Career College Students' Perceptions of Portfolios and Their Influence in the Hiring Process

Abstract

Two-year college enrollment continues to increase to meet the challenges of our changing economy. Due to this increased enrollment, it has become quite evident that more research in the area of two-year colleges is needed. Many two-year colleges have their students complete a portfolio upon graduation, to assist them in the competitive job market. Does the portfolio really help students get jobs? The contents of this paper follow a mixed-method study that involves surveying graduates of two-year colleges as well as interviewing employers who frequently hire two-year college graduates.Graduates from a number of two-year colleges were asked to complete a 27 item survey with a four-point Likert scale. Employers that frequently hire two-year college graduates were interviewed regarding hiring practices when portfolios are involved. Several