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You know the saying in the Army about don't ask, don't tell.
If you ask if you can have a copy of confidential material, they will
say no. However, if while you are creating a body of work, you simply
retain a copy for your records, I don't think most people would mind.
Of course, you still use the material with the confidentiality it
deserves. Only show it at interview, never give out or leave a copy,
and I usualy find that it is possible to show it during an interview
without having it reading during that interview. My experience has been
that those doing the interview don't have the time to read 20 pages of
material. Just by being able to thumb through it usualy satisfies their
requirement of viewing a portfolio. They simply want proof that you did
it, and the rest you talk about, not have them read about. They may ask
you a question or two about items that catch their eye, but you aren't
going to be grilled about every word. I happen to be able to do things
with MS PowerPoint that interviewers think can only be done in a
high-level paint program. The graphics in my documents are usualy done
with PP and they catch their eye.
Because of this, try to pick various samples that are visually
impressive, things with tables, graphics, pictures, multiple styles,
complex formatting, etc.
In addition, you don't need alot of material or even the whole of
anything. My samples in my portfolio are each in acetate page covers.
I have 3 catagories; hardcopy documents, web page printouts (in color)
and presentation material (PowerPoint-type stuff in color). The binding
that contains the material is an impressive, expensive ($75) black
leather zippered portfolio. When I'm in the interview and it comes time
to display my portfolio, I present it in such a way stimulates interest
in the material. Flourish it...show them that you handle it with respect
and they should too...make them know that you know that the portfolio
represents a class act. And don't show it at the beginning of the
interview. Place it infront of you, but don't open it. Make them
anticipate the unveiling.
I have labled tabs for each section; 1) resume, 2) a references page
with 12 fully formatted reference entries, 3) letters of reference,
4)awards, 5) certificates, 6) complimentary emails that I collect during
my assignment tenure, then the three sections containing the samples
(sectins 7, 8, and 9) Oh, yes, by the way, I also have a Table of
Contents. (This is what they call the "sizzle") Even though I have about
70 plastic sheet covers, I only have about 25 pages of samples. (This is
the "steak").
The point I'm trying to make is if you present what you have
effectively, it will go alot toward making up for a lack of a stack of
samples.
The Tech Writer wrote:
>
> I just got word back from my old boss. They just released the software
> that I spent 16 months documenting. I asked if I could get a .PDF copy of
> the couple of chapters on which I did the most work. She indicated that
> she couldn't. I don't have a single portfolio piece from any employer
> except a Getting Started manual I reworked for my internship! (I'm at my
> third job since the internship.) It seems that the only way to get anything
> for your portfolio is to steal it when you leave. <Sigh> Oh, well! I
> guess I'll have to keep getting by with my good looks! :-)
>
> Does anyone out there know of tactful ways of *legally* getting copies of
> work for a portfolio? Esp. ways to do it without it looking like you're
> planning to leave? ('Cause I'm really happy at my job!)
>
> -David Castro
> techwrtr -at- crl -dot- com
>
--
John Posada
Technical Documents
The world's premier Internet fax service company: The FaxSav Global
Network http://www.faxsav.com mailto:posada -at- faxsav -dot- com
