What to do on a resume when you're under a very broad NDA | Graphics Programming | Page 1

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 1:53 AM

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This isn't specifically related to graphics work but the jobs I'd be passively applying to are mostly graphics related so yknow.

i'm early career (~1.5 year "real" experience with a co-op that brings it to 2 years), and I'm mostly happy with my current position, however I signed an NDA when i started and so can't really talk that much about what i do including where I actually work.

I have one not great pre-approved line about what i do generally, and I can put my start date but when speaking to coworkers typically hr won't approve any other things to put on a resume or CV. This is also the bulk of my experience and the longest held position i've had which isn't great.

So like looking at revising my resume so its updated and idk what to put on it other than that line and the start date. But like since i can't really talk about it that much or even say where I work, to a potential employer I could just be lying, so I guess like any advice on how to avoid/mitigate that?

opaque heron Jul 27, 2023, 2:00 AM

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It will sound cool and mysterious on your resume I wouldn't worry about it too much

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Just try to talk about the general technical experience you garnered to whatever extent you can

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They'll determine that you're not lying based on your interview performance

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:06 AM

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so like do you think this is acceptable?
the second one was my last position and is there for comparison

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thank you for the interview advice,, that is my main concern because i'm confidnet I can sell myself once i have an interview,,

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:27 AM

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I'd remove the line about NDA

opaque heron Jul 27, 2023, 2:27 AM

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I'd say it's ok to mention NDA but put some technical details

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"using C++ and web technologies" doesn't tell a reader much of anything at all

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:29 AM

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i know lol but that's what's approved 🤷‍♀️

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:29 AM

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You can't meantion any web technologies you used?

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HTML, CSS, Javascript, WebGPU, AJAX, SASS, TCP?

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Also like... You don't need to send your resume to HR before you send it to other companies

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:31 AM

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i know but i'd rather not get sued lol

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i'll try to get something more approved, idk maybe i am being more cautious than i should be but shrug

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:32 AM

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Companies you apply to aren't going to send your resume to your current company for HR approval

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Just a thought

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:32 AM

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fair enough

opaque heron Jul 27, 2023, 2:32 AM

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NDAs are about information that could be used to compete with them

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Not about nitty gritty technical information like "worked on performance optimizations of x nature for database query system"

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The fact that you can't mention who you work for gives you even more leeway since the information can't be used to infer anything about any particular company's capabilities

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:34 AM

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I assume that adenine just redacted the company name for Discord and will have the real company name on the real resume

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:35 AM

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no they're right i can't list the company name

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:35 AM

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lmao wha

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Maybe it's different in manufacturing, but in gamedev that kind of thing is unheard of

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:36 AM

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opaque heron The fact that you can't mention who you work for gives you even more leeway sinc...

thinking about it now i haven't been explicitly told i can't list this i don't think, i was just given that line which was pre-approved, i'll have to go back through the nda and see

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:37 AM

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little ruin Maybe it's different in manufacturing, but in gamedev that kind of thing is unhe...

yea lol i can't find anyone else that has had a similar thing

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:37 AM

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All the companies I've applied for want to do some employment verification, where they basically call the company I work for and are alike "did DethFrog work there"

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Hard to do that if you can't mention the company you work for

opaque heron Jul 27, 2023, 2:38 AM

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There's a narrow band of data that's truly NDAable, anything that is really high level is public and anything that's really low level is just regular engineering BS that's the same no matter where you go

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:38 AM

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yes that's another part of what i'm worried about

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:38 AM

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I suspect that either you're misinterpreting your NDA or your company is unlawfully cringe

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:40 AM

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i have been explicitly told i cannot share my place of employment with anyone who doesn't also work there, i even had to do my taxes weirdly so idk

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:40 AM

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I think you should talk to an employment lawyer

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:41 AM

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nervous

little ruin Jul 27, 2023, 2:41 AM

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That sounds like a hot steaming pile of bullshit

visual ivy Jul 27, 2023, 2:41 AM

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lol good to know

wicked granite Jul 30, 2023, 12:22 AM

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"Worked on an undisclosed project using x, y, z"

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No need to reinvent the wheel there

pale magnet Aug 2, 2023, 4:47 PM

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You don't need details about your current work. May be you coding tests and frontend 24/7 for current project. Just above work experience type something like:
Can beat your senior engineers at: ...
Strong at: ...

opaque heron Aug 2, 2023, 4:49 PM

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I don't agree, it's always good to describe the technical details of what you worked on if you're able to

pale magnet Aug 2, 2023, 4:53 PM

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How you describe outsourcing part-time contractor job for A-publishers? It's not your titles, it's not your projects. EA pushing all contractors not publish details about work.

little ruin Aug 2, 2023, 4:55 PM

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I'd describe it as specifically as possible

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Something like "worked to optimize character rendering for an unannounced game"

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"can you beat your senior engineers at x" sounds like you had an office ping pong tournament

opaque heron Aug 2, 2023, 5:52 PM

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Potentially doxing myself slightly but the job summaries on my resume are things like:

Built automated pipeline in python for investigating Time-of-Flight PET detector materials. Leverages both 3rd party software python bindings and in-house models to simulate impact of free charge carriers on optical properties of materials

#What to do on a resume when you're under a very broad NDA