| Interviewing? Carry a portfolio of goodies to win the | | | | two of your engineering or scientific work. For other |
| job. | | | | fields you need reports, graphs, and printouts and so |
| No, I don't mean candy or sweets. When you go on | | | | on. Writing skills are essential in any position so include |
| an interview you should have some idea of what the | | | | some pages of material that you are currently |
| prospective employer is looking for and what the job | | | | working on or have had published. Usually the first |
| duties are going to be. This is what they are planning | | | | couple of pages of a report, study or publication are |
| on buying from you. The skills necessary to perform | | | | sufficient. |
| the job are what you are selling. Take some | | | | Not only should you take this with you, you have to |
| examples of your skills and achievements with you | | | | pull it out and show it to the people you are |
| on the interview. As a recruiter with 30 years | | | | interviewing with to make it work. As strange as it |
| experience I can tell you that this one suggestion will | | | | may seem, I have had people take their portfolio |
| turn at least half your interviews into job offers. | | | | along and never put it on the table for discussion and |
| You can talk all you want about your skills and | | | | viewing. The portfolio is far more valuable as a talking |
| abilities, but the clincher will be to pull out some | | | | tool than it is for people to study for hours. Get |
| examples of your work. Copies of reports, memos, | | | | close to your interviewer on the same side of the |
| presentations, and a nice list of references will make | | | | table, look quickly through the material together, talk |
| your interview stand out and will get you | | | | about what you have done and point out your |
| remembered as the one candidate with show and tell | | | | examples in your binder. This will make it easy for |
| materials that prove he or she can do the job. This | | | | you to talk about your accomplishments and facilitate |
| article is about how to set up your Portfolio of | | | | your conversation. |
| Achievements. | | | | What if the interviewer or company wants a copy of |
| Start with a three ring binder with a white cover with | | | | your materials? Copies of your resume and reference |
| your name inside the plastic sleeve. Inside put in a | | | | list are ok, but beyond that say no; it is personal |
| dozen clear sheet protectors. Insert your materials | | | | information and possibly company data that you do |
| into the sheet protectors. For a person with a few | | | | not want copied. You are not supposed to be giving |
| years of experience you could have a binder with a | | | | away anything for free on an interview. |
| ¼ inch or ½ inch back. More than that | | | | Over the years I have modified my suggestion for a |
| and you are pushing the interviewer's patience. | | | | portfolio to include fewer basic materials like driver's |
| I suggest the following items in your portfolio: A | | | | licenses and basic computer course certificates, and |
| fresh copy of your resume, a list of three business | | | | more items relevant to today's business such as |
| references with their names and addresses and | | | | Excel charts and graphs or database lists. Vary the |
| phone numbers, a copy of your diploma, a copy of | | | | contents to suit what the prospective employer is |
| your transcript, and a copy of any letters of merit, | | | | doing and what that job entails. |
| at-a-boy letters or congratulatory messages. Also be | | | | Try this approach on your next shot at a career |
| careful to include items that specifically cover the | | | | move and see if it proves to be a valid assistant |
| duties outlined in the job posting or advertisement. If | | | | when you interview. Send me a message and let me |
| this is for a technical job then you need a page or | | | | know how it works out for you. |