BTW: Developers Need Portfolios Too
No matter your role or field, it goes without saying that you should always have a résumé on hand. For developers, however, there’s another way to share and showcase your work: a portfolio.
Wait, I need a portfolio?
For job-seekers in the software development industry, an online portfolio is just as important as a cover letter or résumé. Think of a portfolio as the first step in the interview process, representing you and your personal brand. Even if you’re not actively looking for a new role, showing off your skills through a public portfolio comes with a host of benefits. In addition to attracting prospective employers and dream clients, a portfolio helps you exhibit your best work and stand out in an ever-growing sea of experienced developers. Illustrating your accomplishments and highlighting your premier projects will both increase your credibility and help you rise to the top in what has become a highly competitive industry.
So, where do I start?
It can be overwhelming to build a portfolio from scratch, but a best practice is to ask yourself the following: “What kind of work am I trying to get?” and “Who is the most important audience for my portfolio?” This might require research and even a bit of soul-searching, but it’s crucial to understand your end goal and who will be helping you get there.
Once you’ve answered these questions, an About page is a great place to begin and establish a strong first impression. Research suggests that visitors form an opinion about a website in less than one second — and your About page may be the first thing readers click when they visit your portfolio. While there’s no right or wrong way to write this self-summary, the key is to focus on what’s most important to you. Are you an advocate for accessibility? Are you a champion for design systems? Is tweaking web performance your obsession? Are PWAs your passion? Is the JamStack your jam, or are you a PHP nerd? Explain how you got started and why you love it. If you find it difficult to determine exactly what’s important to you, consider your past accomplishments and future goals for inspiration.
To help readers put a face to your name, it’s recommended that you include a profile photo. A headshot can increase credibility, make your portfolio more memorable, and foster a sense of virtual connection between you and your visitors. In the same vein, incorporating your personality and having fun with your introduction can make it more relatable and engaging. Using an authentic voice, adding in a bit of humor, or dappling your words with a relevant Emoji or two will grab readers’ attention and paint a full picture of who you are as a person.
Although your About page should serve as a succinct introduction, it can also be helpful to highlight your professional experience with short testimonials or quotes from former employers or colleagues. Whether you reach out to them directly for a quote or pull from your LinkedIn Recommendations, an endorsement or praise from a satisfied customer or co-worker assures your reader that you’re both trustworthy and capable.
Lastly, your About page needs to make it easy for readers to contact you with any questions, comments, or proposals. That’s the whole point of a portfolio, right? There are many options for conveying this information, including a contact form or a list of personal websites and profiles. However, readers may find it easier if you simply outline one preferred method of contact. It can be a phone number, an email address, or even a WhatsApp username, as long as it’s clear and your potential client can reach you with ease and confidence.
What else should I include?
In addition to an About section, your portfolio needs a headline or tagline: a summary of who you are, what you do, and what sets you apart. Stay away from clichés and try to make it a conversation-starter for maximum impact. For example, if you’re a UX designer and pride yourself on creating engaging and scalable products, you might include those two adjectives in your tagline to generate interest and curiosity.
Perhaps most importantly, your Featured Projects section will showcase recent or notable work that demonstrates your skill set and what you’re capable of doing. In addition to work you’ve created for clients and employers, include any personal projects or experiments you’ve conducted on your own. Have you ever attempted to optimize a friend’s photo gallery for faster loading times? Maybe you once created a mock-up for a new app you dreamed up. Add it in to show off your innovation and creative thinking skills.
While it may be an afterthought for some, it’s important to remember to ensure cohesion of the overall layout, including your logo, typography, color palette, and any imagery you choose to include. A good rule of thumb is to treat the user experience of your portfolio as if it were for a client — added embellishments like custom cursors and gratuitous pop-up windows can work against you by distracting from the content you’re featuring. Aim to keep your design simple and familiar rather than complex and cluttered. This means utilizing whitespace, leaning into minimalism, and keeping menus and buttons in standard areas.
Where should I host my portfolio?
Many developers choose to link to their GitHub profile in lieu of a traditional portfolio, but there’s a better way to attract attention. To really set yourself apart from the crowd, use a self-hosted and self-designed website. In addition to appearing polished and professional, this website will serve as a featured project in itself.
If you prefer to use GitHub to share your work, be sure to create a profile-level README to display your tagline, About page content, and any repositories you want to highlight. This section will be placed above pinned repositories once it’s created, so it will be the first thing readers see when they visit your page. The GitHub profile-level README feature also allows more content than the GitHub profile bio and supports markdown for full creative control.
Want to dig deeper into this topic? Gymnasium’s got you covered with these Take 5 video tutorials:
