posted 21 years ago
I was just rereading my favorite book on software engineering, Peopleware. On page 101, they give a tip they learned from a CS professor in 1979. This professor was very concerned about getting his students jobs. In his class, in addition to practical experience at local companies, each student built up a portfolio.
It's more common today to ask candidates for code samples. But what always impressed me are candidates who came in with demos.
I highly recommend that you build up a portfolio. It may contain any of the following:
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Bring a laptop with a live working demo of osftware you've worked on. Have a web page the interviewer can point a browser to, to see a demo. Bring code samples with you. Whereas the demos might be things you've worked on with other people, the code smaples should be code you yourself have written. Along with the code, include some big picture documents, to help put the code in context. Include writing samples. If you written documentation, any documentaion, from requirements, to design spec to user manuals, bring a copy of it with you. If you can, have this on CD, and leave a copy of these items with the interviewer.
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Please remember to respect company confidentiality agreements, and do not use proprietary code and documents.
--Mark