3 Reasons Why All Students Need A Career Portfolio
By Sarah H on Updated:
Let’s face it. Searching and applying for jobs via an ad in a newspaper is now considered a fairy tale. It’s not just about answering that one ad anymore to get visibility and build a career. One must network, build their personal brand and show either our potential employers or administrators or panel that we are someone to watch.
In addition, you need to have an updated career portfolio included in your plan to shine whether it be to a potential employer, application panel or even applying for that next college scholarship. Your portfolio tells everyone your story about where you are coming from, what you have done and what you want to achieve. You need a portfolio to visually paint a picture and here’s why :
Visual’s are Eye catching. Today we are in a time that is all about visual tactics. With a huge stack of applications on their desk, most admissions workers would appreciate something that stands out from the rest. Think about it: Would you reach for the resume with a wall of text OR a provided visual profile of a candidate?
When people hear information, they usually remember only about 10% of it after three days. However, pairing the same information with a relevant image helps people remember up to 65% of it after three days ( source ) .
Standard resumes just don’t cut it anymore. These no longer get that “wow ” factor that employers or college admissions workers are looking for. We need them but they don’t tell your entire story. Adding a portfolio allows you to ad more to such as achievements ( winning a competition), images, volunteering experience etc.
A story MEANS something. Your personal story means something. This shapes not only who you are as an applicant, but who you are as a person. When you show your portfolio, we get a clearer picture of you. Think of it like a character on your favorite TV show. Just like them, a full backstory helps you to understand their motivation and what drives them or “makes them tick” .
Your portfolio can show how well you work with others, focuses on what your specialties are, and can even show how well you would fit in to the culture you are applying to be a part of whether its a school environment, a job or a summer internship.
What do you think? What are some other reasons a career portfolio is needed for students?