Lesson 19 — Activity 3: Starting a Portfolio

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In the last activity, you thought about the general content that is included in a portfolio. In this activity, you will start organizing some of your materials and ideas into a collection of items for your portfolio.

It is important that your portfolio be visually appealing and easy to read. You will be judged by employers by the overall look and layout of the portfolio.

There are three main areas to focus on to organize the information for your portfolio:

basic skills
thinking skills
personal and social qualities

There are several options for organizing these categories. When choosing these options, keep in mind that developing a portfolio is an ongoing exercise. Whatever format you choose needs to be one that is flexible and adaptable enough for you to be able to add (and sometimes remove!) material regularly. Some options for organizing your portfolio include the following:

a binder
a folder
a file box
an electronic file

Any of these options will provide you with a means to organize your materials and keep copies of your information safe and neat.

It is a fact that employers want employees who can communicate, solve problems, and work well with others. Therefore, your portfolio must stress these ideas.

In the basic skills section, the major portion of your portfolio will focus on showing your communication skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Remember, this is your opportunity to show off accomplishments you are proud of that will help you get the job.

To show that you have these basic skills, your portfolio may include such items as:

an official copy of your school marks
certificates or awards
samples of your writing
letters of appreciation
letters from organizations that you participate in
courses that you have completed in areas of technology
science fair projects
work experience projects

The thinking skills section involves items that will show your creative thinking, decision making, and problem-solving skills.

Some examples of thinking skills include:

websites created
program of an event you helped plan
samples of artwork or newsletters that you have worked on
description of a class project or special project you completed

Including a personal and social qualities section in your portfolio is also important. These skills allow you to work well with co-workers and supervisors. They demonstrate that you are able to make valuable decisions and show your employer you can be honest and co-operative. These could include such skills as being responsible, being honest, having self-confidence, being a team player, being on time, being co-operative, and showing that you have the ability to be flexible.

Some evidence of positive personal qualities might include:

completion of a project done within a time deadline

participation in a new organization

recommendations from previous employers who can testify about your character

recommendations from teachers and other school staff who have knowledge of your performance on completing assignments and taking tests

documentation of extra-curricular activities

Click on the Play button below to watch a video on creating a job portfolio.