Use a Brag Book to Set Yourself Apart From Other Candidates

If it’s true that a picture is worth 1,000 words, why don’t jobseekers come to job interviews prepared to show and tell?

One of the best ways to do this is with a “brag book,” otherwise known as a portfolio, leave-behind, or interview presentation binder.

While portfolios are expected in certain “creative” professions, jobseekers in many more “traditional” fields could benefit from preparing a brag book to use in an interview.

Putting together a brag book is also an excellent way to prepare for a job interview, as it can be used to reflect on what knowledge, skills, and abilities will be most relevant for the targeted position.

A brag book is also an excellent confidence booster. There’s just something about seeing all of your accomplishments in print that boosts your confidence and self-esteem.

A brag book is useful in a job search to:

• Tangibly showcase your accomplishments
• Document the breadth/depth of your educational credentials, training, and professional development
• Set you apart from other candidates who are interviewed for the job
• Give you a “prop” to make you more comfortable answering questions in the interview
• Allow you to provide greater depth and detail about your qualifications than you can on the resume alone

Posting a portfolio online can help set you apart from other candidates in a competitive job market. You can link to your digital portfolio on your LinkedIn profile as well as provide a link to the portfolio on your resume.

The brag book is primarily designed to be used in the job interview — both to illustrate your qualifications and (possibly) as a leave-behind piece. Developing a customized brag book for use as a leave-behind can be a very effective strategy. It shows you prepared for the interview.

A brag book can also be used to...

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