Idea for a Writing Portfolio

[Nancy Hoft - CONTRACTOR HRIS <nhoft -at- SDDLIB -dot- EAST -dot- SUN -dot- COM>]

I got my first tech writing job via a head hunter, placement person, or whatever
you want to call them.  He had some excellent advice for my portfolio, which
I've used throughout most of my career.  (Wish I could remember his name for
proper credit...)

He had this credo:

Tech writers organize information.  Create a portfolio that
DEMONSTRATES this.

This is how he suggested I implement his credo:

Use a 3-ring binder or something similar and have a TOC and tabs.  Each tab
introduces a section.  Each section should have a short description of what
chapter samples or whatever are in there, plus a short TOC for the section
(if the section has more than one sample). You should include a brief
description for each sample.  The description should identify the intended
audience, the tools, the purpose, etc. (sort of what you would write for
a submission to the STC publications competition).

Include a section for the most recent version of your resume and a list
of professional references.

If you have many years of tech writing experience, include a bibliography of
your own work.  (Yes, this is the right place to be vain! and doesn't it feel
good!)

Have the 3-ring binder version be your master version.  Never leave this with
someone.  Make a photocopied, cheaper version of the master version that you
can send to a potential employer and never get back.  Don't include everything
in the cheaper version--tailor its content to the company to which you are
applying for a job.  Rewrite the summaries if necessary.

Keep both versions of the portfolio up to date.

Hope this helps!

-- Nancy Hoft
INTL TECH COMM SVCS
RR2 Box 493 Moran Road
Temple, NH 03084-9761 USA
603.878.4540

Internet: itech -at- mv -dot- mv -dot- com
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