptions of the people whose signatures descriptions of the people whose signatures appear throughout—who are they, what do appear throughout—who are they, what do they dothey do
References-list of people who can verify References-list of people who can verify your character, academic record or your character, academic record or employment historyemployment history
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Showcase Tips: Paper PortfolioShowcase Tips: Paper Portfolio
Include an Include an introduction and table introduction and table of contents of contents
Organize work Organize work samples into skill samples into skill areasareas
Keep to a consistent Keep to a consistent formatformat
Don't include original Don't include original documents documents
Don't punch holes in Don't punch holes in your documents your documents
Number sheet Number sheet protectors, not protectors, not contentscontents
Use quality paper & Use quality paper & captions to enhance captions to enhance
Create all text on Create all text on computercomputer
Use a high-quality printerUse a high-quality printer Don't use too many fontsDon't use too many fonts Be creativeBe creative Tailor your portfolio to Tailor your portfolio to
include only relevant include only relevant information to the information to the opportunity you are opportunity you are seeking seeking
Observe a maximum Observe a maximum length of 10-15 artifactslength of 10-15 artifacts
Consider having a copy of Consider having a copy of your portfolio or important your portfolio or important parts of it to leave behind parts of it to leave behind with an employer with an employer
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When Is It Appropriate to Present When Is It Appropriate to Present Your PortfolioYour Portfolio
In an InterviewIn an Interview– To illustrate skills you are asked to describeTo illustrate skills you are asked to describe
– As concrete proof of your accomplishments as they As concrete proof of your accomplishments as they relate to the opportunity at handrelate to the opportunity at hand(Generally do not send with your application package (Generally do not send with your application package
unless requested.)unless requested.)
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And Also…And Also…
In a Job Performance EvaluationIn a Job Performance Evaluation– To remind the employer of your contributions and To remind the employer of your contributions and
accomplishmentsaccomplishments
– Focus on the time since your last reviewFocus on the time since your last review
– Include career highlights, works in progress, Include career highlights, works in progress, group/individual achievementsgroup/individual achievements
– Give to supervisor 2-3 weeks before reviewGive to supervisor 2-3 weeks before review
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Hard Copy vs Electronic Hard Copy vs Electronic
HARD COPYHARD COPY Introduces oneselfIntroduces oneself Answers questions Answers questions
during interviewduring interview Summarizes Summarizes
qualificationsqualifications
ELECTRONICELECTRONIC To compete for an To compete for an
interviewinterview As additional research As additional research
for candidatesfor candidates As follow-upAs follow-up
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It’s alive!...... It’s alive!......
Whether hard copy or electronic…..Whether hard copy or electronic…..
A portfolio is a “living thing” in that it will grow as your A portfolio is a “living thing” in that it will grow as your career progressescareer progresses
You will want to limit the portfolio offerings you actually You will want to limit the portfolio offerings you actually use in any given a situation to the requirements of that use in any given a situation to the requirements of that particular job or performance interviewparticular job or performance interview
Sometimes too much is just too much – limit what you bring Sometimes too much is just too much – limit what you bring to an interview to carefully targeted portfolio itemsto an interview to carefully targeted portfolio items
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Online PortfoliosOnline Portfolios
Idea 1: Idea 1: Online resumesOnline resumes Idea 2: Linked resumesIdea 2: Linked resumes Idea 3: Online portfolio Idea 3: Online portfolio
collectionscollections
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Online Examples of Career Portfolios
Basic Online Resume: http://www.guidesign.com/tammy/index.htmThis format is virtually identical to a paper-based resume format. Note lack of internal links.
Web Designer's Portfolio: http://www.carteret.com/mikefahyA linked resume with good example of integrating work samples within a web site.
Graphic Designer's Portfolio: http://www.6869.com/resume/index.htmlA classic online portfolio with clean, simple design and great graphics.
Portfolio For Self-Employment: http://careerlifeconsulting.comCheck out Joan Richard's on-line portfolio that promotes her company, CareerLife Consulting Services.
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Purposes of the PortfolioPurposes of the Portfolio
Self-assessment: who you are and what you Self-assessment: who you are and what you want to dowant to do
Repository for necessary documents: keeps Repository for necessary documents: keeps everything for the career togethereverything for the career together
Interviewing tool: sell yourselfInterviewing tool: sell yourself Performance appraisal tool: show Performance appraisal tool: show
supervisor your work strengthssupervisor your work strengths
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In SummaryIn Summary
You can use a portfolio to manage both You can use a portfolio to manage both your professional or career assets and your professional or career assets and showcase your potential.showcase your potential.
The very act of organizing your portfolio The very act of organizing your portfolio brings clarity to your career direction.brings clarity to your career direction.
This process requires reflection & analysis.This process requires reflection & analysis. When you sequence your samples in your When you sequence your samples in your
portfolio, you begin thinking more broadly portfolio, you begin thinking more broadly about your collection of talents. You think about your collection of talents. You think more deeply about who you are.more deeply about who you are.
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Collect NOW – Sort laterCollect NOW – Sort later
Set up your systemSet up your system– CalendarCalendar– Designated collection pointDesignated collection point
Schedule your self-review timesSchedule your self-review times Sort laterSort later Think Ahead—you are worth it!Think Ahead—you are worth it!