I am two years out from graduating with my B.A. in Architecture (in the US), and have been working full-time at a firm since graduation. I am applying for a new internship, and am wondering if anyone has advice on how to go about including professional work samples in my now two-years old student portfolio? I'm decently proud of my student work, but now I know infinitely more than I did two years ago, after working on many projects and being mentored by PAs and PMs at my firm (that's the goal after all!) so I want to showcase that. I am thinking of renderings I've done I'd like to show in my portfolio, as well as some plan diagrams I've done.
Secondly, I know there are likely proprietary drawings that I would not be allowed to show, either by my firm or the client, so I'm curious if anyone has experience to share on how to approach the subject with my employer. I don't want to directly come out and say I'm applying for a new job, just want to ask if I can use specific work samples in my personal portfolio, but don't know if that would be weird?
You have to acknowledge the company's work you are using, or provide any relevant copyright information in your folio, and that's a general rule. Unless the project is confidential and you have signed the agreement not to disclose anything about it and that's a no-go zone.
I've witnessed a former colleague who got fired on the spot for including the firm secret's project in his portfolio on his job application with one of the rival firms. The guy was offered a job at that firm ( weird right ?), but I heard he didnt last long.
Also always be honest and open about your contribution to the projects. I've seen so many time during interviews that candidates showing details/drawings that arent done by themselves... that's not good.
Assembling my first professional portfolio - and want to piggyback on this thread.
Say you did a series of studies establishing the design intent of part of a project (wayfinding); is it in bad taste to include more finalized documentation done by others if helps hammer home my contribution to the design? It would be shown as the right-page of the spread across from a page showing a clear progression of ideation (renderings/bluebeam sketches) which eventually was circled back by the colleague for the more final documentation (revit dwgs).
Curious what people would suggest -
A) revise the spread omitting the nice conclusive image done by others
B) include a drawing which I didn't produce with a BOLD disclaimer it was a continuation/completion of my study by a colleague.
Jan 7, 23 12:37 pm ·
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gual
Put in the nice conclusive image(s) for context as well as some of the stuff you directly worked on. Make the image credits obvious. I have never encountered any problems with this practice. People in the industry understand projects are collaborative and final images are necessary for efficiently communicating the design.
thanks for the response. While we’re at it here, is it also best practice to remove any-namesake giveaways of a project’s is actual titled / whereabouts, even if there’s nothing confidential? Or do those details convey any helpful specificity to the work? Example
w/o NDA = “John Cheney High School - Blue Bell, PA”
w/ NDA “(Neighborhood/State/City) School” or FULLY OMIT project
I don’t know if NDAs are present on anything yet, but I’m just rapid fire making spreads and will X-out or vague-ify any confidential projects as I finish updating the whole portfolio.
Jan 7, 23 4:02 pm ·
·
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Seeking Advice - How to Incorporate Professional Work in Student Portfolio
Hi all -
I am two years out from graduating with my B.A. in Architecture (in the US), and have been working full-time at a firm since graduation. I am applying for a new internship, and am wondering if anyone has advice on how to go about including professional work samples in my now two-years old student portfolio? I'm decently proud of my student work, but now I know infinitely more than I did two years ago, after working on many projects and being mentored by PAs and PMs at my firm (that's the goal after all!) so I want to showcase that. I am thinking of renderings I've done I'd like to show in my portfolio, as well as some plan diagrams I've done.
Secondly, I know there are likely proprietary drawings that I would not be allowed to show, either by my firm or the client, so I'm curious if anyone has experience to share on how to approach the subject with my employer. I don't want to directly come out and say I'm applying for a new job, just want to ask if I can use specific work samples in my personal portfolio, but don't know if that would be weird?
I'll answer the second Q.
You have to acknowledge the company's work you are using, or provide any relevant copyright information in your folio, and that's a general rule. Unless the project is confidential and you have signed the agreement not to disclose anything about it and that's a no-go zone.
I've witnessed a former colleague who got fired on the spot for including the firm secret's project in his portfolio on his job application with one of the rival firms. The guy was offered a job at that firm ( weird right ?), but I heard he didnt last long.
Also always be honest and open about your contribution to the projects. I've seen so many time during interviews that candidates showing details/drawings that arent done by themselves... that's not good.
Assembling my first professional portfolio - and want to piggyback on this thread.
Say you did a series of studies establishing the design intent of part of a project (wayfinding); is it in bad taste to include more finalized documentation done by others if helps hammer home my contribution to the design? It would be shown as the right-page of the spread across from a page showing a clear progression of ideation (renderings/bluebeam sketches) which eventually was circled back by the colleague for the more final documentation (revit dwgs).
Curious what people would suggest -
A) revise the spread omitting the nice conclusive image done by others
B) include a drawing which I didn't produce with a BOLD disclaimer it was a continuation/completion of my study by a colleague.
Put in the nice conclusive image(s) for context as well as some of the stuff you directly worked on. Make the image credits obvious. I have never encountered any problems with this practice. People in the industry understand projects are collaborative and final images are necessary for efficiently communicating the design.
thanks for the response. While we’re at it here, is it also best practice to remove any-namesake giveaways of a project’s is actual titled / whereabouts, even if there’s nothing confidential? Or do those details convey any helpful specificity to the work? Example
w/o NDA = “John Cheney High School - Blue Bell, PA”
w/ NDA “(Neighborhood/State/City) School” or FULLY OMIT project
I don’t know if NDAs are present on anything yet, but I’m just rapid fire making spreads and will X-out or vague-ify any confidential projects as I finish updating the whole portfolio.
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