What would you include in a professional portfolio to get a job - advice needed

Hi, I need some advice on how to approach this English essay question
"What would you include in a professional portfolio, and how would you use it to get a job?"

The reason it is hard for me to start is because I have no experience in the degree field I will earn at the end of this Fall semester. Why no experience... I am a 47 year old female dislocated from textiles but received the opportunity to enter college through TAA (Trade assistance program). I had been working in furniture since 1988 (CAD operator) and retail and fast food prior to that.

I am unsure how I would build a portfolio based on my work history. The upside is my GPA being 3.93.

I could really use some advice on the essay. It would not be as hard if I had prior experience in the field I am earning my degree in and if I were younger and had more experience in doing portfolios and the English courses. My paper has a wide page limit spand of 3 - 8 pages.

Well I would at least start with a resume. Even include any credentials that don't necessarily pertain to the field but are overall good to have as leverage.

That wide span of possible page range makes me think they are not very concerned with having you follow a particular process. So... that is good! If I had to do something like this I would go to Elance.com and look at the portfolio's people have made about this kind of work you are going to be doing.

REMEMBER you don't have to actually have the documents/photographs, etc that you would include. When someone asks what you would include you can answer with a description rather than with the actual item that would be included.

So... this is an English paper about how to make and use a portfolio. And how would you use it to get a job? I think you should have it posted online with your blog page, perhaps by using Google Blogger, and also buy a domain name for 10 bucks from Godaddy.com. That way you can have people visit LindaParks.com to see your portfolio.

To find out what to include, look online at portfolios other people have created to do the kind of work you want to do.

Good luck!!!! :-)