Confused about making a CV

[nelpiper]

Hi guys.

This might sound stupid but I'm very confused about putting examples of my work on my CV. The problem is that I've been working for a company for almost 2 years and don't really have examples that I produced by myself, rather as a part of a team.

So, the question is when I send off my CV to the outter world I'm gonna have to direct people to my company's website. Is this correct? Am I being "dumb" and sort of?

Thanks.

[videep]

I wont say that its a dumb question, but even I am suffering from the same problem... he he he....ThankYou that you asked it before I could...

[Devin Johnston]

If you can't show a prospective employer examples of work that you've done then why would they be interested in you in the first place? I also don't think it's a good idea to have other firms looking at your work on your current employers web site, it just seems dangerous. If I were you I'd set up my own site and send that to whom ever you want looking at it.

[videep]

You seem to be right somehow, But there should be some solutin to it. I have though started making some renderings of my own but a few wont just be enough and every render takes approx 2 hrs, sometimes more, sometimes less and also we need to consider the time for modelling, texturing, lighting which together sums up to a lot of time. So if we were to make a good portfolio, it would take a long long time and in that time may be we would miss some good opportunities???

So either we have made a big mistake by only doing the company's work and not making our showreel or may be there could be some other solution that is not clicking...???

[Devin Johnston]

Why can't you use the work you've already done for your company?

[nelpiper]

I thought about that but In my understanding that would breach the intelectual property which I am, as a employee, attached to. I think that's the law or am I thinking mistaken?

[Devin Johnston]

I don't know about the UK but here in the US an artist has a reasonable right to show their work, and in the case of seeking new employment there really is no other way to show what your skills are. I'd look at it like this, your current employer isn't going to be hurt in any way other than the potential loss of one of their employees. Also if the work is on their web site where anyone visiting it can see it then any argument of confidentiality or secrecy is thrown out the window.

[Jeff Mottle]

Unless there is an image that can not be shown publicly due to some confidentiality agreement with the client, there is no reason you can't show images to prospective employers. That having been said it is one thing to show an employer your images in private vs. posting them on a public website, especially if you did not create the images entirely yourself, or if you don't have permission from your former employer to do that.

 

Public or private, there is no problem showing work that was done as part of a team, but you need to be very clear about what parts you were responsible for.

[nelpiper]

Thanks for everything guys.

[AndyC]

A lot of firms (perhaps most in the US) will make you sign an NDA which will include limitations of how you can show any work that you produce whilst under their employment. Check with your employment contract if you have one. Some firms are VERY overprotective of their work. If in doubt talk to those have already left the firm and see what their experience was like.

 

If you can show your work, even if its only in an interview, just mention what your contribution was. Dont worry about it being a team effort. A good employer will completely understand that you were part of a team. Just make sure you disclose your effort.

 

In addition, do some simple work on your own, if you haven't already you must do this. Show examples of all you can do. Furniture modeling, lighting, composition, texture art etc etc. An image per skill is good enough, they can be simple and focussed. Limit the hours on each image. Showing a beautiful piece of art that took 500 hours isn't very useful to a firm that has real budgets and deadlines.

 

I wouldn't recommend only link to your firms website, it will seem lazy. I promise you other artists will have very carefully composed folios. You can add their link of course but yours should come first, use a secure site if needs be.

 

Good luck!

[BrianKitts]

Every interview I've given has been to approach their portfolio wondering how much they actually did themselves. If your resume says you've previously worked in a firm as opposed to freelancing on your own, its pretty easy to assume there was multiple contributors to the imagery.

 

That being said I rely more on speaking to people and asking them specific details about process to find out what they really know, and in turn can normally decide how much they did on the images. So as Jeff said, be clear about what you did and don't try to stretch the truth.

 

Its tough building that first portfolio and getting going but we all go through it.