Make them say wow! First Impressions and Present yourself with a career portfolio

Although qualifications are important in getting an interview, surveys show that the single most influential factor in the interview is not your experience or your qualifications, but your personality -- how you present yourself during the interview.

Have you recently been a victim of the recent merger, buyout, downsizing craze? Do you have several years of experience in an industry that now you have to put into a simple resume and try to explain during an interview?

Or maybe you decided this is the time for a career change, something you always wanted to do anyway. But how do you tie your past work history with your experience to break into a new arena?

You have the experience. You have the proven skills. What you don't have is an organized, professional manner in which you can actually SHOW your accomplishments to get their attention.
     
What is a career portfolio?

You have been out in the workforce, you have examples of work you have performed. Maybe it is sample reports you used to manage productivity. Maybe it is a recognition award from your peers. A thank you note from someone you have mentored. All of these are examples of who you are and how you work. They tell about your analytical skills, people skills, team building skills, or teaching skills.

A career portfolio is your tool which helps YOU lead the interview.

Have you been for an interview lately? Behavioral interviewing provides you the opportunity to give examples of actual things you have done. Imagine if you could SHOW them! Presenting yourself, through your portfolio, allows you to ensure that those accomplishments you are proudest of will be discussed. 

By following this guidelines, you may create an organized, well thought out 'interview presentation'.