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One of the problems that a lot of students have is that they do not have something to show employers when they arrive at interviews. Many will have had little or no employment history and they will also likely be lacking in professional courses. This means that it can be difficult for them to separate themselves from all the other students looking for work. One possible solution to this is the college integration portfolio.
What is a College Integration Portfolio?
A college integration portfolio is a collection of documents that a graduate can bring with them when applying for jobs. It includes examples of their college work that is able to demonstrate their skills and knowledge. Employers are often unaware of the extent that university will challenge students and prepare them for the world of work. This college portfolio can be used as evidence of the student’s development and it gives the employer a good excuse to offer the candidate a job. At the very least it shows that the applicant is taking the interview seriously and that there years of study do count for something.
How to Write a College Integration Portfolio
Here are a few tips for writing a college integration portfolio:
- A college portfolio is not meant to replace the curriculum vitae. In fact the CV is at the heart of the portfolio as this will still be the main document that employers will tend to focus on. It is important that employers are able to quickly locate this part of the portfolio so it should be near the beginning. There should also be a table of contents so that this and other documents are easy to find.
- Another key element of your portfolio will be your professional references. Ideally these should be from people who would be held in esteem within the industry where you are looking for work. Such professional references could come from professors who teach related subjects. Those who have had an internship as part of their undergraduate studies may be able to use a business reference from this.
- It is important that all the documentation is presented in a well organized and neat manner. It is well worth purchasing a nice binder for this because it will look more impressive. All the documents should be arranged so that the employer can browse through them without pieces of paper falling out all over the place.
- Include examples of your college work that might be of interest to employers. So if you completed a project on something related to their industry you will want to include this.
- Avoid adding any documentation to your portfolio that isn’t related to the job you are applying for. Don’t be tempted to just add things to make your portfolio look full because the interviewer will just think you are wasting their time.
- Make sure that all spelling and grammar is checked throughout your portfolio. If you fail to do this it will make you look sloppy and amateurish.
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