How can you measure the success of your career portfolio?

Do you know that saying: 'It's not what you know, but who you know'? Well, the same type of principle is applied here. It's not all that you have done in your career that will make you stand out, but rather what and how you present it. So, before you decide on what you will include in your portfolio, you need to be clear and the skill that you want to showcase. To be clear on exactly the skill set you need to demonstrate you have, I recommend you do a simple Google search on the type of opportunity you are trying to land and see what are the core requirements. Once you know that, be objective when looking at your portfolio, and select the pieces that you almost shout - I HAVE THIS SKILL!

In my opinion, measuring the success of your career portfolio starts with defining your professional purpose. By having a clear understanding of your career objectives and the impact you wish to make, you can set measurable goals and benchmarks. This clarity allows you to evaluate your portfolio's success in terms of how well it aligns with and supports your defined purpose.

Your career portfolio should tell a story of your working life that builds a compelling narrative from post-16 years old to today. You want to showcase your knowledge, skills, and experience while demonstrating your impact on the organisations you have worked with and how you have shown your character and passions. This provides a foundation you can build on by actively engaging as an ‘influencer’ to promote your distinctive point of view to your target audience. In a crowded, keyword-driven and competitive professional market, you must cut through by building a personal reputation and enabling people to ‘know you’ before contacting you. Success is an unsolicited approach from individuals that you would love to work for in the future.

Measure the success of your career portfolio by evaluating its effectiveness in achieving specific goals, such as securing job interviews, attracting clients, or showcasing expertise. Track metrics like the number of views, inquiries, or engagements generated by your portfolio. Solicit feedback from peers, mentors, or clients to assess its impact and relevance.

Taking a step back and defending what success means, looks like and feels like for you. After you have your definition of success, create goals will enable your ‘success’ a reality through your portfolio career.

In my experience, one way to measure the success of your career portfolio is by actively gathering feedback from trusted sources like mentors, peers, and industry professionals. This feedback can provide insights into the effectiveness of your portfolio in conveying your skills, experiences, and achievements. Consistent, constructive feedback can indicate how closely your portfolio aligns with industry standards and expectations, revealing areas of strength and opportunities for improvement.

The success of a portfolio is completely subjective, so you need to get subjective feedback. Ask colleagues, mentors, recruiters, and managers for feedback. Colleagues and mentors are a great place to start, but ultimately, you want to collect feedback from managers, recruiters, or even teams that are actively hiring.

Track Analytics: Monitor online portfolio visits and engagement metrics, such as page views and time spent, to assess interest levels. Collect Feedback: Use surveys to gather viewer satisfaction and insights, helping refine portfolio content. Showcase Testimonials: Highlight positive feedback from viewers as proof of your impact and effectiveness. Measure Referrals: Count how many people share your portfolio or refer you to opportunities, indicating its influence. Recognize Achievements: Document any awards or recognitions received for your work, showcasing professional validation and success.

In my opinion, tracking the results of your career portfolio involves monitoring the outcomes of the goals you've set within your professional journey. By keeping track of quantifiable results, such as the number of job offers, project successes, client testimonials, and professional milestones you achieve, you can assess the effectiveness of your portfolio. This data provides concrete evidence of your growth and can help you make informed decisions about future directions and areas for improvement.

Tracking results is super easy for professionals working in Sales or Procurement, right? Because, at the end of the day, the result of their efforts translates into money (savings or profit). But when it comes to back office professionals, for example, in Finance, HR, and Technology, it can become a challenge to quantify the work experience. Yet, the good news is that there is always a way! When I worked in Finance, I had on my CV the size of the project portfolio I controlled, in terms of revenue and costs, and also the improvements I implemented to help save time during the Financial close. All in all, it's a matter of TIME and MONEY. So think about how your experience indirectly or directly led to more or less of those two resources.

Feeling like you're lagging behind at work or in your career is totally normal, but there's a trick to shake off that feeling: keep a brag book. It's a go-to list of all your wins and cool stuff you've done at work, everything you're proud of. It doesn't have to be just the big wins either; even the small wins count. Think of it as your personal highlight reel of your career accomplishments.

I'll be honest, I really don't like the title of this article. Your portfolio isn't the thing in your career that is or isn't successful. You are. Hopefully, you have a strong portfolio that accurately represents your unique value and the accomplishments that make YOU successful. People hire people, not career portfolios!

Before reading this, it's important to note that actions speak louder than words. A career portfolio is a collection of your professional achievements, skills, and experiences. It includes your resume, cover letters, certificates, projects, and testimonials, showcasing your career progression and capabilities. To measure its success, first, evaluate if it helps you achieve career goals, like securing desired jobs or promotions. Next, assess the quality of job offers and networking opportunities it attracts. High-quality opportunities indicate a successful portfolio. Lastly, consider feedback from peers and mentors. Positive endorsements and regular updates to reflect your latest achievements signify an effective and dynamic portfolio.