Why Work Samples Matter: Showcasing Skills That Speak for Themselves

When you’re interviewing for a technical or creative role, especially in engineering or design, it’s not just about what you say, it’s about what you can show. One of the most powerful ways to increase your chances of landing a role is by providing work samples that support the story you tell in your interview.

We recently shared a guide on how to create a strong Project List, which helps candidates clearly articulate the scope and impact of their past work. But for engineers and designers, going one step further by sharing examples of your actual work can elevate your candidacy even more.

A Real Example: Confidence Through Clarity

In a recent hiring process for an engineering role, a candidate provided a sample of their design work as part of the interview. It wasn’t overly complex or confidential, but it was relevant, clear, and well presented. That simple addition gave the hiring manager a much deeper level of confidence in the candidate’s ability to do the job.

What made the difference? The hiring manager was able to immediately relate specific parts of the design to the work their team was currently doing. From the candidate’s approach to solving a design challenge, to the tools used and level of detail included, the sample gave the interviewer a concrete sense of alignment between the candidate’s experience and the real-world demands of the role. It turned a theoretical match into a practical one, and created momentum in the hiring decision.

What Makes a Strong Work Sample?

Not every project or task lends itself to a shareable artifact, but many do. If you're in engineering or design, consider saving and preparing the following types of work samples for future interviews:

• Engineering sketches and drawings

• CAD files or screenshots of models

• Design prototypes, digital or physical

• Simulations or test outputs

• Annotated diagrams or schematics

Depending on the nature of your work, you may be able to present samples in a simplified or anonymized format that doesn’t reveal confidential company information but still demonstrates your approach and skills.

Document Your Work Over Time

Don’t wait until you’re actively job hunting to begin organizing your work. The best candidates are those who consistently document and save relevant examples of what they’ve created. When paired with a well-maintained project list, your samples help provide a visual and technical narrative that’s both impressive and easy for hiring teams to understand.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Keep a secure personal archive of non-confidential project work

• Anonymize where necessary by removing client names or proprietary details

• Capture screenshots or intermediate steps in long-term projects

• Make notes about your role, tools used, and the problem you were solving

Bringing It All Together

Interviews are more competitive than ever. When engineers and designers bring a project list and thoughtful work samples to the table, they make it easier for hiring managers to say “yes.” Your ability to clearly present how you think, what you’ve done, and the value you can bring to a new role makes a lasting impression.

Our recommendation is to send work samples along with your application whenever possible, and certainly ahead of an interview. If you’re able to send them directly to the hiring manager, even better. This small step shows preparation, initiative, and pride in your work—qualities every employer looks for.

If you're early in your career or haven't been in the market in a while, start today, keep a running list of the projects you’ve contributed to, and save appropriate, well-organized samples of your work. Over time, this habit will make you a more confident and compelling candidate, and a more effective professional.