Portfolios aren’t just reserved for your next interview. In fact, I’d actually recommend that you try it out in a few other places first so that you’ll be more comfortable and confident when you really have to deliver.

People are visual. One of the best ways to capture their interest is through pictures.

Here are five additional ways to show off your portfolio.

1. One-on-one with your boss. Occasionally employees are transferred from one team to another or departments are reorganized. This is a great time to highlight your accomplishments and skills in pictures and start the relationship off on a good foot.
2. End of the year review. With merit increases on the line, this is the time to pull out the big guns. Make sure your manager knows all the great stuff that you’ve done.
3. Team get-to-know you activities. Get everybody on your team together for an occasional brown bag. Have a couple people share their portfolios. As you help your team better understand each other’s skills, you will build trust and increase productivity.
4. Graduate school interviews. Yep. I recently interviewed with one of the professors from BYU to get into their MBA program. I whipped out the portfolio at the beginning and it facilitated a great discussion. And I got accepted!
5. With your spouse. I hear sometimes that men or women try to avoid talking about their work with their spouse because it’s too complicated. Try showing some pictures. You’ll both learn a lot about each other and it will be good prep for that big upcoming interview.

If you would like to learn more about career portfolios and how to use them in or out of an interview, let’s get in touch.