I'm hoping to change jobs/cities in the next few months and am trying to figure out the best way to present my professional work to potential employers. I have three years of experience, so I'll still be showing some of "my" work, from school, etc., which is simple enough. But since the bulk of my project experience has been on large (+/-300,000sf), complex buildings, with multiple hands, what are the ethical issues involved in claiming work? I've been fortunate to work full time on a couple of these projects from SD to CA, doing all kinds of stuff, but it is almost never the case that I could claim sole authorship on any of it. Furthermore, if I did only show images/drawings that were incontrovertibly "mine," these wouldn't be sufficient to explain the projects. I take it that the presentation of professional work in a portfolio is meant to be a conversation starter both about specific skill sets (CAD, etc.) but also what I've generally been exposed to thus far in the profession.
What I would like to do is this: graphically present the project in its totality, highlighting the things I was most directly involved in, and being clear in my resume and interview what my specific role as project team member was.
Just a couple of examples of the kinds of things I'm tussling with:
If I did substantial redline revisions to a wall section, but didn't develop the section from scratch can I show it?
If I built a computer model which was then rendered by an outside firm because of time constraints, do I show that image, or conversely if I rendered/photoshopped a model that I didn't build? What are the rules here? Sorry to prattle on so long. Thanks in advance for your responses.
Nobody expects you to show professional work that is solely yours. In fact, since potential employers will care deeply about your ability to work in a team, they often prefer to see work that is not solely yours.
You will be asked questions about your role in the projects, and you should be honest. All of the things you've mentioned are potentially good portfolio items, provided that you're clear about what your role was in that project or element. Photos of built work and of the construction process are often very important in establishing that you've seen some projects through to completion and that you have some experience on job sites and with construction admin.
At three years of experience the majority of applicants tend not to show student work anymore (this falls out of most people's portfolios after they have a year or two of experience.) This is not to say that you shouldn't include it if you think it illustrates something important about your abilities that the professional work does not - but it should not make up a large percentage of your portfolio at this point. If you have more recent personal work this might also make good portfolio material. But be prepared for your interviews to be much less focused on your personal work and much more about your specific experience on all phases of professional projects.
I'm torn with showing professional work in my portfolio as well, but my portfolio will be shown to potential schools, which frown upon CAD work, but i'd like to convey that I know how things are built.
Bloopox, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Cadalyst, I have a first professional MArch and a couple of degrees in an unrelated field...didn't start thinking about architecture until later in my education. I'm not sure that schools frown on cad, just shitty cad if you know what I mean. They don't need to see a furniture and equipment plan necessarily, but if you have some nice details of something that are themselves beautiful as drawings (nice line work, etc.), I'd definitely show them. They have building tech. in arch. schools too.
Apr 9, 07 10:34 am ·
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Presenting professional work
I'm hoping to change jobs/cities in the next few months and am trying to figure out the best way to present my professional work to potential employers. I have three years of experience, so I'll still be showing some of "my" work, from school, etc., which is simple enough. But since the bulk of my project experience has been on large (+/-300,000sf), complex buildings, with multiple hands, what are the ethical issues involved in claiming work? I've been fortunate to work full time on a couple of these projects from SD to CA, doing all kinds of stuff, but it is almost never the case that I could claim sole authorship on any of it. Furthermore, if I did only show images/drawings that were incontrovertibly "mine," these wouldn't be sufficient to explain the projects. I take it that the presentation of professional work in a portfolio is meant to be a conversation starter both about specific skill sets (CAD, etc.) but also what I've generally been exposed to thus far in the profession.
What I would like to do is this: graphically present the project in its totality, highlighting the things I was most directly involved in, and being clear in my resume and interview what my specific role as project team member was.
Just a couple of examples of the kinds of things I'm tussling with:
If I did substantial redline revisions to a wall section, but didn't develop the section from scratch can I show it?
If I built a computer model which was then rendered by an outside firm because of time constraints, do I show that image, or conversely if I rendered/photoshopped a model that I didn't build? What are the rules here? Sorry to prattle on so long. Thanks in advance for your responses.
Nobody expects you to show professional work that is solely yours. In fact, since potential employers will care deeply about your ability to work in a team, they often prefer to see work that is not solely yours.
You will be asked questions about your role in the projects, and you should be honest. All of the things you've mentioned are potentially good portfolio items, provided that you're clear about what your role was in that project or element. Photos of built work and of the construction process are often very important in establishing that you've seen some projects through to completion and that you have some experience on job sites and with construction admin.
At three years of experience the majority of applicants tend not to show student work anymore (this falls out of most people's portfolios after they have a year or two of experience.) This is not to say that you shouldn't include it if you think it illustrates something important about your abilities that the professional work does not - but it should not make up a large percentage of your portfolio at this point. If you have more recent personal work this might also make good portfolio material. But be prepared for your interviews to be much less focused on your personal work and much more about your specific experience on all phases of professional projects.
Can I ask what current degree's you hold?
I'm torn with showing professional work in my portfolio as well, but my portfolio will be shown to potential schools, which frown upon CAD work, but i'd like to convey that I know how things are built.
Bloopox, that's exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you.
Cadalyst, I have a first professional MArch and a couple of degrees in an unrelated field...didn't start thinking about architecture until later in my education. I'm not sure that schools frown on cad, just shitty cad if you know what I mean. They don't need to see a furniture and equipment plan necessarily, but if you have some nice details of something that are themselves beautiful as drawings (nice line work, etc.), I'd definitely show them. They have building tech. in arch. schools too.
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