less obtrusive your portfolio is, the more control you have over when
you use it.Getting the Right Look for Your Portfolio Items
As we will see in future chapters, typically when you present your port-
folio, you hand a person one or two documents at a time. The following
are some ways to increase the visual impact of these documents.Photocopy your documents. To protect yourself in case you
misplace your targeted portfolio, we recommend that you include only
photocopies in your Can-Do Portfolio. Using photocopies has the added
advantage of giving you more creative freedom with regard to the lay-
out you use for presenting these documents.
Size your documents consistently.Provided that you do not alter
the fundamental essence and integrity of a document, you can make
certain adjustments like alteration in size when you photocopy the
originals. Little photographs or memo-pad notes of appreciation can be
enlarged to give them greater impact, and huge spreadsheets can be re-
duced in size to fit comfortably in your carrying case.
Try using collages. In addition to being able to make documents
bigger or smaller than their original size, photocopying also makes it
easy to create a collage of several documents on a single piece of paper.
For example, you could photocopy several cards containing customer
service comments onto a single notebook-sized page. And if you have
several degrees or certificates that you would like to present, you could
first photocopy each of them at a reduced size. By cutting and pasting,
you can combine them all on one page that you then photocopy. If you
are trying to make the point that you have been well educated or
trained, this presentation could have quite an impact. For added effect,
you might add to this paper the seals or logos of the institutions from
which you received these degrees. But be careful! Documents must be
presented clearly and not appear cluttered.
Remember, color sells.Items are visually most appealing and seem
most authentic when they are copied in a way that captures their orig-
inal color and texture. Pictures, logos, and other graphics that were
originally in color should be copied with a process that captures the
color and texture of the original document. It will cost a bit more to
make photocopies in high-quality color, but as we have said before, color
sells.
Use sheet protectors. Sliding your portfolio documents into clear
plastic sleeves, known as sheet protectors, keeps the documents from
becoming damaged or worn with frequent handling, and it can give
them a nice, fresh look and feel. Three-ring sheet protectors have the
further virtue of enabling you to store your documents in a binder,
without having to punch holes in them.
We have found that heavy-duty, three-ring sheet protectors that
are clear on both sides and can hold 8^1 / 2 - by 11-inch documents work
quite well in most Can-Do Portfolios. You can find these items at most
office supply and stationery stores.42 Part I: Building, Using, and Maintaining Your Career Portfolio