Step 1: Preparing to look for work
Your career portfolio
What is it?
A career portfolio is a collection of information about yourself, which will help you to look at career options, identify your skills, and make decisions and plans.
A career portfolio is a personal collection of materials that documents your:
- work history
- professional development
- achievements
- employability skills
- career plans
- job applications and related information.
Building a career portfolio involves reflection and analysis. Through the process of putting together a career portfolio you will develop a greater awareness of your life, learning and work competencies, and produce a product that communicates your achievements and capabilities to others.
Your career portfolio can support you in your transition through and beyond school to further learning and work. It will change as your life changes so even when you are working, keep your portfolio current.
What is in it?
The types of things that you can put in your portfolio include résumés, cover letters, certificates, reference letters and referee lists, educational achievement records, awards, previous applications, personal and career plans, and job descriptions. More specific items can be added, depending on your particular field of interest.
TIP
Anything you save and organise now will help you prepare for a future job search or career transition.
What are employers looking for?
You can use your career portfolio to identify the technical and employability skills that you can use in your work and career journey.
In addition to qualifications and technical skills, employers are often interested in what they describe as ‘employability skills’ when deciding who to employ and who to promote within their organisations.
Australian employers have identified eight groups of skills and a list of personal attributes that they consider to be essential to successful workplace performance regardless of where you work or what work you do. Having these skills and attributes will likely also lead to enjoyment and success in other areas of your life.
This is not an exhaustive list but it is a good start. Remember that through your portfolio you will be able to demonstrate how you have developed and used these employability skills and attributes. Be mindful of them in your phone calls, cover letters, job applications and interviews.