Portfolio

What is a Portfolio
Why you need a Portfolio
What goes into a Portfolio
Optimal Portfolio

A Portfolio is…   

  • A showcase for your achievements and talents, which can be used to show samples of your work certificates, diplomas, awards, letters of commendation, and so on.
  • Most often presented online/electronically, in a good quality binder, or in a visual arts portfolio.

Why do you need a portfolio? What are the advantages to using it?

  • It allows you to expand on your résumé in a more comprehensive manner. A portfolio allows you to concretely share an area of expertise.
  • A portfolio can demonstrate tangible proof of your skills and abilities. You may show samples of your work or reference letters testifying to the quality of your work.
  • It provides a structure for you to keep all of your essential work-related samples and documents protected in one place.
  • It will allow you to easily find and access those materials when you need them for a job search, performance appraisal, or application for a promotion.
  • In job interviews, it will remind you about the things you wish to highlight in promoting your skills.
  • You can be more creative in your portfolio than you are in producing your résumé and cover letter. 
  • Preparing a "master portfolio" allows you to more easily pick and choose items for a "sample portfolio" that is custom-designed to suit the particular job to which you are applying.

What goes into a portfolio?

View sample portfolios created using the Optimal software:

General Sample Portfolio

Computer Science Sample Portfolio

Examples of what might be contained in each section include:

  • Your career goals or career mission statement.
  • A copy of your résumé.
  • A list of your skill sets or competencies.
  • Letters of reference or recommendation from previous employers, volunteer work, work-study programs such as campus jobs, internships, co-op programs, summer jobs, peer tutoring, and so on.
  • Transcripts.
  • A summary of community service or volunteer work you have done.
  • Academic awards.
  • Copies of non-confidential positive performance appraisals.
  • E-mails, thank you letters, and handwritten notes complimenting you on a job well done.
  • Company announcements of promotions, awards or achievements.
  • Documents you may have designed: brochures, flyers, pamphlets, report covers, reports.
  • Flyers, conference brochures, or other materials describing presentations, workshops or seminars you have presented.
  • Photographs representing projects you have been involved in. (For example, a photograph of a conference display booth you created for a previous employer.)
  • If you are into creative arts, you might include a video you have made, videos of dance or vocal performances, or images of your art work.
  • If you are interested in computer science, it might include a sample program or computer science project.
  • If you are interested in teaching, it might include a teaching philosophy statement and sample lesson plans.


As you gain more experience, you may want to include:

  • A list of articles you have published.
  • Samples of articles you have published.
  • A report on research you have conducted.
  • Articles written about you or projects you have been involved in (newspapers, company newsletters, etc.)
  • A list of professional memberships or associations you belong to that are work-related, including any special committees on which you serve.
  • Copies of evaluations from a workshop you presented or a speech you made.

Optimal Portfolio

Optimal has a variety of tools to help you develop and share your career development toolbox including resume, cover letter and portfolio.  It is is a user-friendly software program that can help you create clear, professional documents and portfolios.