As you can tell, I have portfolios on my mind these days :-) But there's a reason for that. A portfolio is a collection of work that you can assess over time. One way to prepare for an interview is to build your accomplishment portfolio.
It's easy to describe how to build this portfolio: In reverse chronological order (most recent job first), list each accomplishment and the meaning behind that accomplishment. A key piece of recognizing an accomplishment is to ask yourself "so what?" If you can answer that question in a way that has meaning for a hiring manager, you've got a great accomplishment.
Here's an example. If one of my accomplishments is to coach a project manager, I can say "Coach PM, with result that he saw more risks and took more proactive actions. Project came in on time, allowing company to recognize revenue in Q2." It's even better if I can put a specific dollar amount on that accomplishment, so I answer the implicit "so what" question.
So, that sounds pretty easy, right? Well, the difficult part is deciding which accomplishments you want to discuss from each job you've had. For example, if you've been working for 20 years, do you include the accomplishments from 15 years ago? Probably not, unless one of them led to a pattern of similar accomplishments in which your responsibility has grown over time. For the past 10 years? Probably.
The key is to use accomplishments which highlight your ever-increasing areas of responsibility, challenge, and knowledge. Make sure you think about accomplishments which point to work you want to take on more of, not work you don't want to do anymore.
If you've been working for a while and you haven't written down your accomplishments, start with your current or most recent job first, and write those down. Then, start moving backwards in your career. If you can, use the accomplishments as bullet points on your resume. If you think you really have some career-spanning accomplishments, consider a resume cover page (not a cover letter) that highlights your accomplishments over your career.
Whatever you do, remember to update your resume and accomplishments at least once a quarter, if not once a month. Doing this periodically helps you see where your career is going, and if you're headed on the right track for you. If you have a quarter where you haven't accomplished anything, consider whether this job is helping or hurting you, or if you could reorganize or remake part of your job.
Your portfolio is an indication of the kind of person you are and the kind of worker you tend to be. Use that information to help you manage your career.
