Oh by the way they are all CAD drawings,excellent CAD drawings with line weights and stuff..

print some 11x17 to give to the possible employers...with a cover/etc

Large drawings may be be too hard to juggle, literally. You will likely have your bag, something to write with, will need to shake the interviewers' hands, take their business cards, put their business cards in a convenient spot - all while appearing calm and collected. Would you roll the drawings up, fold them over or just carry them by the binding? Large drawings may be distracting (to both you and them).

man-hole cover is right. Print out a portion of the larger sheets on 11x17, assemble with z-folds. Usually half-size drawings look even better than the full size drawings, anyways.

Don't forget to scale those beautiful lineweights. Nothing is worse than printing out half sizes only to realize you forgot to scale the linewieghts down too.

Why dont you print it out in scale and make it as your shirt, or skirt?

That would be damn cool to show the employer - hey, look at my stomach it is a nice door detail...

I wonder, you are not considering the regular file-fold...

Well I've already finished my paper roll printing those damn drawings so I'm definitely taking them with me. I'll fold them in a traditional "construction drawing fold" way and I'll also print some of the drawings on a 11x17 paper as suggested by man-hole cover. I've never attended to a career event before..the employers may want to keep the drawings for consideration.

a. don't let them keep the drawings.

b. anything larger than 12x18 is too awkward

Why shouldn't I let them keep the drawings?

they probably won't want to keep them. They'll already have resumes from all the people there to sort through, one more piece of junk isn't going to be appreciated.

If you take 24x36's, you'll just be "that kid with the giant drawings" back in the office. The large format will likely be interpreted as ego: unwillingness to conform to a convenient format for your reviewers, taking up more space than anyone else, etc. Where on earth are they going to look at 24x36 drawings?

i shudder to think how awkward i would feel walking around with such large drawings. imagine if there's food or drink there...you're in trouble if you carry all that!

seriously. go with 11 x 17.

Do that. Honestly, I don't think people will take you seriously if you just bring in full-size prints, and they might think you put no effort into presentation. That may or may not be fair, but I think that's what will happen.

there has to be an actual reason to only have the drawings at 24x36 size

what kind of amazing detail do you have in all your drawings that couldnt be read at half that size at least?

just remember that you will be asked by every single person who you show your drawings to as to why they are that size

what will your answer be for that?

Here's an idea: an entire portfolio rolled up as a scroll, Jack Kerouac-style. During your interview, slowly unravel the whole thing.

dont forget to burn the edges a bit and brown it up a bit..then get fancy ribbon..... h.....ohh.....tee.tteeeeee

Since the poor kid has already made the 24 x 36 prints. . .how about cutting a couple of them into quarters, stapling these into a "book," folding that in half and taking them along. After all, it is the details (at "full" scale) that he wants to show. Just seeing the discontinuous border will make it obvious that these are "cuts" from full sheets.

The interviewer won't want to be burdened with his (and everyone else's ?) drawings -- but a set of this size wouldn't be so ridiculous to give away.

Ok you don't need to neither mock me nor insult me for my idea. I simply asked a question.Since,unlike you, I didn't have a chance to interview with many architectural employers in the past,I didn't know how to present my drawings.Actually I had showed a set of 24x36 drawings to an employer and they had hired me..in the past. Anyway for all your information I only showed the employers 11x17 drawings with a nice spiral bind, a translucent cover sheet and a black cover in the back.Happy?

unfortunately around here at least 50% of the responses you get will be dripping in sarcasm, as architects will almost always come up with a "better way" of doing something, as every architect usually knows best (or believes they know better than anyone else)

it can get annoying at times, but you will usually find some good answers and advice to any questions mixed in between those fun, always helpful, sarcastic responses

It is ridiculous to show any prospective employer those drawings in that format. They don't care that you can draw with CAD standards, they expect it.

Breadth of work and exposure to project phases are more important.

if there is an actual reason for the drawings to be that size, it wouldnt be ridiculous

it would have to be an incredibly detailed project that you would like discuss with potential employers
standard details wouldnt be enough of a reason in my opinion
but i could imagine there would be cases where that would be useful

having a drawing that size could show a certain exposure to a project that you were responsible, and could be helpful

but again, it would have to be beyond CAD standards as the reason

Didn't mean to insult "the kid" -- and I'm happy to hear of the compromise that was chosen. Hope you get the job !

Just to extend the dialog, though, and inspired by marmkid's first comment immediately above: if we believe that all things should be suited to their purpose, then the purpose of a full-sized and unabridged drawing set is one thing, and the use of an edited and down-sized set is another. Pride has its place too, as does modesty.

Too late now, but I think you should have worn your drawings as a cape - an oft-overlooked, practical, and rainproof format..

you know what though, I don't feel sorry for this guy getting a bit of shit for this. He asks whether people think it's a good idea. Respondents say "no!". He prints them at 24x36 anyways, only an hour and a half later. So yeah, he's annoyed that some people got a little snarky, but might not the people who responded genuinely, trying to be helpful, be just as annoyed that this guy asked the question, with seemingly no intention of listening to the answer he got?

Rationalist, I printed the drawings long before I asked the question. Because after I printed the drawings my mind started to have doubts.There were so many drawings and they were big.Then after I got these people's feedback I ran to the school,printed them out in 11x17 in wee hours in the morning then ran to Fedex Kinko's for the binding.
You're an asshole.Oh and I'm not a GUY! Why does everybody automatically assume I'm a guy?

To be honest, the beard threw me. Frankie says 'Relax'!

jackhogan - like this?

Ugh..Yeah I hate that! you draw ONE line wrong which you don't notice in the print preview screen and you have to print the whole drawing all over again..Such a waste.Maybe we should take those drawings home and use them in fireplace as a means of heating. Heating the house in winter really costs an arm and a leg! Especially if you're in NY..

I just assumed it, and it's hard for me to be sure why. But I understand, people make the same mistake about me all the time because of my screen name.

You are getting far too worked up over this though, calling me an asshole. I honestly tried to show you what impression you would give employers if you showed up with 24x36 drawings, and then I honestly tried to help you see why people weren't exactly overjoyed with you here. No animosity, just laying out the facts. If that's you're definition of an asshole, I don't know what to tell you, except that you are going to get offended frequently in this business.

all water under the bridge, but if a kid showed up with really beautiful drawings, not just condocs, on 24x36 i'd be impressed. there's somethiing old school about it that shows a sense of scale most portfolios these days cannot convey. i hate looking it dinky floor plans printed out of scale on 11x17. of course what student these days creates scaled drawings anyway?

"I don't feel sorry for this guy getting a bit of shit for this." You like me getting a bit shit for the situation..Hmm is that how you "help" people? Then do me a favor and don't help me! You only "assume" something,then attack on people based on your assumptions.Sorry but I have the right to be offended. Yes calling you an asshole was a bit harsh but I'm bit of an asshole sometimes too..people bring out the asshole in me.Besides I've never seen any advantages of being nice to people.They only used me.."hey you're a nice person..but uhh we have to let you go".Anyway..

"what student these days creates scaled drawings anyway?" -jafidler
I DO!! Isn't that amazing when you see scaled drawings? :)

lets not try to pretend that all of the comments here were seriously meant to "help"

almost every thread here when someone asks a question, they will get a snotty response
thats the nature of internet posting boards

while we always wonder why someone would take the time and effort to just write a snotty response with no intention of helping, it will not stop

lets not now sit on a high horse because the original poster wasnt like, oh ok, next time i WILL print out my drawings on a skirt and wear it to the interview

ok, poor choice of words. Substitute the idea 'show' for the idea 'help' then. Though, I was only speaking for myself- no skirt related posts were covered under that umbrella! Just keep in mind that the less the questioner appears to be listening to the advice given, the more ridiculous the advice gets.

I'm out of this now. Not worth any more energy. Not even worth this energy, but too late now.

line weights and stuff. love it.

With all of this talk, I would actually like to see the drawings. To the original poster: will you please post a .jpg to the thread? Size it however you would like.

The main thing, is to get a job - architects cn be very snarky to newbies who not only do things different, but can't offer an acceptable rationale for doing so. If you are sharp enough to offer a rationale that works and can verbally articulate it, then go for it. it's not doing things different, rather it's the inablity to offer an effective rationalization - it's a test of your critical thinking and communication skills, not that you use 24x36. I went to an interview once with full size, and got the job.

There are a lot of those "newbies" who not only do things different but can't offer an acceptable rationale due to the architectural education system, rverk.ini.I'm differ though,I'm not a very creative person so I concentrate on the structure. I was told I design structurally sound buildings. I,too went to an interview with 24x36 drawings and got the job though it was a good idea to bring 11x17 drawings to the job fair because there were multiple employers so it would be a pain to fold-unfold the drawings over and over again.The thing is every employer is different and they look for different things for example it wouldn't be a good idea to show a portfolio which is full of abstract concept drawings when you interview a construction company or a portfolio only consisting of traditional construction drawings when you're interviewing a design oriented architecture firm so yeah we can say it is more about the content of the portfolio than the size.