Cheatsheet: Portfolio & Leave Behind Piece

01. What Is A Portfolio?

A portfolio showcasing your work & accomplishments is often helpful in finding a job, selling your works, gaining credibility and communicating your strengths during a meeting.

What does a portfolio contain?

Here are some examples – your paintings, writings, photographs, press clippings, drawings, training materials, awards, samples of your works, case studies, copies of your resume, testimonials, letters of toolkit and other artifacts related to your work. Above all it contains your contact information or business card.

Include a broad sample of your works since different people may be interested in different things.

Where do you present your portfolio?

On your website/blog
In a CD (to show during the interview)
In a presentation binder

How do you present your portfolio?

Organize your portfolio so you can walk your prospective client/employer through the contents easily.
During the interview, only show your portfolio if it feels right and the interviewers seem in a recxeptive mood.
Make sure you first understand what your audience likes and is interested in.
Before starting to showcase – let the listener know how much time you will take.
Think of something fun and interesting to say about each artifact in your portfolio.

Can you use your portfolio to tell a story?

Examples:

How you began your journey
How you overcame hudles and unexpected challenges.
Artifacts in your portfolio which are reminders of something which surprising.
Artifacts in your portfolio which are specially relevant for the job you are applying.

02. Portfolio Examples

Business professionals: A booklet with different sections containing artifacts which highlight your achievements. The sections could be press releases, newspaper/magazine articles, customer testimonials & , recommendation letters, industry presentations, case studies, awards. You could choose an appropriate name for this portfolio – for example… Industry Profile etc.
Accountants, Bookkeepers:letters of recommendations, printouts of reports you prepare, data volume you handle everyday and the software systems for it,certifications etc
Architect: small models of buildings you have built, engineering diagrams etc
Artists: examples of your works etc

03. What’s your ‘Leave Behind Piece’ ?

A leave-behind piece is an eye-catching, unexpected artifact (eg. someprinted material) that can be left with a new contact or interviewer. There are many types of leave-behind pieces that you can use to make a lasting impression, keep your persoonal brand in your client’s minds, and eventually lead to another interview or job offer. These materials should complement your resume and your online presence.

You could even have your leave behind pieces delivered with a thank you note.

Here are some examples:

Leave Behind pieces are most effective with create professionals. If you are an artist you can have a set of three cards – prints of your paintings – which you can leave with your art agent, gallery owner etc.
If you are a business professional, sales person, executive etc – you may have a more difficult challenge designing a meaningful leave behind piece. However it is always possible to come up with something authentic which is consistent with your image.

One executive’s leave behind piece was a small laminated card – the size of playing cards. The card contained 3 quotes which the executive had highlighed as his personal mantra. On the opposite side the caard had the executive’s website address. This card was an effective means of reminding contacts of the key points the executive had made during the interview.