Portfolios and writing samples...

Subject: Portfolios and writing samples...
From: "Johnson, Dick D" <Dick -dot- Johnson2db8ef -at- PSS -dot- BOEING -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 08:08:57 -0700

Eric said it very well...

*An employer is certainly within her rights to demand a portfolio.
She is not, however, within her rights to ask the candidate if she can
photocopy the samples. *

I only wish to amplify it...strongly.

Certainly, an interviewer can expect to view our writing samples. However,
it is a matter of integrity on his/her part to never suggest taking the
portfolio out of the sight of the interviewee. To want to copy, or
privately review, lends itself to suspicion of a hidden agenda. I
personally know three gifted writers in my area who have been victimized
this very way by unscrupulous interviewers who intimidated them into
allowing their portfolios be taken from the room during their interviews,
only to have some copies appear elsewhere and coming back to haunt the
writers, and the interviewers at later dates. In one case, it was
discovered later, the information copied provided the hiring interviewer
with the very thing he was looking for and the position was withdrawn...no
writer was hired. The basic rule here is, "Don't Do It!"

Responsibility and integrity apply here for all persons involved in the
interview.
1. The writer must have a portfolio consisting of samples of HIS/HER work
at the interview. Don't leave home without it...no person can present it
better than you, the writer.
2. The writer must NEVER let the portfolio out of his/her sight at any
time. This demonstrates the highest integrity on the part of the writer to
the interviewer that the hiring company's proprietary information is safe
with this writer. This can be easily handled in complete comfort and
demonstrating a high level communication skill while briefly explaining that
"previous clients have permitted the viewing of this material in an
interview without copying." Any interviewer of integrity will immediately
express his/her respect for this and will act appropriately. Be wary of any
interviewer demonstrating otherwise.
3. The interviewer must NEVER attempt to persuade the writer to release
his/her portfolio for even a second in time. To do so demonstrates a
graphic lack of integrity and responsibility on the part of the interviewer
as he/she attempts to get the writer to do something wrong, possibly even
illegal.
4. It is the interviewer's responsibility to be experienced enough to
recognize and properly evaluate the skill level of the writer from the
portfolio as presented. If the interviewer feels he must look at it
privately in order to get a better feeling that it is truly done by the
writer, the interviewer is laying down a smokescreen. After all, how can an
interviewer determine this out of the room better than in the room with the
writer?
5. If the writer misrepresents his/her work, this will become evident very
quickly and the proper action can then be taken without ceremony.

In short, the interviewer must provide an atmosphere of trust and comfort in
the interview by being responsible and demonstrating integrity by not
attempting to compromise the writer's ethics. The writer must be
responsible by presenting examples of his/her best works and demonstrating
the integrity of protecting the requirements of his/her previous clients.
Nothing less is acceptable.

As Eric suggested, if the interviewer wants to determine, on the spot, if
this writer has the 'right stuff' then simply ask the writer to compose a
short piece on anything.

The interview, some may tend to forget, is a two-way street. As the writer
is being interviewed for qualifications for doing work for the hiring
company, the writer is also interviewing the company interviewers for signs
of integrity, honesty, and anything that could suggest it be a comfortable
and productive place to work.

Sorry good people, this is one of my hot buttons. Please take the above
information as motivational only. If you disagree, please privately email
me. I can handle the heat...*smile*.

Dick Johnson

From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=


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