Using work from previous employers in portfolios

[David Castro <thetechwriter -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

Keith Cronin wrote:

> None of the tech writing I've done could be posted online, for proprietary
> reasons. [snip] Typically we don't own the docs we write.

After my second job (of...let's see...six, now), I learned to ask if I can use
the work that I create in a portfolio *at the interview*. I mean, when else can
you ask, without making it look like you're searching for another job (even if
you aren't)??

So far, I've been lucky. All of my jobs, except my second job, have given me
permission to use the stuff I produced in my portfolio (which you can view at
http://www.davidcastro.com).

Oddly enough, I got an email from someone who went to my site to download the
tutorial that I had written for the product from my fourth job, letting me know
that the file didn't download completely. It turns out, he wasn't looking at my
porfolio, but was actually looking for docs for the product, which his company
had lost! My former employer should *really* consider making the docs available
online. :-)

-David Castro
 email -at- davidcastro -dot- com
 http://www.davidcastro.com

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