Dazzle digitally
THE GOOD old two-page, print friendly résumé is facing stiff competition from a new kind of on-line document - the digital career portfolio. Don't get me wrong; the basic résumé is still very essential when it comes down to job-hunting, but having a digital career portfolio can definitely add that extra panache.
A digital portfolio can be a powerful tool in an employment or campus interview. The power of an electronic portfolio is that it is a visual medium. You don't have to restrict yourself to dry, boring facts about yourself.
You can instead help your reader witness your accomplishments and visualise your aspirations.
One portfolio artifact is worth more than a thousand words found in a job application or résumé-letter. Just imagine, how much more easier it would be to convince prospective employers of your credibility if you show them actual work samples rather than expecting the employer to believe what your résumé states. Or, instead of using mere words to describe your work, you could add scanned images from the work site. A well-organised, creative career portfolio can take the form of a visual proposal, a brochure, or a scrapbook-like traditional portfolio displayed either in print or in digital format (e.g. PowerPoint(r), PDF(r) files, multimedia documents).
There are no hard and fast rules about constructing a digital portfolio and you could experiment all you want with sounds, graphics, words, pictures as well as an entire range of multimedia options to effectively communicate your ideas, experiences, talents, and accomplishments. The possibilities of such a portfolio are only limited by your own creativity.
A career portfolio must include a cover page. Be as creative and innovative as you want with the graphics, sound and multimedia effects. The cover page has to catch the attention of the viewer (For the same reason, it shouldn't take far too much time to download). It should include links to other documents such as the résumé. You can have the résumé details on a single page or you can have individual links to headings such as contact information, work history, volunteer experience, education and training (detailed information), hobbies, references, etc.
You could also embellish your portfolios with additional nuggets like newspaper photographs or clippings, pictures of any awards you've received or links to articles that you have authored or a program you have developed, etc.
Not everybody will have the time to scrutinise your online portfolio. So also include a smart printer friendly version of your online résumé.
Career portfolios have other uses beyond job-hunting. While it is one way to dazzle prospective employers during interviews, it can be used creatively to promote a new idea or work assignment, as a tool for employee evaluation, or as part of a sales pitch.
A digital portfolio is as savvy as you can make it --carry it on your laptop, host it online or squeeze it into a sleek CD. Polish your shoes, straighten that tie, and there you are ready to dazzle digitally be it your employers, customers or clients anywhere and anytime.
BINDU SRIDHAR
faqs@cnkonline.com
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