As a creator, you might be making some common portfolio mistakes, or not know where to start. Here’s what I learned building mine, and how to avoid the usual traps.

Why I decided to build a portfolio

In 2021, during the pandemic’s second wave, I became active on social media again and found that many people from creative backgrounds were on Twitter. A lot of people were losing jobs, and a weak professional network made finding the next one much harder. My network was weak too.

I started following people from similar backgrounds to see how they worked, shared and learned, and it gave me confidence. But it raised a new problem: what if someone asked to see my work? I had never published anything online, and I had no portfolio.

Everyone needs a portfolio

Today, proof of work often matters more than a degree.

As an experienced designer without a portfolio, I missed freelance opportunities and probably a few good connections. Curating my work and shaping it into a decent portfolio took a lot of time and effort. Here’s what I learned along the way.

What is a portfolio website, and do I need one?

A portfolio website is like a professional diary: it tells people about you, your projects and your case studies, and shows your personality, experience and capabilities.

For designers, developers and creators of every kind, it’s the way to present work online and build a unique identity on the internet. Whether you’re an individual, a small team or a company, a portfolio helps you stand out from the crowd.

What to include

The goal is to keep visitors on your site for a few minutes while they browse your work and learn about you. Most portfolios need just a logo, what you do, your best work, an about section and contact details. You can add case studies, testimonials, writing, lessons and failures, or a project you’re working on now.

While designing it, ask yourself:

Do you want to sell your services or partner with a business?
Are you looking for a job, or is it simply about you?

Every project should show how you designed and delivered it. Many people fall short here, so tell the story with the right balance of words and visuals.

Where to build it

Whatever platform you choose, make the site easy to reach, remember and navigate. Your own domain makes it far easier to find than a link buried in an email or a chat.

Platforms worth a look: Notion, Peerlist, Webflow, Framer, Medium, Dribbble, Behance, Adobe Portfolio, GitHub Pages, Substack, Hashnode.

Do’s

Keep it simple. Don’t overload the site. Be specific about your interests or the role you want. Use good contrast, few fonts, and light graphics and animations, and stay consistent throughout.
Tell a story when it helps. Set the baseline, then walk through the process or a key feature in simple words. Put your best work first: employers review many applicants quickly.
Check every device. Make sure the core information comes through on small screens.
Think about SEO and privacy. Use a simple domain and relevant keywords. Password-protect NDA projects, and remember to share access when you send them.
Focus on process and outcomes. You don’t need every step. Cover the problem, process, solution, outcome and business impact, with numbers where you can.
No real projects yet? Make some. Join design challenges, contribute to open source, or redesign a problem you’ve noticed in an app.
Polish links and assets. Clear calls to action, no broken links, easy-to-find contact details, up-to-date content, and optimised images, video and audio.
Give credit. Add side work, writing, talks and learnings if you like, and always credit the teammates who helped you succeed.

Don’ts

Old projects. Your portfolio should reflect who you are now. Keep it current so people can see you’re active.
Obvious templates. If you use one, add your own touch so it doesn’t look like everyone else’s.
Unnecessary details. Skip long skill lists, progress bars and unrelated personal information.
Screenshot dumps. Even for UI or photography, give each piece some context. Communication matters.
Too much text. Assume a visitor spends three to five minutes at most, and trim accordingly.

Bonus tips

If you have more than one distinct skill set, consider a separate portfolio for each.
Job hunting? Tailor the portfolio to the role you want.
Building a name? Writing and brand collaborations help you reach more people.
Looking for clients? Focus on turning visitors into leads.
Growing your network? Collaborate and work on open source projects.

For great case-study writing, browse UX Collective, UX Planet, Prototypr, Muzli, Bootcamp, Case Study Club.

Now begin your own journey. I’d love to see it.