COMM 305: Reflection Post

Coming into this class, I assumed that I would learn all about professional communication; however I was not aware of that fact that I would be creating a professional portfolio for myself. Creating this ePortfolio has required me to think critically about how I actually view myself as a professional, as well as how I want others to recognize me as a professional. These are two things that I had honestly not put much thought into until after making the ePortfolio. I didn’t allot much time for this before because I wasn’t a ‘professional’ in my mind, I was just a student. I also think that because the ePortfolio is something that I plan to utilize in the future, it required me to put more thought into carefully crafting my outlook.

After completing my ePortfolio, I believe that my professional presence has improved ten-fold. I have really narrowed down how I want to present myself to future employers and how I would like others to see me as a colleague and professional.

I really enjoyed having a space to write my research interests. The template that I chose for my website was made specifically for science professionals. It has places set up for you to put past research as well as current and future works. I think I like this set up so much because it makes me feel like I am actually doing important research. Even though none of my experiments are published, this feature still allows me to share my work in an appealing way to others. Even though I probably disliked making the ‘about me’ section the most, I think I am most proud of that section. I believe that it showcases my qualities well and sets me apart from others in my job market.

The ‘about me’ section was the most challenging aspect of creating my ePortfolio because I have always has a tough time writing about myself. When I am required to write pieces like that, I find myself feeling rather boastful (a feeling I cannot stand) making these rather hard for me to complete. I do feel like I’ve done a nice job pulling out the most important qualities and experiences. The other most challenging aspect of this process was learning when to leave it alone. I would find myself changing the smallest little details over and over. I would think I am satisfied, but would continue to mess with it. At some point, I just had to walk away and accept that fact that I was done formatting.

I don’t think that I have any components that I am not completely satisfied with, except maybe my professional summary video. The lighting is not my favorite because the time that I had to complete my video did not give the best light. I am definitely thinking about tweaking that, but overall I think I am rather satisfied.

In order to be satisfied with my video, I would have to re-do it when I have better lighting. As far as the entire ePortfolio goes, I would say that I am satisfied with the final product and I would not change anything major to increase my satisfaction.

For future students that are creating a portfolio, I would recommend one major piece of advice. Being someone who has never created an ePortfolio, I tackled the major task of designing the portfolio very early on in the semester. I think this helped me out tremendously. It took an extended amount of time to set everything up the way I wanted to. Doing the set up at the very beginning of the semester and not wasting any time was beneficial because it allowed me to focus on this entirely. At the beginning of the semester there are not nearly as many projects, papers, and exams. Had I not created my portfolio early, I honestly don’t think I would be satisfied with the layout because I wouldn’t have had the time necessary to put in. Therefore, I think the most important advice I can give is to get the ball rolling and start creating your ePortfolio as soon as possible. Once that is completed, all you have to do is add things and manage as the semester goes on.