A Good Portfolio

Walking into a job interview with a well organized portfolio and up-to-date samples of your work is as important as prior job experience. I got my first job as a Technical Writer and was able to negotiate a higher salary because I presented work to my interviewers that showed my experience, talent and ambition.

Keep it Clean

First of all, clean your resume up. Make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors. Be prepared to leave your portfolio with your future employer and have a business card to present. I suggest using  iprint.com for business cards because they are both cheap and fast. 

Use a nice cover, include a disk or CD with all the work that you present in a hard copy format included on it. Don't give away prior company secrets or proprietary information, even if it shows your work off in a good light. Feel free to brag. If you've earned any awards, copy and include them at the end of the portfolio. The length of the portfolio is up to you. Mine is about 50 pages long, divided into chapters with tabs and a table of contents.

Be as Modern as Possible

Next time I interview for a job, I'll create an eBook because it is the latest technology and it will be my goal to show my future boss(es) that I embrace technology. 

Click here to learn how to create an eBook

What to Include

• Cover page describing what excites you about Technical Writing, why this specific company looks interesting, why you are qualified and what you have included in the portfolio. The shorter the better. Use a clear font and good paper.

• Your resume. It is okay to include a longer version then the one you sent in to get the interview but if you do, include the original resume too.

• 3 samples of Technical Writing:

• a technical sample
• a white paper (especially if the job includes some marketing)
• an explanation of a complex concept broken down into steps with graphics

For help on what to write about see my article titled: Reading like a Technical Writer

• References and Letters of Recommendation (both professional and personal)
• Awards

All of the above can be created without ever having worked as a Technical Writer. 

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