A professional portfolio is a well-organized collection of pertinent documents and artifacts that displays one’s abilities, most relevant skills and tracks professional development. An e-portfolio can be online electronic learning record that assists students in developing self-awareness as they reflect on their learning. It collects a student's learning journey across time, including reflections and goals. It is vital to create a professional portfolio to exhibit instances of one's qualifications. A portfolio is viewed as an extension of a resume or curriculum vitae, not as a replacement for either (Jenner, 2018). A portfolio allows a person to explain who they are, what life goals and beliefs they support, and what they want the public to know about them.
A professional e-portfolio is made up of different components. The portfolio should be arranged in an organized fashion, with each item well-listed and details provided to make it easy for the audience to sift through the necessary information. A cover page, table of contents, credentials, introduction, goals and objectives, and honors/awards, if any, are all essential components in a portfolio (Kämpfert & Schwarz, 2018). In a portfolio, the cover page acts as a representation of the author. It is put at the front of the portfolio and is the first thing the audience sees when they open the portfolio. Some guidelines must be followed, but most of the time, the author is free to choose whatever appeals to them. A cover page provides essential information about the document by introducing it with a title, an image, or both.
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Another element is the table of contents, which is an orderly collection of the document's chapters, sections, and, in some instances, figures, with page numbers noted. All front matter, main text, and back matter, as well as the headings and page numbers of all other sections and the bibliography, should be listed in the table of contents (Ekholm, 2014). It is essential to orient the reader. It provides the reader with a roadmap to the content of the e-portfolio as breaking up writing into manageable sections and parts make it easier to digest for the readers. The introduction part of the portfolio is essential, as it provides a brief explanation about the owner and offers to answer the reasons for preparing the portfolio. A professional introduction should give a short biography and the contact information of the owner. This information is crucial as it provides the reader with an insight into the reasons for developing the portfolio.
The Credentials in a portfolio include components of a resume, transcripts, and referees. This section provides information on career summary, job objectives, and contact information about the author of the portfolio. A proper transcript shows records of all academic courses attempted by the author during the entire academic career. It provides an essential piece of data required to evaluate whether the author qualifies for an opportunity or not. A professional portfolio must also contain the goals and objectives of the author, which should be clearly stated, whether for long-term or short-term effects (Jenner, 2018). Should the author possess awards, they should as well be listed in the portfolio. Awards serve as proof of commitment and exceptional achievements that the individual has achieved in the past years. It provides a good image and a hardworking character across the eyes of the reader.
My professional E-portfolio
I would develop my professional e-portfolio in a well presentable manner to make it stand out amongst many others, to enable me to secure a professional opportunity. To make it unique, I would arrange it in sections, with each unit carrying vital information that my employer would wish to know about me. I would make sure that it meets the world academic standards and add my own created sections to add that extra information that would make me competitive amongst many other applications from individuals of the same career.
To be specific, my portfolio would comprise of a welcome summary, career profile, work samples, awards and honors, additional education, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and finalize it with reasons why I am the best fit for the opportunity. The welcome summary would contain an overview of what the employer will find in my portfolio. The outline would be good enough to collect relevant information about my portfolio. I would design it to possess the three primary objectives of accuracy, conciseness, and objectivity. My career profile would provide a brief statement about myself. I would make it powerful to highlight my accomplishments and skills. It would help me show the employer at a glance that I am qualified for the opportunity.
Including work samples would be critical, as it serves as evidence that I understand the nature of the opportunity that I am seeking. Work samples would highlight my past and similar projects that I have done before. Employers seek individuals with fast experience, and attaching work samples would serve me the upper hand of grabbing the opportunity. It is also essential that my portfolio presents itself with the honors and awards that I have previously earned in the different perspectives of my career. The awards prove a dedicated individual, who should therefore be awarded the job opportunity at hand.
It would also be essential to include my list of additional education in my portfolio. It shows the job-specific training that I have undertaken and is particularly relevant for the opportunity. Providing reasons why I am the best fit for the chance makes it easier for the employer to single out particular advantages that I bring to the company that is not present in the other applicants. Details of my previous volunteer activities would do me a favor, as they serve as proof of my commitment to serving the community. Employers seek committed individuals who work with minimum supervision and are willing to work the extra mile towards realizing the organization's goals and targets.
To conclude, the components contained in a professional e-portfolio should also be present in my portfolio. My portfolio should technically fit into the standards and requirements of a professional portfolio. It would be designed in an easier way to understand and highlight unique qualifications that will give me an advantage over the other applicants seeking the same opportunity.
References
Ekholm, A. G. (2014). Components of Portfolio Variance: R2, SelectionShare and TimingShare. SSRN Electronic Journal .
Jenner, S. (2018). Portfolio-level benefits management. The Handbook of Project Portfolio Management , 302-313.
Kämpfert, K., & Schwarz, A. (2018). Identifying, selecting and prioritizing the portfolio components. The Handbook of Project Portfolio Management , 248-257.
