Do I show my portfolio during an interview?
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Hi all, Do I show my portfolio during an interview? If so do I show screen prints of software application/web application or code? I have an interview coming up and I am trying to ensure I am prepared. Thanks for your time, robNO.
Why not? You're not trying to sell them stolen goods. If you get the chance to present something try not to let it hijack the interview unless they want to explore it in depth. Good luck!
If there is one thing more dangerous than getting between a bear and her cubs it's getting between my wife and her chocolate.
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Taking a interviewer to a website is fine - that's in the public domain - but showing any of the code behind it would be a no-no, almost certainly. I would not consider it a good sign for the security of my code if a potential employee started showing me the code from his last company! :laugh:
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Absolutely.
"If you don't fail at least 90 percent of the time, you're not aiming high enough." Alan Kay.
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Show them the actual application, not screenshots. If your software is a desktop application, it is advisable to bring your own laptop to demo as their machine configuration may be different (as in runtime pre-requisite installed and admin rights required and so on). In short, you do not want to troubleshoot on how to run your desktop app on their machines. If your software is a web application, send your interviewer the URL.
So what do you mean send the URL, during the interview or would it more likely that after the interview they would checkout my work? I have the stuff I would like to show them on linkedin would it be likely that they have already looked at it? Thanks! robNO
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So what do you mean send the URL, during the interview or would it more likely that after the interview they would checkout my work? I have the stuff I would like to show them on linkedin would it be likely that they have already looked at it? Thanks! robNO
Send them your portfolio and linkedin links before the interview. If they haven't looked at them, you can show them during the interview.
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Send them your portfolio and linkedin links before the interview. If they haven't looked at them, you can show them during the interview.
Okay thanks, I have not done too many interviews so I am trying to get prepared. So during the interview I could suggest to use their computer to show my portfolio if they would like to see what I've done? I don't have a reliable laptop battery. I have things I could show on my cell phone (e.g., mobile adaptive SPA), but obviously I will keep it off unless they ask. Sorry if I am asking too many questions.
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Whatever you decide upon, you must make sure that you fully understand all of it. I've had interviewees showing code and screenshots - and when I asked them about a particular area the response was "Oh! I didn't work on that bit - I'm not sure how it works!" Because they had implied it was pretty much their own work, this went down like a lead balloon. Personally, taking a laptop with running application is my favourite route; if a suitable question comes up, I can answer "Yes - I've worked on xyz - I've got an example here if you'd like to look?"
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I am confident that I can explain everything that I would be showing and I can avoid giving that kind of response. Is it unreasonable to assume that I could potentially use their computer or my cell phone (obviously it will be off unless the they want me to demonstrate) to show web applications? I have not did to many interviews so if you can give me any advice I am grateful of it. Thanks! robNO
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I really can't see how this applies. We are not talking about giving anything away and unless a confidentiality agreement or the state secrets act gets in the way we are all entitled to show snippets of our work to a prospective employer. Lets say I took an interviewer to a website I had implemented - no problem surely. This is the case in Oz and I am sure also in the US and Canada.
Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa
pwasser wrote:
We are not talking about giving anything away and unless a confidentiality agreement or the state secrets act gets in the way we are all entitled to show snippets of our work to a prospective employer.
Not in the US. In the US someone owns the code. For real employees the employer always owns the code - every single line. For contractors it depends on the contract but unless you are clever or the employer is stupid (and they have a stupid lawyer) then they own the code - every single line. If they own it you can't show it unless they give you permission and you had better have it in writing.
pwasser wrote:
This is the case in Oz
The following would suggest otherwise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Australia#Ownership_of_copyright[^]
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pwasser wrote:
We are not talking about giving anything away and unless a confidentiality agreement or the state secrets act gets in the way we are all entitled to show snippets of our work to a prospective employer.
Not in the US. In the US someone owns the code. For real employees the employer always owns the code - every single line. For contractors it depends on the contract but unless you are clever or the employer is stupid (and they have a stupid lawyer) then they own the code - every single line. If they own it you can't show it unless they give you permission and you had better have it in writing.
pwasser wrote:
This is the case in Oz
The following would suggest otherwise http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright_law_of_Australia#Ownership_of_copyright[^]
I think we may have our wires crossed. Even lawyers don't agree on this. Can you cite any successful prosecution anywhere arising from copyright infringement in an interview? There is a world of difference between ownership of copyright where I agree with you entirely and infringement of copyright. I think the best test may be as suggested by others. Don't show anything that may raise eyebrows. A prospective employer does not want to employ someone who gives away secrets.
Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa
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Okay thanks, I have not done too many interviews so I am trying to get prepared. So during the interview I could suggest to use their computer to show my portfolio if they would like to see what I've done? I don't have a reliable laptop battery. I have things I could show on my cell phone (e.g., mobile adaptive SPA), but obviously I will keep it off unless they ask. Sorry if I am asking too many questions.
Yes, you can request to use your interviewer PC or laptop. Just make sure your USB drive does not have any hidden malware which can wipe clean the HDD, destroy OS and any chance at getting hired. Good luck! :)
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Yes, you can request to use your interviewer PC or laptop. Just make sure your USB drive does not have any hidden malware which can wipe clean the HDD, destroy OS and any chance at getting hired. Good luck! :)
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I think we may have our wires crossed. Even lawyers don't agree on this. Can you cite any successful prosecution anywhere arising from copyright infringement in an interview? There is a world of difference between ownership of copyright where I agree with you entirely and infringement of copyright. I think the best test may be as suggested by others. Don't show anything that may raise eyebrows. A prospective employer does not want to employ someone who gives away secrets.
Peter Wasser Art is making something out of nothing and selling it. Frank Zappa
pwasser wrote:
I think we may have our wires crossed. Even lawyers don't agree on this. Can you cite any successful prosecution anywhere arising from copyright infringement in an interview?
There are many laws in many places that are not prosecuted due to a lack of evidence, knowledge or just because there is no desire by a prosecutor to pursue it. However 1. That doesn't mean it isn't against the law. 2. It doesn't mean that the company doing the interview will not look poorly on an interviewee presenting code from another company because you might then do the same with their code.
pwasser wrote:
There is a world of difference between ownership of copyright where I agree with you entirely and infringement of copyright.
Which the expensive lawyer that you pay by the hour for will be more willing to discuss with you and the attorney from the other company at length. And perhaps a judge.
