Your Portfolio is Your Resume
In tech, what you've built matters more than where you went to school. Here's how to create a portfolio that gets noticed.
What Makes a Great Portfolio
Essential Elements: - Clean, professional design - 3-5 quality projects - Live demos when possible - Clear project descriptions - Contact information
What to Include: - Your name and title - Brief bio/introduction - Featured projects - Technical skills - GitHub link - Contact method
Project Selection Strategy
Quantity vs Quality: - 3 excellent projects > 10 mediocre ones - Each project should show different skills - Include one complex project
Project Types to Include:
- Full-Stack Application
- Frontend Showcase
- Problem-Solving Project
Writing Project Descriptions
Include: - What the project does - Tech stack used - Your role (if team project) - Challenges and solutions - Links to demo and code
Example: "TaskFlow is a full-stack project management app built with Next.js and PostgreSQL. I implemented real-time updates using WebSockets and designed a drag-and-drop kanban interface. The app handles 1000+ concurrent users."
Technical Presentation
Code Quality Matters: - Clean, readable code - Good commit messages - Documentation (README) - Tests when appropriate
README Template: - Project title and description - Screenshots/demo - Tech stack - Installation instructions - Features list - Future improvements
Portfolio Platforms
Options: - Custom site (recommended) - GitHub Pages (free) - Vercel/Netlify (free) - WordPress
Tech Stack Suggestions: - Next.js + Tailwind - Simple HTML/CSS/JS - Astro (lightweight)
Common Mistakes
- Too many tutorials, not enough original work
- No live demos
- Outdated projects
- Poor design/UX
- Not mobile responsive
- Broken links
Standing Out
Beyond the Basics: - Write about your projects (blog posts) - Include contribution metrics - Show progression over time - Add testimonials if possible - Include non-code projects (design, docs)
Conclusion
Your portfolio is often the first impression. Invest time in making it professional, showcase your best work, and keep it updated.
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