How a career portfolio can strategically showcase skill diversity and embrace emerging opportunities.
The shifting dynamics of the modern world have brought about remarkable changes in the way we perceive careers and professional identities. Embracing a broader perspective and cultivating adaptability are now not only accepted but celebrated. As we navigate through the age of automation, the ‘Great Resignation,’ and the rise of hybrid work environments, it becomes evident that redefining the notion of a successful career path is imperative.
In the past, we lacked the language necessary to design our careers beyond the conventional script. However, a new lexicon is emerging, centring around a shift from pursuing a ‘career path’ to creating a ‘career portfolio.’ Coined by philosopher and organisational behaviour expert Charles Handy in the 1990s, this concept is now poised to flourish in current times.
What is a ‘Career Portfolio’?
Traditionally, the term ‘portfolio’ was reserved for the fields of finance, business, and art. However, a ‘career portfolio’ diverges from its physical or systematic connotations. It represents a fresh perspective to contemplate, discuss, and, most importantly, construct one’s professional future, enabling one to navigate the ever-evolving world of work with purpose, clarity, and flexibility.
Unlike a career path, which often follows a singular trajectory with a narrow focus on advancement, a career portfolio is an endless source of discovery and fulfilment. It embodies the diversity of one’s professional journey, encompassing various twists and turns, whether driven by choice or circumstance.
For those embarking on their careers, it is vital to understand that having everything figured out is not a prerequisite. It might even be better not to have a fixed plan. This is where the beauty of a portfolio lies. Shifting the focus away from a predetermined destination provides the space and wisdom to explore different avenues to find one’s own way.
Building a Career Portfolio
Building a career portfolio extends beyond professional development; it serves as a tool for designing one’s life. It begins with the realisation that everyone possesses one, regardless of whether it ties directly to the responsibilities of a previously held position. While a portfolio may encompass conventional paid jobs, its scope should not be confined to that realm. It is a personalised creation that reflects the individual identity that a person held while fulfilling their career obligations. This comprises a distinctive combination of skills, experiences, and talents that can be blended and matched in various ways.
The portfolio should include any roles or activities where value has been created and others have been served. This encompasses a wide range, such as caring for family members, leading teams in online gaming, engaging in community outreach, freelancing, volunteering, pursuing passion projects and hobbies, participating in cultural exchanges, parenting, and providing support to friends and family.
The method of tracking the portfolio varies based on personal preference. A recommended approach is starting with a simple list but ensuring that the focus is on the diversity it encompasses. Therefore, establishing connections between the different elements within the portfolio is crucial. A career portfolio, therefore, looks significantly different from a resume. While in a resume, it is customary to include a chronological order of employment history, a portfolio would visually illustrate role diversity and their links with flow charts, network diagrams, or set notations.
Benefits of a Career Portfolio
From a practical perspective, a career portfolio empowers individuals to take ownership of their professional journeys. Unlike jobs that are granted by others and determine the limits and advancement of opportunities, a portfolio is unique and cannot be taken away.
Moreover, a career portfolio bestows a distinct professional identity that evolves alongside one’s growth. It remains resilient even in the face of job loss, directional shifts, or fresh starts. The portfolio naturally aligns with lifelong learning, expanding professional networks, and accessing leadership opportunities. It serves as a strategic shield against the impact of automation.
Over time, the value of a portfolio increases through the cross-pollination of skills acquired from diverse experiences. This integration allows for gaining new insights, confronting novel challenges, diversifying income streams, and serving in innovative ways.
In an era of uncertainty, the demand for talent capable of thinking beyond traditional boundaries, silos, and sectors is on the rise. Those who proactively build a career portfolio will be better equipped to seize new opportunities, and even create them. They will excel in making creative connections between their diverse skill sets and the skills required for their desired roles.
Utilising a Career Portfolio
Recognising the power of a career portfolio is crucial as that confidence enables proactive behaviour, continuous learning, and unique contributions that a traditional career path may not allow. The narrative that compliments the portfolio plays a vital role in the process of self-representation, especially during interviews with potential employers.
There are an increasing number of employers who are now interested in candidates with unconventional backgrounds. However, this approach requires some assistance to convey the value of the diversity highlighted in a career portfolio. It is therefore crucial to have a narrative to act as a bridge, connecting the skills employers seek with those the applicant has developed through diverse experiences.
The ability to effectively articulate the narrative showcases how different elements of a career portfolio complement and enrich each other. The combination of skills becomes more valuable than each skill on its own. Compelling stories that demonstrate how each skill from different contexts was applied to solve specific problems is key to utilising a career portfolio to its full potential.
The future of work is uncertain, and it is natural to have doubts about which steps to take or whether things will pan out. Amidst the variables beyond one’s control, taking ownership of a career portfolio is a tangible step that can be taken right now and open new avenues of opportunity.
