Time to Develop a Career Portfolio?

What is a career portfolio?  According to Wikipedia -http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Career_portfolio - career portfolios are:

Career portfolios are used to plan, organize and document education, work samples and skills. People use career portfolios to apply to jobs, apply to college or training programs, get a higher salary, show transferable skills, and to track personal development. They are more in-depth than a resume, which is used to summarize the above in one or two pages. Career portfolios serve as proof of one's skills, abilities, and potential in the future. Career portfolios are becoming common in high schools, college, and workforce development. Many school programs will have students create, update, and use a career portfolio before moving on to the next level in life.

Career portfolios help with a job or acceptance into higher education institutes. A career portfolio should be personal and contain critical information. Items that should be included include (but are not limited to) personal information, evaluations, sample work, and awards and acknowledgments. Career portfolios are often kept in a simple three-ring binder or online as an Electronic portfolio and updated often. A career portfolio is used as a marketing tool in selling oneself for personal advancement. In some industries, employers or admission offices commonly request a career portfolio, so it is a wise idea to have an updated one on hand.

I remember when I was applying for a faculty position after completing my PhD. I took along syllabi of courses that I had taught at several universities during my doctorial studies.  While I do not know the part played by my portfolio, I got the job!

Much as artists compile portfolios of their work, I encourage job seekers to structure a portfolio of accomplishments to be used at job interviews and meetings with potential employers.  

Please share with readers of this blog or email me at glynjordan@gmail.com websites if you have a portfolio and if it has been instrumental in your landing a job.

Thanks.   Glyn