How to Create an Engineering Portfolio

Summary

This video script details the transformative power of a well-crafted portfolio in securing job interviews, especially for engineers. The speaker shares their journey from frequent rejections to landing interviews at top companies like Apple, Uber, and Facebook. They outline the importance of a portfolio in showcasing past work, the three main methods to create one (PDF, GitHub, or a personal website), and a six-step process to organize it effectively. The video also includes tips on tailoring portfolios to job applications, maintaining confidentiality with professional projects, and leveraging theoretical knowledge as a fresh engineer.

Takeaways

• 📑 A portfolio can significantly improve job interview opportunities, even leading to interviews with top companies like Apple, Uber, and Facebook.
• 🛠️ There are three main ways to create a portfolio: a PDF document, a GitHub account, or a personal website, with the PDF being the easiest to start with.
• 🔍 A portfolio serves as a showcase of past work, including images and summaries, and is crucial for demonstrating skills and experience to potential employers.
• 👷‍♂️ Tailoring the portfolio to the job application by selecting relevant projects increases the chances of getting an interview.
• 📈 Including the project process, technical skills, and results in the portfolio helps demonstrate a candidate's capabilities and the project's success.
• 📝 The script emphasizes the importance of telling a story with work, being clear about contributions, and showing hard technical skills in every project.
• 🔗 Having a link to the portfolio in the resume is essential for both software and hardware engineers to make it accessible to hiring managers.
• 🚫 For positions involving confidentiality, like at Tesla, it's crucial to get approval before sharing projects to avoid revealing sensitive information.
• 💼 Creating a 'master portfolio' that includes all past projects allows for easy customization when applying to different companies.
• 🎨 Personal projects can be included in a portfolio, especially when starting out, but professional projects are preferred as experience grows.
• 📐 The script provides a step-by-step guide to building a portfolio, including organizing projects, writing descriptions, and choosing relevant images.

Q & A

What is the main skill discussed in the video that helped the speaker transition from getting rejected to landing interviews at top companies?

The main skill discussed is creating a portfolio to showcase one's work, which can significantly improve the chances of getting job interviews.

What are the three main ways to create a portfolio as mentioned in the video?

The three main ways are creating a PDF document with images and summaries of work, using a GitHub account to share code, and building a website to display images, prototypes, and designs.

Why is a PDF portfolio recommended for those who have never created a portfolio before?

A PDF portfolio is recommended because it is the easiest option to create and can effectively compile the best projects into one document, which can then be attached to a resume when applying for jobs.

What should be included in a portfolio to make it stand out to recruiters?

A portfolio should include the process of the work, clear explanations of contributions and results, storytelling with the work, demonstration of hard technical skills, and tailoring to the job being applied for.

What is a 'master portfolio' and how does it help in job applications?

A master portfolio is a comprehensive collection of all past projects. It allows the job applicant to select and tailor the portfolio to match the specific requirements of each job application, making it more relevant and appealing to potential employers.

Why is it important to tailor a portfolio when applying for jobs, even though it might seem impractical to tailor for each job?

Tailoring a portfolio to a specific job helps demonstrate the applicant's understanding of the job requirements and how their skills and experiences align with the role, increasing the chances of being considered for an interview.

What is the recommended length for a portfolio, and why?

A portfolio should ideally be two to three pages long, ensuring that each project is intentional and relevant to the job being applied for. This length is manageable for a hiring manager to review without being overwhelming.

How can one ensure that their portfolio is not too large when submitting it for job applications, given that there are often size limits?

One can use tools like PDF joiner to combine the resume and portfolio, and then use a PDF compressor to reduce the file size to meet submission requirements, while maintaining readability.

What are some personal projects included in the speaker's portfolio, and why were they chosen?

The speaker included personal projects like 'Drill Guard' and 'Happy', a toilet attachment for health analysis. These projects were chosen because they demonstrate innovation and the ability to work on diverse projects outside of professional settings.

Why is it important to get approval from companies before sharing professional projects in a portfolio?

Getting approval is crucial to respect the company's confidentiality and intellectual property, especially if the projects involve sensitive or unreleased information.

What should be the focus of a portfolio for someone aiming for a mechanical engineering position?

For a mechanical engineering position, the portfolio should focus on CAD work, design processes, and projects that demonstrate mechanical design and fabrication skills, rather than coding or other unrelated areas.