Use the front and back of a sheet protector to link documents.
Using sheet protectors that are clear on both sides gives you the option
of displaying with one plastic sleeve two items that are linked. For ex-
ample, if you did an important report that was well received, you might
put the executive summary or some other key page on the top side of
the sheet protector and a note or e-mail that praises this project on the
back. A page protector that is clear on both sides can also be used to
show both the front and the back of two-sided items, like brochures.
Store extra items behind displayed documents.Extra copies of doc-
uments can be stored behind the items that are displayed in sheet pro-
tectors. If, for example, there are several pages from a report that you
would really like to have available in the event that the interviewer is
intrigued by this project, you can store these pages behind the title
page or executive summary that you have displayed. Sandwiched be-
tween an executive summary on one side and a letter of commendation
on the flip side of the sheet protector, these pages are out of sight, but
easy to retrieve. You might also store extra copies of your resume be-
hind the resume in your sheet protector.FINAL THOUGHTS
The following are a few final suggestions.Have someone in the industry take a look at your proposed Can-Do
Portfolio. Once you have put together what you think is a good Can-Do
Portfolio, it is very helpful if you can have someone who is knowledge-
able about the job for which you are interviewing give you a critique of
your portfolio. Although in an actual job interview you are unlikely to
show more than a couple of items from your portfolio, you cannot know
in advance which of your items you will have an opportunity to present.
This limitation means that you would do well to have someone assess
the appropriateness of allof the items that you intend to include in
your Can-Do Portfolio.
Earlier in this chapter, we suggested that an excellent way to learn
about the desired P.E.A.K.S. for a job is to do formal, informational in-
terviews with people who are in a position to know. Informational in-
terviews are also useful for getting feedback on your Can-Do Portfolio
prior to using it in an actual job interview.
Do the best you can and then go with it. Don’t be discouraged if you
feel that despite your best efforts your Can-Do Portfolio doesn’t include
everything you think it should. Maybe there’s an elusive document that
you can’t seem to put your hands on. Or it could be there’s an impor-
tant skill that you haven’t yet developed. In Chapter 8, we will discuss
strategies you can use to generate new P.E.A.K.S. that you can docu-
ment in future portfolios. But no matter what you do, the fact is there
will always be something you wish you had in your portfolio but don’t.
Missing some items is not the problem you may think it is. As
we’ve said, the best way to use your portfolio in an interview is not to
show the whole thing, but instead to present a few items at the right
moment. You may be aware that you are missing an item or two thatChapter 3: Targeting Your Portfolio 43