it’s time to get your hands dirty!
in this lesson, we are going to talk about:
the format of your portfoliowhat projects to include in your portfoliohow many projects to showcasecheck out these three portfolio formats, along with their upsides and downsides.
if you're a coding wizard, go ahead and code your portfolio from scratch. but if you're not quite a front-end pro, save yourself the headache and use one of the tools below. ↓
check out the upsides and the downsides of creating a website for your portfolio right here:
upsides |
downsides |
|---|---|
| global reach: your portfolio can make it into every nook and cranny of the internet. | cost: if you wanna go premium, the cost might burn a hole in your pocket! |
| customization: you can let your creativity take control and ride your portfolio. | time: it is more time consuming, obviously! |
| interactivity: keep visitors on their toes with fun animations and clickable goodies. | competition: might be a bit challenging to stand out in the sea of portfolios built with the same platforms and don’t even get me started on lots of people using the same template … |
| accessibility: your work is on display 24/7, like a digital art gallery that never sleeps. | customization: might be a bit harder to customize it based on different roles you apply for. |
| analytics: analytics ****that could make Sherlock Holmes proud. | learning curve: there is a certain learning curve to most of the tools mentioned above. |
| SEO: your portfolio will be seen by all the right people. | |
| professionalism: impress potential clients or employers with your “oh, so fancy” portfolio. |
there are thousands of tools that you can use in order to create a PDF presentation.
however, not everything about creating a PDF portfolio is easy and good, here are some of the points you might wanna know.
upsides |
downsides |
|---|---|
| security: your portfolio can be protected from the prying eyes of the internet trolls. | size: can be enormous in size and might be difficult to share. |
| easier to make: it is certainly easier to make a PDF than a website. I mean, there are lots of tools you can use to reach the exact same result. | limited interaction: a PDF just can’t do those moves as cool as a website … |
| offline access: dive into your portfolio oasis, even when the wi-fi waves are on vacation. | SEO: watch your portfolio slip through the SEO cracks, disappearing into the digital void. |
| presentable IRL: I mean, you can create a slideshow out of it and go crazy on it. |
not much needs to be said about this part. the tables speak for themselves:
here is a list of the upsides and downsides of building your portfolio in a portfolio platform.
upsides |
downsides |
|---|---|
| exposure: you can reach out to a broader audience of adoring fans! | competition: I mean, it’s a crowded place. you will be competing with thousands of designers! |
| networking: rub virtual elbows with other designers. | limited customization: not much room for creativity. |
| feedback: get showered with comments and compliments about your portfolio. (hopefully) | cost: watch your wallet shrink if you opt for premium features or services on some of these platforms. |
| job opportunities: freelance gigs and job opportunities, without you actively applying for it. | |
| portfolio management: easily organize and update your portfolio with your most recent work. |
check out these tips that will help you find out which piece of gem (being your project) is the best to showcase on your portfolio.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> include projects that are as relevant as possible to the role you wanna apply for.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> it’s nice to have a lot of projects to showcase, but you know what’s even nicer? having quality projects that have the potential of blowing your employer’s mind. so always and I mean ALWAYS, choose quality over quantity.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> it’s important to show consistence in your projects. try to show off your own style of work.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> if you have more than one project that is in one specific field, it wouldn’t be so bad to showcase it. that would be your way of saying “look, I am an expert in THIS field!”.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> try to let them know about the impact your project has made.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> turn your projects into epic tales. storytelling is your way to keep them scrolling through your website, slides or whatever it is that you have decided to go with!
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> make it pretty! I know this seems very cliche and that’s because IT IS. just try to make it look as good as possible.
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> if you also wanna include unfinished projects, make sure to explain exactly why it isn’t finished yet, or just don’t. oh btw, don’t add too many unfinished projects. would you trust me if I showed you my portfolio of 6 unfinished projects? do I need to explain more?
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<img src="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" alt="/icons/arrow-right-basic_gray.svg" width="40px" /> and finally, keep that sh*t up to date if you want it to work.
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depending on your level of seniority, and the type of work you do, this number can vary! but, bear in mind that your recruiter will probably only spend a minute analyzing your portfolio. so, pick your 5 best projects!
2-42-53-553-8 projects, showcasing a variety of clients and projects.taking a look at some of these handpicked case studies might help you get a better idea of what should be included:
the first thing that might come to your mind is needing a project to get a job and needing a job to create a project.
well, that might be true for real-time projects but what you are underestimating here is the power of passion projects.
passion projects, if taken seriously, are the key for you to get hired!
there are lots of different ways to have a project.
one that we strongly recommend, is starting with a design challenge. that way, you'll have a pretend client in your back pocket, no job-hunting required!
here is where you can find different design challenges: