By Benjamin Roehlke, Staff Writer
The Adulting 101 session held this week by Susquehanna’s Center for Academic Achievement was titled “Make Your Portfolio Pop.” The session focused on how to create a portfolio to enhance your career profile and resume. The panel was presented by lecturer in communications Linda Burkley.
To start the session, Burkley discussed the benefits of creating a portfolio, and called it “A visual extension of your resume”. She then went on to discuss the benefits of having both a digital portfolio as well as a hard copy portfolio.
Burkley said that having a digital portfolio allows for increased accessibility as well as portability, and can give an increased opportunity to be creative and show skillfulness through technology.
Students who add a portfolio to their arsenal of qualifications can stand out quite a bit from the rest of a crowd.
During the session, Burkley told us that fifty six percent of all hiring managers are more impressed by a candidate’s personal website or portfolio than any other branding tool, and only seven percent of job seekers have either a portfolio or a web page. By starting now, it can increase your chances of receiving a job offer significantly.
Burkley stressed the importance of online profiles when searching for a job. She stated that if at all possible, a personal website should be the centerpiece of your online presence. However, if you have little experience with website building and coding, a great place to start to build your online presence in addition to Linkedin, is “About me”, which is somewhat of an online biography to attract potential employers so that they might better understand your interests, lifestyle, and other information you choose to share.
Burkley stated that there are various ways to organize a portfolio, and it is best to tailor your portfolio to fit your situation. Some examples she gave were: Chronologically, in which you would start with current pieces, and work backwards or forwards to show skill progression.
Another way that help with your portfolio would be media specific. This option is where you would focus on media that is required for the position you are applying for.
Lastly, Burkley showcased the industry organization op- tion, in which case you would highlight and focus on works that reflect skills sought after in the industry.
Some must-haves that Burkley insisted be included into a portfolio are: your resume, contact information, professional headline focusing on what sets you apart from competitors, links to websites and online media, testimonials, endorsements, and recommendations.
She also said that it may be beneficial to include pieces that reflect your ongoing work effort.
Burkley said, “…each discipline is different, but be sure to use your best work and ensure your samples are free of errors; start strong, and end strong.”
After the session, Burkley voiced some of her thoughts on the Adulting 101 workshops, specifically relating to the career development aspects.
Berkley said, “I think it’s important for students to be able to see what other students are doing, and what other disciplines are doing, and to fully understand career development opportunities that are here and can be taken advantage of before they get out into the real world.”
The Center for Academic Achievement wants everyone to know about the importance of these sessions. These sessions cover anything from the necessary skills of filing taxes or filling out a check to learning proper eating etiquette for elegant or business dinners. They also covered travel.
To keep students informed about upcoming Adulting 101 workshops and other events for the Center for Academic Achievement, students regularly receive updates from Ginny Larson, the Associate Director of Academic Achievement and Junior and Senior Experience, to their student email accounts.
