CareerServicesCenter OldMain280~(360)6503240WesternWashingtonUniversity www.wwu.edu/careers

Create an E-Portfolio Westerns Career Services Center Portfolio: An intentional collection of documents or evidence of your work or experiences. The portfolio captures what you have done and why it is significant. e-Portfolio: Presents your portfolio in an online format visible to future employers. Why do you want an e-portfolio?

Competitive advantage to be able to describe and show the range of your skills and experiences in a professional format

Helps identify and articulate strengths, experiences and transferable skills Provides an easy way to create your own personal website

What is included in your e-portfolio?

Documents from projects or programs you are involved in Pictures, video, or website links that provide information about your activities Descriptions about why these events or experiences are significant to you

How long will it take?

1-2 hours to get a basic framework and layout 10+ hours to develop and polish your descriptions or scan items to make them

available in an electronic format. This includes your reflection and planning time as well as gathering materials.

How do I access the Optimal Resume software?

WWU Career Services at www.wwu.edu/careers or Go to https://wwu.optimalresume.com/

Helpful resources within Optimal Resume

Webinars accessed from the WWU Optimal Resume home page Video within each tool PDF help file Feedback buttonallows you to ask specific questions and receive a personalized

response What are the components of an e-portfolio? REFLECTION

Where do you spend your time? What types of work, activities, service, and research are you involved in? Why do you want someone to know about this event and your involvement? What are your skills that are evident from your activities?

CareerServicesCenter OldMain280~(360)6503240WesternWashingtonUniversity www.wwu.edu/careers

THEMES (Optimal language = project or portfolio if using multiple portfolios)

How would you describe or categorize your skills or involvement in general? What categories would you use on a functional resume?

o Leadership & Collaboration o Campus Involvement/Community Service

TOPIC HEADINGS (Optimal language = projects)

What are specific activities, projects, programs you have been or currently are involved in?

o Committees or organizations o Research project, publication o Paraprofessional roles

Why are you involved? A strong description explains your commitment and skills and engages your audience.

EVIDENCE/ARTIFACT (Optimal language = file)

Selected actual documentation of your involvement and skills. o Papers, programs you organized, pictures and/or a link to press coverage

of an event, scan a certificate you have received for hours of service Variety in media: word document, PowerPoint, PDF, photo, video, hyperlink The file description is key to demonstrating how you acknowledge and apply

your skills. The POWER of DESCRIPTIONS for your topics & evidence: Its the so what and now what? Create clear concise descriptions and use active verbs.

Describe how your topic connects to your theme Describe your topic headings briefly so a viewer knows what it is and why it is

important to you Describe your artifact: How is it an example of your skill? Why is this

meaningful to you and how is it relevant to an employer? What makes an e-portfolio good? A strong portfolio will typically incorporate:

3+ themes 2+ topics that exemplify the themes 2+ pieces of evidence 3+ types of media used for evidence