Taking example of work to interview

[YellowPirate]

I'm just after some advice. I have an interview next week and have been asked to bring along a recent example of a particular kind of work. The problem is I haven't got one! I have an example from a few years ago, but my current job is managerial so I don't do this particular kind of work (although I could if you see what I mean, it's part of my role, but in practice it's something I would normally delegate).

I can do this work standing on my head, I'm good at it and I have a lot of experience in it. But I'm not sure whether to just take along my last example, and then whether to tell them it's a few years out of date?

I really want this job and met all of the essential criteria, but this has thrown me.

Y

Is it something you could "mock up"? I did this in an interview recently and it was very well received. Whether it's a lesson plan, a webpage, a mood board, whatever... You come up with a hypothetical commission that would showcase your skills and your personality. Just be absolutely honest about what it is: don't pretend it's something you had lying around. Or you could use the slightly dated example, but do some kind of extension piece to show how you would refresh it in light of your current perspective.

I kind of know where you are coming from on this.

I had something similar last year. I'll change details to protect the guilty but, imagine it was for an architects job which included designing townhouses, I am really experienced at country cottages, and have done the odd townhouse in the past.

I was asked to take a recent townhouse design. I didn't have one. I had loads of recent cottages But only old townhouse design in my portfolio.

I took the recent cottage design, but used it to show how I understood the fundamental principles, and pointed out where I would have done something different and why.

I didn't get the job, but feedback was they were happy with what I showed them.

Can you do something similar? Use what you have to demonstrate your understanding?

How important will it be to do the thing (write, design, etc), in the new job? If you haven't been hands-on recently, do you want to be hands-on again or will you be hoping you can delegate again? Will it count against you if you aren't currently hands-on? You want the job, but do you want to do this bit of it again?

Thanks for replies. I don't want to out myself....but the new job isn't managerial, although it's still a professional role so I would be doing this part of it again...which I love and can't wait to do!

It's the sort of thing that doesn't really update, so I'd do it exactly the same now as I did then....they wouldn't know when I had done it and would have no way of finding out. I'm not sure if they would ask when the work was done? I'm having trouble getting hold of even an old example at the moment as I'm on maternity leave and can't access my work.

Thank you for the ideas though, I could possibly update it if I manage to get hold of it. I did this kind of work for years, still do small elements of it and know it inside out, but I'm worried that admitting I don't have a recent example will put me at a disadvantage.