Portfolios Using Them to Land an Interview

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Strong portfolios •  Set you apart from the competition

•  Show potential employers who you really are •  Soft strengths •  Technical skills

•  Leave a lasting impression •  Strong words •  Relevant images

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Be authentic. Show the real you.

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Candidate Searches •  In the past year, Marketing and

Communications has hired five new employees – two of which were writers and one designer

•  For those three searches: •  80-100 applicants •  10 candidates discussed •  3-5 candidates interviewed •  1 candidate hired

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Online portfolios help you stand out. Make them engaging.

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Writing Tips •  Keep sentences short, avoid unnecessary words

•  Write like you speak (but with proper grammar)

•  Use words readers can picture •  Google “action verbs for resumes”

•  Tie in with readers’ experiences

•  Avoid acronyms

•  Explain technical words

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Writing Tips •  Write in active voice vs. passive voice

•  I led the student team that designed the winning garden. Vs. The winning garden was designed by the student team I led.

•  The team wrote the strategic plan. Vs. The strategic plan was written by the team.

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A picture is worth a lot more than 1,000 words.

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A job interview is not a test of your knowledge, but your ability to use it at the right time.

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Interview tips •  Research the company

•  Know the position description and know your skills and abilities that align to that job

•  Be confident

•  Prepare answers to basic questions

•  Turn negative questions in to a positive

•  Have questions prepared to ask them

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Questions employers are asking •  This job requires you to work very closely with

team members. Have you worked in this type of environment before? What did you like about it? What did you not like?

•  Can you tell us about a time when you and a co-worker clashed? How did you resolve the situation?

•  How do you motivate yourself to complete unpleasant assignments?

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Questions employers are asking •  How do you deal with abrupt shifts in your

priorities?

•  Tell us about a time where your work didn’t meet client’s expectations. How did you cope and what steps did you take to address the situation?

•  If you could master one skill this year, what would it be?

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We hire people for their abilities – but they bring their whole selves to work

Questions? Good Luck