Find solution
Where can I get a writing sample?

Can I put companies' writing sample exercises on my own website?

  • I've had a few job applications leading to interviews and phone interviews without being hired. Can I post the various writing exercises I was asked to do on my own website as samples? One of them asked me to edit a writing sample; I turned it around in a couple of hours and they gave me a phone interview, then never contacted me again. (This was a guy from high up in Big Social Network who is founding his own company. The original sample was in relatively poor English and I punched it up; it was more or less a press release.) I was thinking of posting this before-and-after sample with redacted company names and proper notice that I didn't write the original. I've also had some interviews with customer support roles at a few startups where they ask me to provide a sample customer support email. Those have led to phone and in-person interviews, but I haven't been hired. I already have a few writing samples up that I wrote completely on my own (ie, startup asked me to write a sample event review, that was all my own work so I feel okay posting it, especially since they didn't hire and I'd like something to show for a day of work.) The others were pre-NDA, though one interview did get to the point where I signed an NDA, but the NDA signing came after I completed the writing sample at home. Is this wrong? Sketchy? Illegal? Liable to piss off the original startup, or seem unprofessional to other companies?

  • Answer:

    I have no idea if it is legal, but I think it is sketchy to post something that you didn't write the original of yourself, even with that information provided. I think you should get permission from the company to do this, and if successful, note on the website that you posted it with permission.

ziggly at Ask.Metafilter.Com Visit the source

Was this solution helpful to you?

Other answers

Posting this sort of thing would give the impression you're scraping the bottom of the barrel for examples. Good writing skills are transferable: I'd be a lot more impressed by some blog entries, a book review, or a guest OpEd from the local weekly that show your confidence with language and your general style.

mochapickle

In the US and many other countries, a person generally owns copyright in words they put to paper, so only the person who wrote the original document can give you permission to post it. As for the "punched up" document, it's going to depend on how similar the edited document is to the original, but the copyright holder of the original may well own the edited copy as well. Only a copyright lawyer can really answer these questions for you, so I would consult one before doing what you've proposed. IAAL, IANA(copyright)L, TINLA

decathecting

But yeah, I'd agree that all of these seem like poor writing samples, unlikely to get you anywhere in your job search.

decathecting

Related Q & A:

Just Added Q & A:

Find solution

For every problem there is a solution! Proved by Solucija.

  • Got an issue and looking for advice?

  • Ask Solucija to search every corner of the Web for help.

  • Get workable solutions and helpful tips in a moment.

Just ask Solucija about an issue you face and immediately get a list of ready solutions, answers and tips from other Internet users. We always provide the most suitable and complete answer to your question at the top, along with a few good alternatives below.