Bringing Instructional Manuals to Job Interviews: Tips and Considerations

Preparing for a job interview is an essential step in your job search process. One crucial item you might consider taking is an instructional manual you have created. However, it's important to approach this with careful thought and proper preparation. This article will provide you with guidelines and considerations to help decide whether showcasing your manual during an interview is appropriate.

Relevance to the Position

If the creation of job manuals is relevant to the position you are interviewing for, then bringing and sharing your manual can be beneficial. It serves as tangible proof of your skills, experience, and expertise in creating comprehensive training materials. To make a strong case, it is essential to bring and showcase a very good example of your work. This will help the hiring manager understand the quality and relevance of your work.

Preparing for the Interview

Preparation is key to a successful job interview. You should always bring multiple copies of your resume and potential work samples. However, it's critical to be cautious when sharing confidential information from your previous employment. This information could reveal sensitive data that could be shared with a competitor or compromise your current employer. Use work samples and manuals only to support your key selling points after you have thoroughly understood the actual needs and requirements of the job. Relevance should be your primary concern.

Ownership and Legal Considerations

Before bringing your manual to an interview, ensure that you own the content. If the manual was created while you were employed elsewhere, you need to confirm that you have the rights to share it. It is possible that your last employer retains ownership of the material. If you have the right to share it and you can demonstrate that you authored the manual, then it is appropriate to show it to the interviewer. If it is something you created on your own, you can show it, but if it was created for a company, it is best not to mention it or show it. Mere reference to the project can be made if queried.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Bringing a manual with proprietary information to an interview can be legally and ethically questionable. Sharing confidential information from a previous employer can signal to the hiring manager that you might do the same with their company's data if you leave. It is important to be transparent and honest. Avoid sending mixed messages that might harm your chances of landing the job. For instance, an HR manager might ask for confidential information from your current employer, and you should firmly but politely decline to provide it. If you refuse, you might even impress the interviewer positively. It's been reported that one candidate, when asked for sensitive information, simply replied, 'This interview is over,' which led to an impressive response from the hiring manager. The candidate ended up getting the job.

By following these guidelines and considerations, you can make an informed decision about whether to bring an instructional manual to a job interview. Always ensure that the manual is relevant, owned by you, and that you are prepared to handle any legal and ethical issues that may arise.

Conclusion

Bringing an instructional manual to a job interview can be a valuable asset if it is relevant and owned by you. However, careful preparation and awareness of legal and ethical considerations are crucial. Always be honest, demonstrate the value of your work, and ensure you have the right to share the content. With the right approach, your manual can be a great addition to your interview package.