Talking Usability: The Power of a Portfolio

I learned early in my career to always bring a few copies of my résumé and writing samples to a job interview. On a few occasions, interviewers did not have a copy of my résumé and I had no proof about the work I had done. In one instance, I pulled the documents out of my attaché case like a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat-and recited the magic word, “Abracadabra!” The interviewer was not impressed and I did not get the job. What could I have done differently to better present myself to a prospective employer? I researched articles about how to best prepare for an interview and learned that I should have a portfolio.

A portfolio is a compilation of materials that exemplifies skills, qualifications, education, training, and experiences. The typical portfolio at least one copy of a résumé, copies of certifications, diplomas from colleges and universities, official transcripts of courses, letters of commendation or thanks, certificates of awards and honors, company newsletter articles that address a personal achievement, employment history, and writing samples of (published) articles. Keep your résumé up-to-date with every significant achievement and your portfolio up-to-date with an artifact of that achievement.

The contents of the portfolio should always fit the position. If you are a trainer then you want to include videos of your training sessions (save the recording to a USB drive and give it to prospective employers during the interview). If you design websites then you want to show diagrams of the website’s navigation, layout, and design. If you write proposals then you want to include excerpts of proposals you have written (remove proprietary and confidential information). These are a few ideas to get you thinking about your skills and how to showcase them.

How you design and structure the portfolio demonstrates your knowledge of Information Architecture. For example, use a table of contents to identify the topics, tabs to separate topics, color for diagrams and graphs, and a richly designed binding to bundle the documents. The more professional the portfolio appears, the more likely the interviewer will make positive assumptions about the quality of your work. Do not hesitate to ask interviewers for suggestions on how to improve the portfolio.

An interviewer will meet with several people in the quest to find the right candidate for the job, so it’s important to leave an indelible memory. The portfolio is your best tool to make a lasting impression.●

One Reply to “Talking Usability: The Power of a Portfolio”

  1. Nowadays, your website and/or LinkedIn profile is your portfolio, especially if you’re freelancing – freelancers often work with clients from all over the country – even all over the world – whom we never meet in person, so something substantive that people can view online is essential to success. Even recruiters or employers for jobs that will involve in-person interviews tend to look online for information about candidates before scheduling those interviews. Keep that in mind if you’re job-hunting or thinking about freelancing.

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