How to Win the Job Interview: A Career Portfolio Defends Your Career

By Laura DeCarlo

Smart job seekers know that they have to prepare for the interview to know how to sell themselves, handle challenging questions, and overcome concerns in their histories or experience levels.

However, only about 3-5% of active job seekers have catapulted their way to the top by the savvy strategy of creating and leveraging a career portfolio.

So few job seekers use portfolios because most job seekers do not realize the value, do not know what to put in a portfolio, or just do not want to take the time to assemble one. Because so many don't use the portfolio, this is a fantastic way to stand out in the interviewing process.

However, there is also another added gold star for your career in maintaining a portfolio – you are better able to talk about your accomplishments, more prepared for updating your resume since the information is at hand, and ready to position yourself for your next promotion or annual evaluation! Why wouldn’t you want to spend the little extra time it takes to create a powerful portfolio?

What Is a Career Portfolio?

For most it will be a 3-ring binder with plastic page protector sheets and categorized tabs where you record the milestones of your career. For others, it might be a virtual web portfolio that can be stored on a CD or hard drive as well for portability and review.

The elements of a portfolio can vary widely but frequently are composed of items such as:

• Resume
• Cover Letter
• Reference Page
• Copies of Letters of Recommendation
• Copies of Educational Certificates, Certifications, Licenses and Degrees
• Copies of Transcripts
• Copies of Awards, Honors, or other Recognition Items
• Samples of Work or Summaries of Projects. This could include a report you wrote, a print out of a spreadsheet you designed, a flow chart, a test you took, a project summary, a flowchart, etc.
• Positive employment evaluations.

Your portfolio leaves room for creativity so do not be afraid to include resources that demonstrate your expertise. For instance, a new graduate with a programming specialty might include a list of every programming function he can perform with a certain tool or language. A sales person might include a sample newsletter he created or photos of himself receiving trophies when there are no paper awards to insert in the portfolio.

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Take advantage of this fantastic opportunity to stand out from the competition. The portfolio will: 

• Show samples of your work to the employer. If you are a new graduate, this is of further value in demonstrating hands-on abilities gained from coursework and projects.
• Help you visually add to your interview answers - a major bonus if you are nervous or concerned about your ability to communicate your value effectively in the interview process.
• Provide an impressive method of showcasing your accomplishments, training, and experiences.
• Do the talking for you!

Bottom Line

It is never too late to start saving and/or creating documents for your new portfolio! It will be worth the effort next time you find yourself competing for your next promotion or new job.

How to Successfully Answer Typical Job Interview Questions:

• Answering: What Is Your Greatest Weakness?
• Answering: Tell Me About Yourself
• Answering: Why Do You Want to Work Here?
• Answering: Why Should We Hire You?
• Answering: Do You Have Any Questions?
• Answering: What Do You Know About Us?
• Guide to Successful Job Interviews -- more articles to help you succeed at job interviewing

For laughs -- and some insight -- read 30 Bad Answers to Job Interview Questions.