Build a career portfolio to highlight your accomplishments

By Douglas E. Welch, Tech Republic

Gathering evidence of your day-to-day successes on the help desk can help you promote your career. Take the advice of one contributor and build a career portfolio to showcase your recognitions and achievements.

Conventional wisdom says that to have a good career, whether manning the help desk or sitting in a call center, it is best to keep your head down and not make waves. Although I would question whether this was ever wise, in today's economy, it is almost a sure way to end up at the unemployment office.

If you want to have a long and satisfying technology career, you need to ensure that you get the recognition you deserve. Then, you need to develop a career portfolio to highlight your successes. When performance reviews, layoffs, and promotions come around, you will be well positioned and prepared for anything that comes your way.

Make your name known
To build recognition in your company, one of your first actions should be to take credit for the work you do. Have you produced a report for your manager or upper management executives? Did you recently solve a major problem that can help all of your clients? Did you create a program that reduces purchasing time by 50 percent? Did you make sure to include your name, phone number, and e-mail on the report or in the program? Your name doesn't have to be in 72-point type or flash on the screen every 15 seconds, but it should be there.

Do you have a corporate-wide information system to help you and your peers manage the help desk? Are you entering your most important calls and solutions into this system? If so, be sure that the system clearly marks the origin of the information and how to contact you with further questions. Not only are you being a good coworker by sharing your information, but people will learn that you are also a great source of information in the future.

Take pride in your work
I once had an art coach who explained to me the importance of signing your work, regardless of whether you thought of yourself as an artist. Signing your work demonstrates a certain amount of pride in your work and shows that you find it important and worthwhile. If you don't take your work seriously, why should anyone else?

Of course, the importance of taking credit for your work goes far beyond personal satisfaction. First, it gives readers or users a place to call if they have questions about the report or program or any of the assumptions used in creating it. Second, it places your name in front of people who might otherwise never see it. As a tech worker, it's easy to become anonymous within your own company. You are either locked away in the call center all day, away from other workers, or, if you do on-site support, you appear, do your magic, and then disappear. Taking credit for your work is one way to avoid this trap.

Make sure callers know your name and how to contact you directly, if your company allows this. Leave your business card or other leave-behind material with each user you assist. Let users know that they can contact you directly, if needed. Do everything you can to personalise your service so that your users know who is directly responsible for helping them.

Take on special projects
Another way to raise your profile is to take on special projects such as organising a technology open house, brown bag lunch training sessions, or other events for your department. To produce such events, you will need to work with colleagues in your own and other departments, again making your name known outside your own department.

Taking a role in promoting your own career can be particularly important when the layoff specter raises its ugly head. Managers always find it more difficult to downsize those people they know wellâ€"especially those who've played an active role in the company. Standing above the crowd may help you survive the tough times that can occur in any company.

Keep track of the praise you receive
If you have worked in support for any length of time, you have probably received the occasional kudos from your manager or clients. You need to make an effort to actively collect these examples of praise.

Did you recently recover a collection of files for the accounting department, make a recalcitrant printer function, or install new software for an entire business unit? If people have offered verbal praise to you, gently ask them if they would mind putting their praise in an e-mail or memo to you and your manager. If you spent longer on the phone than normal to solve a particularly nasty problem, ask the client whether they might e-mail a note to your supervisor. It never hurts to ask, and in most cases, you will find that these happy people are more than willing to comply.

As you build your technology career, it is also important to request letters of recommendation from anyone who appreciates your work, not just your immediate supervisors or managers. Collect these letters as soon as possible after a particularly good experience so that it is fresh in the person's mind. Letters of recommendation are extremely important since they show significant appreciation for your work. These people are making the ultimate gesture by putting their reputation on the line for you, and almost everyone will recognise the strength of these personal recommendations.

Build a career portfolio
Once you've started collecting this material, you need a place to store it so you can make use of it in the future. You might think that portfolios are the domain of artists, but everyone should have a career portfolio that can be used in a variety of situations.

If you are currently employed, your career portfolio will be a fine companion during your regular performance reviews. Nothing is more impressive than being able to cite specific examples of the good work you have done, including personal notes of praise from those involved. You can also include past performance evaluations in your portfolio, so that you can demonstrate how you have achieved the goals you created with your manager during your last meeting. You should document any projects you are working on and their current status. This allows you to easily lay out a comprehensive overview of your work during the previous year. Performance reviews can be one of the most stressful professional events, but your career portfolio will go a long way toward alleviating this stress.

Your portfolio can be even more important if you are looking, or thinking of looking, for a new job. Everyone should be prepared for a job search at any time. Companies rise and fall. Technologies come and go. You never know when you may find yourself looking for a new or better position. A well-maintained portfolio will help you make a good impression on interviewers.

Keep your portfolio up to date, as you never know when you might need it. You might even want to develop several copies of the portfolio if you are engaged in talks with several companies. This will allow you to leave your portfolio with the interviewer to share with others.

Along with your resume, include copies of letters of recommendation and the more informal examples of praise mentioned above. You might also want to include descriptions of important projects, difficult support situations and their solutions, and anything else that helps to convey the nature of your work.

Most importantly, you should always be on the lookout for good stories about your career. Perhaps there was the troublesome employee you were able to convert into one of your best users. Maybe you developed an ad hoc system that helped a particular department be more productive without additional budget. Putting these stories in writing can help you to better present them in an interview situation.

It's up to you
The most important thing for you to remember is this: No one is going to swoop down and pull you out the anonymity of your help desk or call center cubicle. It is up to you to develop and promote your own career, document your success (and good failure) stories, and build your career portfolio. You are the only person who is truly interested in promoting your work. It is up to you to honk your own horn, stand above the crowd, and get the recognition you deserve.

Top Interview Mistakes

I love job interviews - JUST KIDDING. Do you ever wonder if people who say they like job interviews are a little crazy? Who really likes them? Apparently some people. Whether you like to interview or not, chances are you might have to given the nature of Britain's economy.

Your performance on a job interview will obviously determine whether or not you get hired. Many of us leave interviews feeling like we did amazing and then never get the job. Why is this? It could be that someone better came along. Or, it might be that we did fine in the interview, however, we made common mistakes that ultimately ruined our chances at getting the job. What are these mistakes? And, how can you avoid doing them so you can ensure that you are chosen for the job instead of the other candidates?

One of the biggest mistakes people make when it comes to a job interview is "going with the flow." It is natural to assume that since you are not in control of the questions that you are not in control of the interview. This, however, is just not true. When you go with the flow, you often lose your chance to address important topics. Make sure that you know ahead of time what you want to tell the prospective employers. Then, during the interviews, use the questions to get those points across.

Also, when you are in an interview it is only natural that you will get to ask a few questions. The old saying, "there is no stupid questions," does not apply here. Do not ask the person interviewing you if they like their job. What if they hate it? You will obviously make them uncomfortable. Instead, ask insightful questions that pertain to the job.

Next, avoid the negative. You are trying to sell yourself in an interview. Paint yourself as positively as possible. Figure out how to answer each question to make you look better. And, if something comes up that you cannot answer or do not understand, use that to your advantage. Discuss your willingness to learn and your work ethic. Good companies are full of individuals who work hard and are willing to learn from each other.

Remember - be positive. There is nothing worse than someone who is negative or unsure of his or her abilities. Stay optimistic and the right job will be just around the corner!


Source>>

Beta Launch Update

As of July 4th, 2009, we officially opened up the New and Improved Distinct Portfolios 'Beta' to you with so many new and amazing features! We wanted to give all of our users a quick update on these features and future additions currently in development:

• 2 more portfolio templates have be uploaded this week with 10 more in the works for launching this summer and fall.
  
• Email signature file creation has been integrated...very cool!
  
• Template customization feature is in the works and scheduled to launch mid August 2009.
• Form creation feature under development and scheduled to launch mid August 2009.
• Embed Code feature developed using AJAX, working well, and looks awesome!
• Export your portfolio to a CD/DVD (Virtual Business Card) is being tested and will be launched at the beginning of August 2009.
  
• Payment gateway for upgrading to premium memberships has been fully tested and is now activated.
• Upload CV feature has been added which works to add an additional area in certain portfolios for downloading resumes/CV's.
• All other features have been going through rigorous testing and appear to be running smooth.
  
• More in-depth demo currently in development which will give you a head-to-toe explanation of Distinct Portfolios and features.
• "Creating Your Portfolio 101" video in development to compliment DP's help library and support team.
• Integrating a Resume Builder for easy resume development within your digital portfolio.
• Building up Tips & Tricks section along with resume and cover letter examples for you to use as templates when developing your portfolio.
• And so much more that we will cover in future blog posts!!!
  
• We test (and will continue to test) all applications within the site daily to ensure a working and high quality product for you!

We have many more features in the development phase but would love to hear your thoughts on what you'd like to see...so if you think of anything, please contact us or email us at development@distinctportfolios.com.

Of course, check back with our blog and twitter account for information on new features, news, and more!

Preparing for a second job interview

If you've gotten through the first job interview and you're moving on toward the second one, the odds of being hired have just gone up. With that in mind, you really want to be prepared for that second job interview. The questions will be tougher and things will be more complex in a second interview. Make sure that you dress appropriately and that you are on time. You probably did that for the first interview, too, but make sure you do it for the second one, since that's likely going to be where the final decision is made about hiring you or hiring someone else who presented himself or herself better. If you find that you'll be late for your interview for any reason, call ahead. Let someone know. That's much more responsible than breezing in the door fifteen minutes after your scheduled appointment time and saying you're sorry you're late but traffic was bad, etc.

Another thing you should do is make sure you know about the company before you go to that second interview. You can't know everything, but you can Google the company and read what is said about it. You can visit its Website if it has one. You can also see if it has a Wikipedia entry. If it's a big company, it probably does - and some smaller companies do, too. While it's never wise to believe everything you read on the Internet, this kind of information will give you a lot of knowledge about the company overall, and you'll notice things that don't match up properly. If you've done anything very important in between a first and second interview, such as received an award or completed your degree, be sure to update your resume and bring the new one to your interview. There's no shame in letting your potential employer know that you're still moving forward with your goals. It shows your desire to work, and that's important. Ultimately, relax and be honest at a second interview. Think about what kind of salary you're really looking for, and know what's common for that position. You might be asked about it. Honest answers are very important for success.

More Awesome Templates Have Arrived

We've recently added 4 new awesome portfolio templates to the theme library...sign in or register to check them out in action:

Perfecting Your Digital Résumé

I came acrosse this article by Selena Dehne (Jist Publishing) and wanted to share it with everyone. Enjoy!

You spent hours scrutinizing every word and punctuation mark of your résumé. You listened to the criticism and advice of one proofreader after another telling you exactly how to make your résumé flawless. Now it's perfect and you are ready to send a digital résumé to the company of your dreams through the Internet with just a click of the mouse.

Before you send it, stop and consider the hundreds, maybe thousands, of job seekers you're competing with who are about to do the same thing. Are you still confident your résumé is ready to shoot through cyberspace?

The Internet has drastically changed the job search and how to write an effective résumé. Years ago, the classifieds section of a newspaper could only reach job seekers in a limited area. Today, the Internet allows job seekers from all over the country to find and apply for jobs thousands of miles away. A study of more than 1,500 job seekers discovered that 34 percent found their last job on an Internet job board, according to Peter Weddle, an expert in recruiting and Internet job search. The competition that this has created among job seekers requires résumés to be more precise and outstanding than ever.

With so many employers relying on computers to screen résumés through keywords, job seekers must know how to make their résumé stand out from the thousands of others it competes with.

"It is believed that more than 80 percent of all résumés processed by employers are now electronically searched for specific keywords before a human ever sees them," says Richard Beatty, author of "The Ultimate Job Search" (Jist).

Keywords are typically nouns and noun phrases that represent specific areas of skill or experience that the employer identifies as important. Computers sort through résumés and distinguish which ones feature more of these keywords than others.

Beatty suggests job seekers scan job ads, job descriptions and company Web sites to create a list of which skills employers need most often. Placing these skills on your résumé will demonstrate that you have something employers want. Because computers also count the number of times keywords are used, Beatty recommends repeating the words moderately throughout the résumé to ensure the computer pulls it from the masses.

Beatty also believes it is important for people to create a plain-text version of their résumé to quickly copy and paste into the body of an e-mail, rather than send as an attachment.

Although it would seem easier to send an MS Word document, employers have shifted away from accepting résumés this way due to computer viruses that are often embedded in e-mail attachments.

The subject of your e-mail should catch the reader's attention by featuring words more enticing than "résumé" or "profile." Beatty suggests job seekers try using subjects like "Talented Human Resources Professional" or "Award-Winning Sales Professional" to stand out to employers.

As job seekers prepare to apply for jobs, Beatty encourages them to use these techniques to get ahead of their competition.

But job seekers beware. Just because you've loaded your résumé with keywords, converted it into a plain-text format and e-mailed it to an employer under an enticing subject, that doesn't mean it won't be discarded later.

Job seekers would be wise to avoid the mistakes most often committed on résumés. The following are the most common résumé mistakes:

• Typos or grammatical errors


• Including too much information


• Not listing achievements in former roles


• Poor layout and/or design


• Including too little information

"Considering the extent of today's competition and the huge numbers involved, résumé writing is not a process you can afford to leave to chance," Beatty advises. "Designing the right résumé can make all the difference in the world. It will determine whether your candidacy rises to the top or sinks to the bottom of the stack."

Top 10 Tips for Job Interview Success

Attending an interview can be a nerve-racking for even the experience professional. However, there are a few points to remember that can ensure your interview gets off to a great start and to give you the knowledge and comfort you need to reduce anxiety and calm you down. Here are the 10 top tips when attending your interview and getting successfully through it.

1. Do a little research - researching the company beforehand and finding a little about what they do and who they are can go a long way to being a success or not, it could make all the difference to them hiring you. Understanding what they are looking for in a person can also greatly increase your chances, you can use the companies prospectus or the internet to do your research on the company.

2. Present yourself well - preparing yourself is essential for success in your interview, always give yourself plenty of time to shower, groom and dress appropriately for your interview. Choose your outfit wisely and dress appropriately for the type of job you are applying for.

3. Arrive early - always make sure you arrive at the interview roughly 10 minutes before the actual interview starts, this will ensure that you don't arrive flustered after rushing around and will show the interviewer that you are punctual.

4. Ask questions yourself - while it is you that is being interviewed you should also prepare questions to ask the interviewer, by preparing questions to ask beforehand it will show the interviewer that you have taken the time, have shown initiative and are interested in finding out more about the position or company.

5. First impressions count - always remember that first impressions count for a lot, walk into the interview with your head held high, smile and give a firm handshake. Showing you have confidence in yourself is essential and can make all the difference to you being successful.

6. Show interest - make sure that you show interest in the person conducting the interview, ask them questions such as how long they have worked for the firm and what involvement with members of staff are.

7. Watch your body language - be confident in your body language, the way you conduct yourself is a tell tale sign in your body language and will give the interviewer insight into the type of person that you are, interviewers place a lot of faith in a persons body language so make sure yours doesn't let you down.

8. Make sure you understand the requirements - if you are unsure of any questions that the interviewer asks then be sure to ask them to clarify what they mean, if you answer without fully understanding the question you are only asking for trouble.

9. Ask about follow up - make sure that the interviewer knows how interested you are by asking about what happens after the interview regarding follow up, make sure you know how and when they will contact you if you are successful.

10. Make sure the interviewer knows you want the job - at the end of the interview make sure you reiterate how much you are suited for the position and what you could give to the firm as a member of staff.