Portfolios and Resumes

Introduction: Today, I want to give you some tools that you can use in locating your career position.

1. Networking: I have enclosed an article on getting work out of your Network
1. Networking is an organized way of asking people you know for information and to connect you with the people they know. It lets you form a "net" of personal contacts who can provide support and information about careers and job opportunities. (source: pg. 17 Work Search Basics - ALIS)
2. Networking Online:
1. E-mail: contact who you know
2. Professional Networking sites: LinkedIn
3. Social Networking Sites: Facebook
4. Blogs and discussion groups in your field
5. Your own blog, website, or Twitter account (source: Work Search Basics, pg. 17 - ALIS)
3. Some basic guidelines to get you started offline are:
1. Introduce yourself
2. Ask questions
3. Maintain eye contact
4. Avoid empty compliments and insincerity
5.  Smile and be yourself
6. Look for something remarkable in every person you talk to (source: Networking Advice Article, Fall 2013, pg. 16)
2. Building your portfolio: A portfolio is used to show the quality and style of  your work. If you are in the Arts field, employers have come to expect samples of your work (eg. writers will show an article that they've written and received publication)
• It is wise to start building your portfolio in Junior High School and keep building on it. However, start where you are at and move forward. Some examples you may want to include in your portfolio:
• Projects you completed on your own or with others (eg. school assignment work reports, or volunteer activities)
•  Documents from previous jobs (eg. record of employment, job performance evaluations, letters of recommendation or letters of reference)
• Thank you cards from people who appreciated something you did (source: Work Search Basics, pg. 48 - ALIS) 
3. Resumes: From your portfolio flows your resume, so let's look at what is required in the resume and some types of resumes. A resume serves as an introduction to your journey through life -- your life story. 
• Information to Include in the Resume:
• Name, contact information, mailing address, etc
• Objective
• Education and training
• Work history or experience
• Skills
• Languages
• Awards and honours
• School projects (source: Work Search Basics, pg. 23 - ALIS)
•  Resume Types:
1. Chronological: lists your work, education and training history in chronological order from most recent to oldest
2. Functional: this highlights your skills and capabilities, not work history. It organizes information about things you have done (on the job, at school, as a volunteer) in skill categories that are directly related to the requirements of the work you want
3. Combination: this highlights your skills by organizing in skill categories, then briefly outlines your work history near the end of the resume. (source: Work Search Basics, pg. 28 - ALIS)
• Key: Employers want competency  based resumes for the job, not objective profiles.

Conclusion: I would like to conclude this session with an article which I trust will assist you in moving forward in your endeavors  to employment.

Source: JOBPOSTINGS.CA, Fall 2013, pg 9