e-portfolio - university of massachusetts...

e-PortfolioWhatisane-Portfolio?

Ane-portfolio,orelectronicportfolio,isavisualrepresentationofyourdesignandengineeringskillspresentedthroughacollectionofyourkeyengineeringprojectsorworkexperiences.Hereisanexampleofane-portfolio.

Whycreateane-portfolio?

Portfolioscanbeaveryeffectivewayforstudentstomarkettheirtalenttopotentialemployersandgraduateprograms!Forengineeringstudents,thisisagreatopportunitytodemonstrateyourunderstandingoftechnicalconceptsandtheskillsyouhavedeveloped.

WhatshouldIinclude?

• Youcanincludesamplesofprojectsfromyourcurriculum,workexperience,independentprojects,studentorganizations,communityservice,orotherexperientiallearningthathelpdemonstrateyourproblemsolving,creativity,andengineeringabilities,specificallythoserelatedtoapositionyouareapplyingfor.Whendecidingwhattoincludeconsideryouraudience!

• Qualityversusquantity!Selectafewhighqualityprojects;itisbettertohaveacouplereallygoodexamplesthanlotsofmediocreones.

• Useacombinationoftext,pictures,video,graphs,charts,orothervisualelementstoshowyouruseofthingssuchasCADdrawings,sketches,productspecifications,analysis,prototypes,andtestinginyourproject.Thismultimediaapproachwillreallybringyourprojectstolifeandshowcaseyourskills.

• Showyourthoughtprocessanddecisionmakingatvariousstagesoftheproject.Forexample,foramechanicaldesignproject,showfirstdraftsketches,thenAutoCADdrawings,andthenaphotoofthefinishedproject.Youmayalsoincludesomegraphicalrepresentationofyouranalysis.

• Makesureyouareclearonwhatyourspecificroleandresponsibilitieswereinanyprojectandhighlightthose.

• Youportfoliocanalsoincludeyourresume,aswellasalistofrelevantcoursesandskills.Note:Youmaywanttoremovepersonalcontactinformation(phone,email,address)fromyourresumedependingonhowyouwanttoshareyourportfolioandanyprivacyconcerns.

HowdoIcreateane-portfolio?

• PortfolioscanbemadeinPowerPointandsavedasa.pdf• Createdonyourownawebsite,orhostedonaplatform.• OrcreateaportfolioinWordthatcanbesentasanattachmentwithyourresumeand/orcoverletter.

Justbesuretostayunderthe24MBsizelimitthatmostemailsystemsuse.

ThreeWebsitePossibilities:Thefollowingresourcesofferfree,easytouseoptionstocreatee-portfolios.Theyalsohavesampleportfoliosthatyoucanlookat.

Seelio Weebly WordpressWhatNOTtoinclude?

• LettersofrecommendationorReferences• Anyworkorinformationthatisproprietaryorconfidential,includinganythingcoveredby

non-disclosureagreements• Aprojectorwritingthatisco-authoredwithoutwrittenpermissionfromcontributors• MaterialsthatareNOTrelatedtoworkoreducation–keepitprofessional!

Othertips:

• Startwithahomepage–Introduceyourselfandpiquetheemployer’sinterestwithawell-designedhomepage.

• Tableofcontentsshouldbeincludedsotheportfolioiseasytonavigateandinformationcanbelocatedquickly.

• Keepitsimple–Usetextasneededtoexplainyourprocess.Itshouldbeeasytoreadwithinterestingvisuals,notvastblocksoftext.

• Clear,concisedescriptions-Links,graphs,photos,etc.,shouldallbeclearlylabeledsothereaderunderstandswhatisineachone.

• Beconsistent–Developalookthatcarriesthroughoutyouportfolioandunifiesit.Thiswillhelpyouconveyasenseofwhoyouare,includingyourabilitytopresentinformationinanorganized,logical,professionalmanner.

• Test!–Verifythateverythingonyoursitefunctionsasitshould,includinganylinksyouhaveused.Testperiodicallyandmaintainasneeded.Updatewithnew,relevantprojectsasappropriate.

• Printoutyoure-portfolioandbringitwithyoutointerviewsreferringtoitwhenappropriate.• Includethewebaddressofyourportfolioonyourresumebelowyoure-mailaddressoratthebottomof

yourresumeyoucanadd“Electronicportfolioavailableathttp:/listlinkhere”• Getintothehabitofcollectingdocumentationonprojectsasyougoalong,soyouarebuildingyour

portfolioandyourabilitytoshowcaseyourengineeringskills.