• Barrett, H. C.: Electronic portfolios as digital stories of deep learning
• Nelles, Rick. (2001). Proof of Performance: How to Build a Career Portfolio to Land a Great New Job. Manassas Park, VA: Impact Publications.
• Quintessential Careers: Career Portfolio Tools and Resources for Job-Seekers
• Satterthwaite, Frank & Gary D’Orsi (2003). The Career Portfolio Workbook. New York: McGraw-Hill.
• Wortmann, Craig: Beyond bits and bullets: Turning strategy into action through stories. WisdomTools.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, present artifacts that show your creativity and innovation.

• Have you found any ways to make school or a job easier or more rewarding or to make yourself more effective?


• Give me a specific example of something you did that helped build enthusiasm in others.


• Give me an example of a time you had to persuade other people to take action. Were you successful?


• Give me a specific example of a time when you sold your supervisor or professor on an idea or concept. How did you proceed? What was the result?


• Tell me about a time when you came up with an innovative solution to a challenge your company/class/organization was facing. What was the challenge? What role did others play?

You can also use your portfolio to wrap up the job interview by offering to show more of your work so the interviewer can learn more about you.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the type of question below, show an artifact that illustrates exceptional effort.

• Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, walk the interviewer through the presentation, perhaps showing the PowerPoint slides you developed, visual aids you used, and photos of the actual presentation.

• What has been your experience in giving presentations? What has been your most successful experience in speech making?


• Describe the most significant or creative presentation that you have had to complete.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, show project deliverables, timelines, photos, praise from supervisors, any awards earned.

• Recall a time when you were assigned what you considered to be a complex project. Specifically, what steps did you take to prepare for and finish the project? Were you happy with the outcome? What one step would you have done differently if given the chance?


• What was the most complex assignment you have had? What was your role?


• Describe some projects or ideas (not necessarily your own) that were implemented, or carried out successfully primarily because of your efforts.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the type of question below, show a project sample with the accompanying piece of written communication.

• Describe a time when you had to use your written communication skills to get an important point across.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, present artifacts that illustrate your decision-making skills.

• Give an example of a time in which you had to be relatively quick in coming to a decision.


• Give me an example of a time you had to make an important decision. How did you make the decision? How does it affect you today?


• Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision, but didn't have all the information you needed.

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, show two or three diverse artifacts that illustrate your adaptability and multi-tasking skills.

• By providing examples, convince me that you can adapt to a wide variety of people, situations and environments.


• Tell of some situations in which you have had to adjust quickly to changes over which you had no control. What was the impact of the change on you?


• Describe a situation that required a number of things to be done at the same time. How did you handle it? What was the result?


• Tell me about a time you had to handle multiple responsibilities. How did you organize the work you needed to do?


• Describe the system you use for keeping track of multiple projects. How do you track your progress so that you can meet deadlines? How do you stay focused?

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, show the interviewer the research you've compiled on the organization. Obviously, you need to tailor this portfolio section to each employer you interview with. This intelligence-gathering will demonstrate you've done your homework. If asked about suggestions for the organization, you can be prepared to point to your research as you share a few ideas for the employer.

• Tell me what you know about our company.


• Why did you decide to seek a position in this company?


• What suggestions do you have for our organization?

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.

In response to the types of questions below, point to artifacts that illustrate your problem-solving skills.

• Tell me about a major problem you recently handled. Were you successful in resolving it?


• Give me a specific example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem.


• Describe a time when you were faced with problems or stresses that tested your coping skills.


• What steps do you follow to study a problem before making a decision?


• We can sometimes identify a small problem and fix it before it becomes a major problem. Give an example(s) of how you have done this.


• Describe a specific problem you solved for your employer or professor. How did you approach the problem? What role did others play? What was the outcome?

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Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.