periodically submit updated resumes that feature the full range of
their P.E.A.K.S. can help management identify the right people for
promotions and internal reassignments.
The key is to get employees to include not only the P.E.A.K.S.
demonstrated during their most recent job or jobs at the organization
but also strong P.E.A.K.S. developed outside the organization. You can
achieve this by having employees keep their P.E.A.K.S. master resumes
on file. To review the technique for assembling this kind of resume,
refer to “Creating a P.E.A.K.S. Master Resume”in Chapter 5.
Require Can-Do Portfolios in promotion and other staffing inter-
views. Requiring people who are applying for promotions, lateral trans-
fers, and other new work assignments to present their portfolios gives
management the opportunity to test the extent to which these appli-
cants have the P.E.A.K.S. considered most desirable in candidates for
these positions.Use 3: Academic Settings
Schools and universities can use the Can-Do Portfolio system in a num-
ber of useful ways, including:Helping students get jobs
Assisting students in getting into advanced academic programs
Aiding students in setting career goals
Assessing student progress
Evaluating the effectiveness of the school’s curriculaHere are some steps to follow to achieve the above goals.Identify the desirable P.E.A.K.S. for the students’ next steps.When
designing curricula, schools should take responsibility for identifying
the particular P.E.A.K.S. their students need to develop to get into ad-
vanced academic programs and to get the jobs they will be seeking.
One-on-one interviews and focus groups with desired employers and
graduate schools can be used to accomplish this goal.
Students should be encouraged to do informational interviews as
early as possible in their academic careers so they can set realistic ca-
reer goals and identify the specific P.E.A.K.S. they will need to develop
to achieve their goals upon graduation.
Encourage and help students to prepare Can-Do Portfolios.This
service can be coordinated by a school’s career services office, or, even
better, the process can be embedded in the school’s curriculum. The ca-
reer services office can offer workshops and counseling on how to pre-
pare and use a Can-Do Portfolio that will help students achieve their
career goals. On the academic side, students should be encouraged, or
required, to assemble a Master Portfolio as they progress through their
programs.
We have included an example of a student’s Can-Do Portfolio in
Part 2. It was developed by Peter Evans, who is graduating from com-
munity college and applying for his first job.112 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio