your portfolio items. In future chapters we will discuss techniques you
can use to present your portfolio during different kinds of meetings.
But prior to actually showing your portfolio, you first need to select a
set of items that would be appropriate for presentation at the particu-
lar meeting you will be going to.Wait until you have a specific situation in mind.There is no point
trying to target your portfolio prior to having a specific kind of situation
in which you might use it in mind. Since a properly targeted portfolio is
focused on a specific position you desire, the odds are that for each posi-
tion you interview for you will want to assemble a Can-Do Portfolio that
has been specifically targeted in a somewhat different way.
Anytime you create a resume, consider also targeting your portfolio.
As stated earlier, resumes should be used to get the interview and port-
folios to get the job. So if you find yourself putting together a resume,
the odds are you should also be targeting your portfolio. In Chapter 5,
we show you how to create a P.E.A.K.S. resume that, in addition to im-
proving your chances of getting an interview, also sets you up nicely to
present your portfolio once you get there.
Try to target your portfolio prior to your first meeting. Typically,
you are not required to bring a portfolio to an interview or meeting. But
if you have a portfolio that demonstrates that you can do what the per-
son with whom you are interviewing considers important, your chances
of having a successful meeting are certainly improved. Therefore, your
goal should be to have a targeted portfolio prepared prior to your first
meeting. However, if you are not ready to bring a portfolio, then don’t.
Presenting a poorly organized portfolio is unlikely to make a good first
impression.
If possible, assemble your Master Portfolio first.If an important
meeting is coming up very soon, then obviously you will have to start
assembling a Can-Do Portfolio for this meeting as soon as you can. And
you may have to do this without first assembling a master collection of
items. If, in fact, you find yourself in such a situation right now, you
might do well to consult Chapter 10. But attempting to put together a
targeted portfolio prior to assembling a Master Portfolio collection of
potentially usable documents will dilute your efforts. As noted earlier,
the more items you have to choose from, the better your targeted port-
folio is likely to be.
Have a Can-Do Portfolio ready to close the deal.You may still be
able to use a targeted portfolio, even if you were not able to put one to-
gether in time for your first meeting. During your initial meeting you
should be able to pick up a lot of clues as to exactly what would impress
the people with whom you are meeting. If you are invited back, you can
bring a perfectly targeted Can-Do Portfolio to the next meeting. As you
will see in future chapters, nicely targeted portfolios are very useful for
“closing the deal.”
A Can-Do Portfolio is always a work in progress. As you acquire
new documents and gain more information on ways to impress the next
set of people who will see your portfolio, you will want to make adjust-Chapter 3: Targeting Your Portfolio 31