What is the difference between a resume and a career portfolio?
A resume [example] is usually one to
three pages long. It follows a set format and describes your
education, work history, and other relevant experience in short,
2- or 3-sentence paragraphs or bullet items. Most employers
want to see a resume when they consider you for employment. Many large
employers have computers that scan resumes for keywords, and it is these
computers that make the first "cut", weeding out the majority
of the applicants before a human even sees the resumes.
A career portfolio [example] is a much more in-depth document,
and supplements - not replaces - your resume. Portfolios
vary widely, but a key feature is the inclusion of artifacts. Artifacts
are tangible objects that demonstrate your work. Example artifacts include
care plans, brochures, outlines of training sessions, manuals, spreadsheets,
memos, etc., that you created by yourself or as part of a group effort.
Portfolios can be paper or electronic; electronic formats include web pages,
PDF documents, and even PowerPoint.
Portfolios give employers an in-depth look at your skills.
They can get more information on a particular area of expertise - but keep
in mind: your resume must stand on its own. If you write
a lackluster resume, no one will bother to look at your portfolio.
There are also other types of portfolios that
aim to help you reflect on your education or to assess whether you have
learned certain topics. If you have completed one of these kinds of portfolios,
you will need to edit them to serve the purpose of a career
portfolio.
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