Has anyone else lost job opportunities because they respected an NDA or confidentiality agreement?

There’s something I’ve wanted to talk about for a while.

Early in my career, I signed a confidentiality agreement with my employer. It clearly stated that client data, creative assets, strategies, and internal work could not be shared outside the company.

I respected that agreement.

When I left, I didn't take client files, campaign reports, designs, or presentations to build my portfolio. I chose ethics over convenience.

Ironically, that decision has cost me opportunities.

During interviews, I've had to explain why I can't showcase much of my previous work. Instead of understanding the situation, some recruiters simply move forward with other candidates because I don't have a portfolio to present.

It makes me wonder: are we unintentionally penalizing professionals for honoring the very agreements companies ask them to sign?

A strong portfolio is valuable, but integrity should count too.

Sometimes the best work isn't missing because it wasn't done. It's missing because it was protected.

I'm not saying recruiters should hire someone without evidence of their skills. But I do think there should be room to evaluate candidates through case studies, technical discussions, or problem-solving conversations when confidentiality prevents them from sharing past work.

Has anyone else experienced this? If you're a hiring manager or recruiter, how do you evaluate candidates who genuinely can't share their previous work because of confidentiality agreements?