Why I coded my own portfolio website as a designer (and why I would do it again)

tldr: I wanted to customize people’s experience when they are looking at my portfolio to show my style. So I built my own website using just HTML and CSS.

My first portfolio was designed on PowerPoint slides and emailed to recruiters as an attachment. There were a few problems with this format:

1. I can’t update the file once I have sent the email.
2. The file size often got too big to be sent as an attachment.
3. Anybody with the file could copy my work and it would be difficult to claim the copy as my work.

My first portfolio with just a list of projects in two A4 pages

So I started using Behance to showcase my work. Immediately, I appreciated the convenience of using a platform for my portfolio.

1. I could attach a link to my portfolio directly on my resume. No need to worry about email storage!
2. I can update each work whenever I want to.
3. The account is very easy to set up (Just signup with an email and you’re done!)
4. The platform shows which project gains the most views (‘Insights’ Tab) which gives a feel of what is trending.

I have landed a few internships and freelance gigs using this method. However, I felt like I needed more flexibility to showcase the variety of mediums I work with.

Reason 1: Case studies are more valued than just visual presentation.

I started working with web design and UIUX after I graduated. Oftentimes, portfolios explaining these projects required more text descriptions detailing the process of making design decisions. The popular style on Behance, however, was simply presenting very aesthetic visuals with minimal explanations. I wanted a platform where I can post about my process as well as the final product.

I have briefly considered using Medium as it was recommended by many BootCamps to present your case study. (Ironic as I am publishing this on Medium 😂) I chose to make my own website instead because I wanted to unify all mediums onto one platform instead of having multiple links for different projects.

Reason 2: Behance didn’t support the videos I made.

I accumulated a few projects using motion graphics. I had the videos hosted on YouTube as Behance does not support videos very well. Again, I wanted to link all my projects to one place. If I had my own website, I could present different kinds of work in whatever format I wanted to.

Reason 3: To demonstrate that I can…. code?

Coding abilities are valued amongst employers. What better way to show that I can use HTML and CSS than making a portfolio using coding? Although, some programmers will argue HTML and CSS is not coding (It’s ‘markup language’ apparently.) It does not change that it is seen as a competitive skill in the job market.

Reason 4: Personal branding is important apparently.

If COVID taught me anything, companies are not responsible for you personally. I consider design as something more than just a side gig. I realized that it is a valued skill set that I can build something bigger with. Although the website is only acting as a portfolio at the moment I think I’ll grow it to represent me as a brand.

While looking at my Behance profile is just that — opening another profile in a sea of talent, visitors of my website are experiencing what I carefully arranged to learn about me than just my work.

Screenshot of my website

That is when a friend of mine introduced me to Svelte, which is a free and open-source front-end compiler. To put it simply, it allows you to set up a template layout and create elements that can be reusable throughout the website or app. Think of it as creating a group of multiple elements on Adobe Illustrator so that it can be duplicated multiple times or moved more easily.

Since I knew basic HTML and CSS, it was easier to build the website in a limited time. I still constantly referred to Stack Overflow (QnA platform for programmers), W3Schools (educational website for learning to code online), and endless Google searches.

It was a good learning experience as it taught me how building a website worked. It will definitely help me to work with front-end developers if I work as a web/app designer.

Was it worth is an investment? I don’t know yet. I’ll let you know when I land more jobs with the new website.

Finally, check out my website here: https://sypark.netlify.app/