Portfolio for interview

[dbstruct]

I was wondering what the standard is here. I am a draftsman, seeking a new job, and I have a couple of interviews. I would like to bring some of my work to the interview, but.... For one, my current employers is not privy to this info, and second, what are the rules to this? Do I make plots of stuff I've done without the titleblock or any info with the company name, or what? I ahve no clue as to copyright infringement, so go easy, I am asking before i make a mistake,

Thanks!!!

 

[JAE]

I have had CADD/draftsman candidates bring samples of their work to interviews. They do it for the purpose of offering a sample of the quality and character of their work experience to give the prospective employer a better feel for their true qualifications.

If you feel that you need to bring this to an interview, I would probably try to remove any identifying titles, etc. and explain to the employer that you brought them as a sample of your work and wish to retain them after the interview simply out of courtesy to your past employers.

I have never had an interest in keeping these kinds of samples.

That said...a lot of times CADD work is not that interesting or revealing as to the quality of your work in that it is all very neat and clean. If you are bringing hand drawings, then perhaps the lettering and line quality is an issue. But I am more interested in the level, degree, depth, of experience rather than on line quality (at least in the CADD realm).

 

[Tobalcane]

Hi dbstruct,

This is just my opinion on this matter. I’m sure (like me) you have signed an agreement that you will not share company confidential information with the public or with the competitor. Thus the dilemma is; how do you show off your good work with out sharing confidential information? In my company and the past company, we have big enough projects that we do design studies. Usually I would have two or three ways of doing something. When the best way of doing it gets picked, the other two ways end up in a folder. Now, the best way of doing it gets to be company confidential and copy write and all that good stuff, but the other two ways that did not make the cut would end up in my portfolio that I can show to future employers with some adjustments. The adjustments would be to make the designs as vague as possible so that the person reading it can not tie it back to a certain project. No names, nothing that hints it is for the latest project that your company is working on or has in the past. You really just want to focus on your ability and skill not what the design was for.

When I walk into an interview the first thing that I tell the interviewer is that I signed an agreement with my current employer not to share company confidential information so I can not show you any drawings on what I am working on, but I have other evidence here in my portfolio that shows my ability and skill. The interviewer will be impress that you take confidential information very seriously and you will not have to worry that you show off to much information.

I also have gone as far as looking for pictures on the interviewer’s web site and try to spot a design that I could do a mock analysis and design. Something that I can use to show off my skills and ability, but with their product. For example, if company A makes a widget. I would do a mock heat transfer and vibration analysis on how I would have approached the design as part of my portfolio.

In legal terms, I don’t know if this is right, but it worked for me at interviews.



Go Mechanical Engineering
Tobalcane

 

[Ron]

dbstruct....I think a sanitized example of your work is fine. I like to look at examples because I can then see their attention to detail (or lack thereof), their accuracy (is their spelling correct, are the weld symbols correct), do they fully understand dimensioning (can you build from your dimensions without having a scale and a calculator), is the layout clean and concise, etc.

 

[SlideRuleEra]

dbstruct - I suggest that you include sample drawings that show your ability to work with varous materials, such as structural steel, reinforced concrete, masonry, wood, earthwork, etc.

 

[dbstruct]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your advise. I promise to use it wisely