Business English - Making a Work Portfolio (Beginner Level)

Activity 1: Let's Get Started! (Warm-up)

Think about this: What is a work portfolio? Why is it good to have one when you look for a job, especially for jobs where you make things (like art, writing, or projects)?

Activity 2: New Words (Vocabulary)

Here are some new English words. These words will help us talk about showing your work to employers.

Work Showcase (Portfolio): A collection of your best work to show what you can do.

Example: Bring your Work Showcase to an interview.

Work Samples: Examples of things you made or did well, like drawings or writing.

Example: Put photos or copies of your Work Samples in your showcase.

Show Well: To display your work in a good and clear way so people can see it easily.

Example: You should show well your drawings in a neat folder.

Organized: When your work is arranged in a clear, neat, and orderly way.

Example: It is important to keep your Work Showcase organized.

Online Showcase (Digital Portfolio): A work showcase that is on the internet, like on a website.

Example: An Online Showcase helps many people see your work easily from anywhere.

Good Fit: Work examples that are the right type for the specific job you want.

Example: Only put work in your showcase that is a good fit for the job you are applying for.

Activity 3 (Reading)

Let's read about Lina. She wants a job as a writer and is making a showcase for her work.

Lina wants a job as a writer. She knows it's important to show companies her writing skills, so she decides to make a Work Showcase. She carefully looks through all her writing pieces. She chooses three Work Samples to include. One is a short story she wrote for her school newspaper, which shows her creative writing. Another is an advertisement she created for a local bakery; this shows she can write for businesses. The last sample is a blog post she wrote about her favorite hobby, which shows her friendly writing style.

Lina makes sure all her writing samples are very organized in a professional-looking folder. She thinks this will make a good first impression. She also wants to have an Online Showcase because she knows many companies like to see work on the internet. So, she creates a simple website where she uploads clean copies of her writing. Lina is very careful to only include writing samples that she thinks are a good fit for the job of a writer. She doesn't want to add anything extra that isn't helpful. Lina feels much more confident now that her Work Showcase is ready. She believes this special collection will help companies understand her skills and see that she is a good choice for a writing job.

Think about the story:

What kind of Work Samples did Lina put in her Work Showcase, and what did each one show?
How did Lina keep her work samples so they looked good and professional? (Hint: two ways)
Why was Lina careful to only choose Work Samples that were a good fit for the job she wanted?

Activity 4: Role Play

Read this dialogue with a partner. One person is Mark (a student), and the other is Ms. Diaz (his teacher).

Mark: Ms. Diaz, I love drawing. How can I show my drawings to companies when I look for a design job someday?

Ms. Diaz: Hi Mark! That's a great question. You can make a Work Showcase. It's a special collection where you put your best Work Samples.

Mark: Should I put all of my drawings in it, even the old ones or ones I'm not so happy with?

Ms. Diaz: It's better to choose only your best drawings and make sure they are organized. Quality is more important than quantity. Also, pick drawings that are a good fit for the job you want. For example, if you want a job designing characters for games, show your best character drawings.

Mark: That makes sense. What if I don't have many great Work Samples yet because I'm still learning?

Ms. Diaz: That's okay, Mark. Even a few strong pieces are good to start with. You can always add more to your Work Showcase later as you create new drawings. The main thing is to show your potential.

Mark: Can I make an Online Showcase too, like on a website, so it's easy to share with companies?

Ms. Diaz: Yes, an online one is a very good idea! It helps you show well your talent to many people and companies easily. You can put a link to it on your resume.

Mark: So, the Work Showcase helps tell a story about my skills with pictures and examples?

Ms. Diaz: Exactly! It's a visual story that helps companies understand what you can do and how creative you are. Good luck building yours!

After reading, discuss: What is one kind of work (like drawings, writing, or photos) that you or your friends could put in a Work Showcase to show your skills?

Activity 5: Let's Practice

Objective: Practice using the new vocabulary about making a work showcase.

Scenario: Priya (the learner) is talking to her friend, Sam, about getting ready for a job interview for a graphic design job.

Sam: Priya, you have so many great projects from your design class! How will you show them to companies when you apply for jobs?

Priya: I'm making a to put all my best drawings and designs together so companies can see them.

Sam: That's a great idea! What kind of things are you going to put in it? All of your projects?

Priya: No, I will choose only my best , like my top logo design I made and a poster I created for an event.

Sam: How will you make sure it looks good and is easy for them to look at everything clearly?

Priya: I will keep all my work very inside a nice, clean folder so it looks professional.

Sam: Are you also thinking of putting it on the internet so you can share it easily?

Priya: Yes, I definitely want to create an as well, so I can just send a link to companies with my application.

Sam: That’s very smart! And I guess you'll only include designs that are good for the graphic design jobs you want, right?

Priya: Exactly! I will only select work that is a and shows the skills they are looking for.

Sam: That way you can really your amazing design skills to them properly!

Try to fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases from this lesson!