The Role of E-Portfolios in Graduate Recruitment

Portfolios have been used for many years for a number of different purposes. An increased access to technology has resulted in portfolios being presented in an electronic format, but there is no real evidence that employers respond positively to the electronic form—especially if it does not interface with their own electronic application processes. A survey emailed to Australian employers of graduates was used to gather feedback regarding the use of e-portfolios in the graduate recruitment process. The survey results suggest that employers may not be receptive to online presentation. Recommendations from this survey are that employers' willingness to use e-portfolios needs to be nurtured and proponents of e-portfolios need to communicate the benefits of use to employers. In the early stages, tertiary careers advisory services should use caution in recommending that students use online e-portfolios during the application process.