Student Portfolios: A Tool to Enhance the Traditional Job Search

Abstract

Student portfolios are a tool that academic institutions can implement to enhance students' job search processes. Students can enhance their ability to pass the initial screening process by preparing a portfolio that identifies their goals and provides evidence that they possess the skills and qualities to reach these goals. The portfolio should emphasize communication skills, as they are deemed most important by employers in the initial screening process. When preparing a portfolio, students should consider a variety of media, including paper, videotape, and compact disk. Schools that implement student portfolios must decide if all students will be required to prepare them, if the administra tors will determine the contents, and who will approve the contents of stu dents' portfolios.