The Career Portfolio Workbook

ments to your Can-Do Portfolio. It’s best to think of a targeted portfolio

as a work in progress. As a general rule, each time there is a significant

change in the kind of opportunity you are pursuing or the type of peo-

ple to whom you will be presenting your portfolio, you should consider

making changes in your Can-Do Portfolio.

HOW TO SELECT ITEMS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR CAN-DO PORTFOLIO

The people with whom you will be meeting to discuss an opportunity

may never have heard of the acronym, P.E.A.K.S., but it nicely sum-

marizes the kinds of things most people are looking for when inter-

viewing candidates for jobs and promotions. Interviewers are likely to

respond favorably to documents that demonstrate that you have per-

sonal characteristics that they believe would add value to their organi-

zation. And they will be interested in items from your portfolio that in-

dicate that you have relevant experience, accomplishments, knowledge,

and skills for the job or promotion under consideration.

While we know that the people with whom you will be meeting are

looking for desirable P.E.A.K.S. in candidates, the question remains,

whichP.E.A.K.S. do they value most in candidates? Which personal

characteristics, for example, will they think are most important? Are

they looking for people who are detail-oriented, as might be the case for

some jobs in accounting, or are they seeking creativity, which might be

considered a key trait of a successful copywriter in an advertising firm?

And what kinds of accomplishments and skills would they find most

impressive?

The challenge when targeting your Can-Do Portfolio is to identify

ahead of time the kinds of P.E.A.K.S. that the people with whom you

will be meeting are seeking in candidates. This will enable you to in-

clude in your portfolio the best items you have to demonstrate these

P.E.A.K.S.

Here’s a process you can follow to target your portfolio:

1. Describe the opportunity you are pursuing in realisticterms.


2. Identify the P.E.A.K.S. that the interviewer will consider desirable.


3. Select items that best demonstrate how you have the desired
   P.E.A.K.S.

Each of these steps is described in the sections that follow.

Step 1: Describing the Opportunity You Are Pursuing

in Realistic Terms

The more accurately you are able to describe the real responsibilities,

activities, and goals associated with a job or promotion, the easier it

will be for you to identify the particular P.E.A.K.S. that are considered

most desirable in candidates seeking this position.

Look for a job description. A good place to start is with a formal

job description, if you can obtain one. Jobs that are advertised or post-

32 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio