What is a Portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of items that show what you’ve learned,
what you know, and what you can do. It takes time and effort to develop a
portfolio, but it is simple to maintain over the years. The process of
developing and updating your portfolio will help you to reflect on what you
have accomplished and what you would like to do in the future.
Career portfolios are used to plan, organize and document education, work samples, and skills. People use career portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college or training programs, get a higher
salary, show transferable skills, and track development. They are
more in-depth than a resume,
which is used to summarize the above in one or two pages. Career portfolios serve
as proof of one's skills, abilities, and potential in the future. Career portfolios are
becoming common in high schools,
colleges, and workforce development. Many school programs will have students
create, update, and use a career portfolio before
moving on to the next level in life.
Career
portfolios help with a job or
acceptance into higher education institutes. A career portfolio should
be personal and contain critical information. Items that should be included
include (but are not limited to) personal information, evaluations, sample
work, and awards and acknowledgments. Career portfolios are
often kept in a simple three-ring binder or online as an electronic portfolio and updated
often. A career portfolio is used
as a marketing tool in selling oneself for personal advancement. In some
industries, employers or admission offices commonly request a career portfolio, so
it is a wise idea to have an updated one on hand.
1. What is a Personal and Career Portfolio?
A
Personal and Career Portfolio is an organized collection of evidence that shows
your accomplishments both in and out of school.
A
portfolio contains samples of your work that exhibit and reveal the quality and
variety of your learning, your accomplishments, your skills, and your
experiences.
Is a portfolio the same as a résumé?
A portfolio
differs from a résumé in the following key ways:
•
A résumé is usually only 1 – 3 pages in length and is meant to summarize your accomplishments.
A
portfolio most often contains many pages and is meant to show evidence of a
wide
variety
of your accomplishments.
•
A résumé tells someone what you have accomplished.
A
portfolio shows someone what you have accomplished.
2. What Are the Steps to Developing a Personal and Career Portfolio?
A. Gather Your
Evidence
Collect
the information and records that show your interests, involvements, and
achievements.
B. Organize Your
Portfolio
Arrange
your evidence into sections that will help someone else see what you have
accomplished.
C. Assemble Your
Portfolio
Format
and compile your portfolio so it is easier for someone else to read and
understand the information you have gathered.
D. A Final Check
You
have much to be proud of in your portfolio. Check that it has updated
information and that it shows your work in the best possible light.
How Will a Portfolio Help Me?
A portfolio can help you to:
• assess your knowledge and skills
• prepare for interviews
• review and evaluate past experiences and
learning
• present your knowledge and skills
• highlight your transferrable skills
• increase your personal confidence
• be more competitive in today’s labor market
• illustrate how your qualifications have
progressed
• set career and education goals
• keep an ongoing record of skills and
achievements
• identify areas that require further study
• create a system for documenting your
accomplishments and results
How Can I Use It?
A portfolio can be used in various situations.
Once you’ve built your portfolio, you can customize it for different purposes
or audiences by adding or removing items. You can use a portfolio when you want
to:
1.
identify skills and knowledge
·
show examples of
learning
·
develop and track
learning outcomes
·
record
self-assessment results
·
collect course
work samples
·
help ease
transitions from school to work
2.
identify new options and choices
·
take stock of your
knowledge and skills and identify other opportunities
3.
recognize a need or desire for further learning
·
advance within
your organization
·
conduct a personal
assessment (ex: identify gaps in training)
4.
plan a career and learn about yourself
·
identify skills o
explore career options
·
make
decisions
·
search for a job
·
market and promote
yourself to employers
·
develop a targeted
resume to prepare for an interview
·
support knowledge,
skills, abilities, accomplishments, and personal characteristics referred to in
your cover letter and resume
5.
gain credit in
post-secondary institutions
·
challenge courses
in academic or skills training programs
·
get credit toward
a high school diploma
·
earn credits for
occupational or professional licensing and certification