TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Reply:Empty Portfolio From:Karen Schriver <ks0e+ -at- ANDREW -dot- CMU -dot- EDU> Date:Wed, 5 Nov 1997 10:48:05 -0500
Hi,
David Castro asked about ways to get portfolio pieces when people don't
wanna let you have them. In my experience, it is better to negotiate
such a goal before you start the project.But because sometimes this
jeopardizes getting the project, I recommend taking the document you'd
like to use and ask the employer to highlight all confidential
information that might worry them. Then just go through the document and
take out anything that could be used by another party. In some cases,
this will mean rewriting/reordering/deleting. But often I've found
clients quite willing to let me use their texts as long as they are
sufficiently doctored. Of course, some insiders will guess anyway, but
at least you won't be giving away the store.