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Browsing through this thread brought back in interesting experience. I
interviewed for a tech writer position in a small company back in 1996. After
the third interview I felt fairly confident that I would be offered the
position. The personnel manager contacted me and explained that I was their top
candidate and that an offer would be contingent upon a favorable review of
"some samples" of my work by the VP of Engineering. I made copies of several
pages or various jobs and attached small "Post Its", containing the date and
company for which the work was done. I left them with the personnel manager.
After not hearing from the company for 2 weeks I decided to call the personnel
manager. I was told that I was eliminated from consideration from the job
because the VP of Engineering was extremely disappointed in the use of
hand-written notes (Post Its) attached to the samples and decided that it was
"unprofessional" of me.
For what it's worth, I recommend that samples are shown directly to the
pertinent individuals with explanations given personally.
> Howdy,
>
> I think it is a good sign when they ask for samples. I always feel a
> little more confident about a job when the interviewer looks at my
> portfolio and asks questions. I don't mind sending pieces which
> are not confidential by email, either.
>
> However, I am not willing to send hard copy examples (of which I only
> have one or two copies each) to a faceless advertisement who might
> or might not send them back to me. I am always surprised by an
> ad which requires bound and printed samples sent along with a
> resume. Considering how many resumes most ads solicit, who could
> handle that deluge of samples realistically?
>
> This has taken me out of the running for a job or two. Oh, well, I just
> don't see providing my only sample for someone who might
> or might not be interested in hiring me and who might or might not
> return it. I will gladly email a copy or print one off and bring it
> to the interview, but I had to weedle and beg for many of my samples
> as it is.
>
> Just my thoughts.
>
> Melonie R. Holliman
> Technical Writer
> CPD Marketing
> Advanced Micro Devices
>
> From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000==
