# 027: No Portfolio, No Job Offer: Why Recruiters Ghost Tech Writers
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¡Hola Tech Writing Friends!
Are you ready to ditch crappy pay?
Time to ditch the sprinkles and face some uncomfortable truths:
No portfolio, no job offer.
I'm often shocked at how many tech writers I meet who say, “I just can’t seem to land anything,” only to discover they don’t have a portfolio.
Not even a teeny tiny one, with 3-5 content pieces.
And the excuses are almost always the same:
“I only worked on internal docs, so it's all under NDA.”
“Oh, I thought that was just for designers.”
“Well, I have some blog posts?”
Ay ay ay... If this sounds like you, we need to talk.
Your portfolio is not optional. It’s proof.
Recruiters and hiring managers need to see what you can do. Your resume is just a pitch, your portfolio is the proof.
If you’re wondering why your interview loops end with “we’re going in a different direction,” this is probably why.
If you can’t show off your range and skill, you’re getting skipped.
Excuses that keep you broke.
EXCUSE 1: “I only worked on internal docs.”
So take clear screenshots and blur/redact as needed.
Provide context in captions or callouts.
If you can't use the original doc at all due to an NDA, recreate a version that reflects what you built and what you solved.
Or, like many of us, you simply bite the bullet and put in the hard work to create unique documentation samples for your portfolio.
EXCUSE 2: “I thought portfolios were for designers.”
Technical writing is a design discipline.
You design information systems, clarity, user flows, and developer outcomes.
EXCUSE 3: “I have blog posts.”
Blogging is a great content muscle, but it’s not a documentation sample.
You’re not applying to be a thought leader, you’re applying to own real, user-facing doc sets.
You need documentation samples that show that.
What your tech writing portfolio actually needs...
At minimum, aim for 3 to 5 samples that represent your range. (More is a stronger case for hire.)
Each documentation sample should include:
(1) It's own page on your portfolio website.
Each page transforms a doc sample into a mini-case study, showcasing the problem you solved, not just the document you created.
(2) Screenshot or PDF of doc sample.
Include a high-res screenshot for a one page doc.
If it's multi-page, upload a PDF.
(3) Link to live doc or PDF
But remember, documentation changes all the time. So if you're showing a live link to a doc that has dramatically changed since you wrote it... less useful for the interview purpose.
That's why I recommended in Step 2 to take a screenshot and make a PDF of the doc version you wrote.
(4) The goal of the doc
Onboarding a specific type of developer?
Resolving error states faster?
Reducing support tickets?
(5) The problem it solves & the solution you created
Be specific. What was broken? Confusing? High-friction?
How did your work improve and fix the problem? What changed?
(6) Who you collaborated with
Name the specific roles, not just “the team.”
For example:
“Collaborated with the PM for AWS Lambda, 2 platform engineers, a support lead, and the Director of Marketing.”
(7) The doc content type
API reference, error resolution cheat sheet, troubleshooting guide, glossary, etc.
Don’t forget demo videos.
Docs today are not just static walls of text.
Many teams expect writers to deliver embedded demo videos, especially in hybrid roles. These can be short and low-lift, 20 to 30 seconds is enough.
Add 2 to 3 demo clips to your portfolio that show:
How to complete a task in a product
How to configure a setup
How to troubleshoot something
Anything you’d include in an onboarding or quickstart doc
Use something simple, like Loom, Screen Studio, or OBS. Then upload to a private YouTube channel as unlisted videos and embed the links on your site.
TL;DR
If you don’t have a portfolio, you’re not ready to apply.
Your excuses aren’t valid anymore.
You need each sample displayed as a mini-case study.
Add a few demo videos.
That’s how you ditch crappy pay. Get your 6-figures!
¡Hasta luego!
Quetzalli
