Engineering Portfolio Guide

Engineering Portfolios

An Engineering Portfolio is a website or document that highlights examples of your work and projects.

Why should I create an engineering portfolio?

Engineering Portfolios are an excellent way to communicate your experiences more fully. Creating a portfolio allows more opportunities to present and display one’s work to potential employers, even in instances of short notice. It also serves as a motivation to carefully document engineering projects – always a worthwhile practice!

Creating a portfolio increases one’s awareness of their skills and abilities; it is another way to connect in-and-out of classroom learning with real world applications. Show off your work, your projects, and your passions!

Things to Consider…

  • Consider your audience. Could be peers, professors, colleagues, current and future employers.
  • What work can go in a portfolio? Pull highlights from class projects, labs, internships, Co-op experiences, design projects, independent projects, club or organization projects, competitions, and more!
  • Document as you go. Do your best to record your process as you go; going back to re-document is difficult.
    • Keep a design notebook, logbook, or journal.
    • Photograph stages of development.
    • Scan/photograph your calculation sheets, sketches, designs, CAD, analysis, prototypes, etc.
    • Record videos of your tests and your final product being used or showcased.
  • Find the right fit for you. Not ready to build your online presence? Create a PowerPoint detailing your projects and experiences. Use it to prepare for interviews…or bring it with you to share as a “leave behind.”
  • Your Resume. Include a link to the portfolio in the header of your resume with other contact information.
  • Contact me. Include a Contact Me section of your resume to encourage your viewers to engage with you.

Recommended Tools and Hosts for Online Portfolios and Online Resumes

Explore and Be Inspired

MIT Ideation Lab – Portfolio Resources https://sites.google.com/site/ideationportfolioresources/ *Find tips on documentation, content, layout, and many samples here!