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You can impress your hiring manager by bringing a well-articulated and polished portfolio to an interview. A portfolio can present potential employers with samples of your work as well as a detailed look at your abilities and qualifications. In this post, you’ll learn what a portfolio is, why you should have one, what to include in one, and how to put one together for a job interview.
What is a Portfolio?
A portfolio is a tool to showcase your skills and abilities while also documenting your career journey. It can be either a physical or digital compilation of your work and accomplishments.
Most job applications require a CV and cover letter, but a professional portfolio can help you stand out from the crowd. You can include a portfolio with your job application. You can also bring it up during your first interview to give companies a more detailed and concrete overview of your achievements.
Also Read: Personal Details In Resume: Do’s And Dont’s
Where To Use a Portfolio?
- A portfolio provides concrete evidence of your accomplishments, talents, and abilities to future employers. In addition, it demonstrates the breadth and depth of your experience and training.
- A portfolio is necessary for most creative occupations, including writing, web design, graphic design, advertising, photography, and videography.
- If you’re starting a new job and are expected to produce creative work, your employer will want to analyze and evaluate your previous project performance. It’s still a chance to differentiate out in industries where a portfolio isn’t expected.
- You may want to include slides, photos, or examples from previous work. Of course, be sure you’re not disclosing confidential information without permission.
What Does a Portfolio Include?
- Samples of your work are the most significant components to include in your professional portfolio. The types of examples you use will be determined by the field you operate in.
- Published articles or press releases, designs or artwork, ad creative, reports and surveys, project plans, evaluations, spreadsheets, teaching lesson plans, and more can all be included.
- Choose the items that best show off your abilities and range of experience. You can also include information about previous jobs you’ve worked for, especially if you’ve worked for any well-known companies.
- You should also include any distinctions or prizes you’ve obtained for your work in your portfolio.
Check out: Declaration in Resume for Freshers
How to Make a Portfolio?
Samples of your work, work in progress, certifications, awards, and other examples that highlight your professional experiences and skills may be included in an effective portfolio. There are a few things to bear in mind while constructing a portfolio, whether it’s a website, a presentation, or a hardcopy document. Here are some guidelines for putting together an effective portfolio:
Self-Introduction & Professional Background
Consider your portfolio’s introduction to be the start of your brand. Describe your top relevant talents, distinctive credentials, and other attributes that make you the best candidate for the job in one or two sentences.
Give a brief overview of your professional background after the introduction. This should be a visual representation of your education, training, and professional experience.
Apply STAR Method
Behavioral interview questions are frequently used by hiring managers to learn how you handled specific events in the past.
A recruiting manager, for example, might inquire about how you handle team issues. These questions might be difficult to answer, especially when recalling events from the past during an interview. You can use the STAR approach to prepare for these questions and provide detailed examples in your portfolio. The acronym STAR stands for:
- Situation: Recall the situation in which you encountered yourself.
- Task: Describe the task you were given.
- Action: Describe the actions you took.
- Result: Describe the outcomes you obtained.
Your Accomplishments
Third-party references include awards, recommendations, and other achievements. Include any statements provided by prior employers or clients attesting to your qualifications, personality, or work ethic. If you have received any awards or certifications, please be sure to include copies of these documents in your resume.
Your Goals
You should discuss your professional ambitions for the coming several years in this portion of your portfolio. This part can be used to reinforce your desire for the job by describing how it fits into your overall career goals and how your talents and experiences would benefit the company.
Finish with the most important topics
You can wrap up your portfolio with a short statement that summarises the most significant aspects about yourself, such as your contact information, top qualifications, and why you believe you’re the best fit for the job.
Are Portfolios And Resume The Same?
No, both are different in their own ways. A portfolio is not meant to replace your resume, but it can be used in combination or to supplement it.
A resume summarises your job history and experience, as well as your abilities and other credentials. A professional portfolio allows employers to have a more in-depth look at your work. It is a collection of work and other papers that potential employers might use to assess your abilities. When applying for a job, you might include a portfolio with your resume or present it during an interview.
| Professional Portfolio | Resume |
| Displays the real job you’ve completed.Usually several pages longIt is not usually required for employment applications. | Showcases your professional experience, skills, and other credentials.A typical page is one page long.Employers usually require this when applying for a job. |
| A Portfolio typically consists of:Statement of originalityWork Philosophy (Use STAR)Career Goals Resume Skill Areas | A Resume typically consists of:Contact DetailsPersonal summary Skills summaryWork ExperienceEducation and trainingHobbies |
Also Read: Difference between CV and Resume
FAQS
Collect your samples of work (Photos, Blogs, writings, sketches, etc.) depending on the job position. You can even email it online. This helps provide proof of your work and illustrates your skills which helps the interviewee know about your competence.
An education portfolio is a collection of your work and its impact on students. What is your teaching strategy? How well did your students score or how well are they able to understand through an educator’s teaching? These can be sampled through recommendations, videotapes, student records, etc. (please note: there must be mutual consent given by parents and children for the use of their records.)
Portfolio assessment means thoroughly checking and analysing your development with the help of past records. These records could be in the form of photos, videos, pictures, or basic entries.
We hope the information provided in this blog will help you while preparing for your next job interview. Stay tuned for more educational content. If you need assistance regarding creating your portfolio, contact our experts at Leverage Edu. Sign up for a free session today!
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