Share, Describe or Replace a Work Sample in an Inter­view

Some applications ask for a work sample, and your best one may come from work for an employer or client. This guide is a short decision check for that moment: share it, describe it, replace it or decline. It comes before a walkthrough. For choosing a sample and talking someone through it, see our guide to preparing a portfolio walkthrough. It is not legal advice, and it cannot tell you what you may share.

The practice suggestions here are optional. Honesty and confidentiality are not optional. All examples and sample wording are fictional, and you should use any wording only if it is true for you.

Start with the request

Check what is being asked. Is a sample required or only invited? In what format, and who will see it? If you are not sure, ask the contact named in the advert. It is also worth asking early whether an original fictional substitute would be acceptable, before you create or submit one, and whether tools such as AI assistants are allowed for the task.

Check before you share

For any real work, check the applicable sharing rules, as far as you know them, and ask the authorised contact what, if anything, may be shared. Say what you would like to share, with whom and why, and note any limits they give you. One person's yes may not cover every restriction, so ask about limits as well as permission. Removing names does not establish permission.

Do not share while you are unsure. If the answer is no, or you do not get one in time, use one of the routes below. If there is nobody you can ask, treat that as a no.

Choose a route

• Share what was agreed: exactly that item, for that person and purpose.
• Describe it: say what the task was, what your role was and what you did. Keep it general, and leave confidential information out of a spoken description just as you would from a document.
• Substitute: make an original demonstration, as described below.
• Decline: say you cannot share it, and offer to talk through your approach in general terms.

Make an original substitute

A substitute is something you create from scratch about an invented situation. Do not rebuild the real piece from memory with a few details changed. If the recruiter would rather not receive one, follow that. Once they have said a substitute is acceptable, check:

• Is every name, figure and scenario invented by me?
• Would a reader link it to a real employer or client?
• Does it show the skill the request asks for?
• Is it clearly labelled, for example "Fictional demonstration. Not employer work."?

Never present a substitute as actual work.

Keep confidential material away from AI tools

Do not upload real confidential material to an AI tool, even to tidy it or take names out. If tools are allowed and you use one to help with a fictional demonstration, give it only details you invented, read the result critically and remove anything that looks like real material. In a real interview or assessment, do not use any tool to generate answers or samples unless the organiser has explicitly allowed it.

A fictional decision note

This example is invented. Do not present it as your own experience.

Fictional example, not employer work: a candidate for an events coordinator role is asked for a sample schedule. Their best sample is a schedule they built for a client's conference.

• Asked: a sample schedule, format open.
• Check: they are unsure whether they may share it, and the client's name appears on it. They tried to reach the person at the former employer who could authorise sharing, and had no reply before the deadline.
• Decision: do not share the real schedule.
• Recruiter: they asked whether a fictional substitute would be acceptable, and the recruiter said yes.
• Route: substitute. They made a fictional village fair schedule, with all names invented, labelled "Fictional demonstration. Not employer work."

Fictional wording, only if true: "I could not confirm that I may share my client schedules, so I have prepared a fictional demonstration. It is not employer work. Thank you for confirming that was acceptable."

Practice your answer

Say your explanation aloud if you wish. If you practice with another person, agree with them before recording and before sharing any recording.

This guide is published by Muqabala. You can visit our interview practice page for your next practice session. Do not paste confidential employer, client or personal information into any practice tool.