For certain professions, it helps to have a portfolio to show your work during the interview, but what's also important is how you handle your portfolio during the interview. Related:What You Need To Know About The 'Stress Interview' Or 'Pressure Interview' While trying to impress the employer with your work, also show you're organized and can refer to an example in an instant. Practice the handling of your portfolio and make it easy to find specific areas you want to refer to. At the same time, think ahead of ways to incorporate it naturally into the conversation. Consider these tips:
Let the interviewer know in advance you have prepared a portfolio.
Before beginning the interview, inform the interviewer you've prepared a portfolio to further illustrate your work and qualifications for the job. Offer it for review. If the interviewer appears to want to speak first, set it aside and bring it in as appropriate during conversation.Look for opportunities to bring it into discussion.
Depending on the material you have in your portfolio, there are various instances that may make sense to use it to help illustrate your knowledge and expertise. Look at opportunities around discussion and questions like:- Tell me what you specialize in.
- Tell me about a time you were faced with challenge, and how you handled it.
- What would you say was your greatest accomplishment on the job?
Offer your portfolio for review again the end of your interview.
This give you a chance to further touch on areas that may have been missed, but that would impress the interviewer. In some instances, the interviewer may ask to keep the portfolio. Have a leave-behind copy on hand and make sure it includes a link to the digital copy, if available. A digital version will make it more convenient for the interviewer to share with others. A portfolio is only as good as how you handle it and direct attention to specific work, so give it some practice so that the use of it comes off smooth.Related Posts
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Don Goodman's firm was rated as the #1 Resume Writing Service in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Don is a triple-certified, nationally recognized Expert Resume Writer, Career Management Coach and Job Search Strategist who has helped thousands of people secure their next job. Check out his Resume Writing Service. Get a Free Resume Evaluation or call him at 800.909.0109 for more information. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CAREEREALISM-approved expert.Read moreShow less
