1. Portfolio Preview

2. What Is a Portfolio? A portfolio is a collection of your best professional materials that demonstrate your skill sets as a technical communicator. It contains enough samples to show the tools and skills you need to meet job requirements.

3. Sample Portfolio Contents Resume Professional samples –Websites –Reports –Multimedia projects –Marketing pieces –Brochures –Newsletters

4. Sample Portfolio Contents (cont.) –Software and/or hardware documentation –Task analysis plan –References/testimonials

5. Tips on Portfolio Design Easy to access Easy to navigate Includes a clear table of contents if it is a hard copy portfolio Has content/tools overviews Include current resumes and business cards if it is a hard copy portfolio

6. Tips on Portfolio Design (cont.) Includes before and after samples. Uses tabs on the hard copy portfolio so it is easy to skip and scan. Has a well-designed cover, eye-catching splash screen, or metaphor that makes the portfolio a cohesive package

7. Tips on Portfolio Design (cont.) Includes screens reproduced from online and multimedia projects with an overview explaining the projects Uses plastic slip-sheets to keep samples smudge free Includes testimonials, references, awards, and professional associations

8. Advantages of Paper Portfolios Allows writer spoken commentary Is easy to use at interview Permits immediate feedback Allows close examination of documents

9. Sample Tools Overview Note the software tools that you used to create your documents Netscape Composer Photoshop PowerPoint FrameMaker Flash Illustrator Dreamweaver RoboHelp

10. Features of an Online Portfolio Must stand alone and be self-explanatory Has more of a marketing tone than hard copy portfolios Easy to send Has eye-catching splash screen or metaphor Can showcase high-level skills Allows display of larger documents without adding bulk

11. Drawbacks of Online Portfolios Security Navigation problems Broken links Quality of online resolution (some projects don’t display well on a computer screen)

12. Conclusion: Portfolio Benefits Promotes self-assessment Provides experience with tools Is project-driven Emphasizes revision Serves as a bridge to the world of work