Portfolio for Technical Designers

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Is it necessary to have a portfolio for technical design jobs. If so, is it ethical to include work done for previous employers?

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I have a portfolio for technical work. Technical drawing is a skill, as is creating a spec pack that is streamlined and still easy to read. Iā€™m in accessories and 3/4 view and detail views are often necessary. If I were hiring a tech designer, Iā€™d definitely want to see their drawing skills beyond basic flats.

I wouldnā€™t put anything in there that is ahead of the current retail season, and definitely greek out the spec numbers for any files that you send for them to review outside of the interview.

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You need to have a portfolio for the industry. They need to see what type of work you have done in order to determine if your experiences match what they are looking for.

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I always show my previous work from previous jobs. They need to see you know how to communicate clearly and how you analyze the products. Always show them similar products to what they are making. When Iā€™ve interviewed TDā€™s I have always asked for work samples because you need to see how they work and make sure what they say makes sense. I like to see the the overall though process and the POMā€™s as well.

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I have a portfolio, but I have friend who was hired in February without one. I thought it was odd, I wanted more TD opinions on the subject. Thanks for the advice.

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I was told by a close friend who was head of a major apparel company To always show a portfolio that was based more on my design, fabric and color sense - not my work from my previous job - previous work always looks stale and homogenized. I would bring a catalogue of they were interested and point to best sellers and of course anyone can look online at the company website. Portfolios need to show good design sense an a high taste level even if you are interviewing at lower end companies. Good luck.

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I recently was applying for a tech position and I sent my typical ā€˜sample workā€™ page and the hiring manager requested that I send tech packs with specsā€¦ seemed a bit fishy. I typically just include garments I have done tech for and owned the fit.

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8

Hi,

Iā€™m hoping to piggy back off of your post and inquire if anyone has any portfolio samples of tech specs they send to over seas vendor. Iā€™m applying for a job that requires this and Iā€™ve been scouring the internet looking for examples and canā€™t find anything. The position is for handbag hardware and jewelry design in NYC.

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Are you seriously asking strangers to help you fake your credentials? Maybe I misunderstood the post, if so my apologies.

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You should have- or create- techpack examples of your past work. For handbags/jewelry, this would likely include multiple CAD views (top/3/4, back, etc) and all construction details called out, including interior pockets, etc. And you would also have msmts included, and any trims noted (snaps, chains, zippers, etc).

If you donā€™t already have this, Iā€™d recommend creating a few ā€œtechpacksā€, even if you are just re-creating your own personal handbags, etc- just so they can see your technical ability.