Many developers create their portfolios to present their skills, projects, and experience. It’s an excellent way to show your capability as a developer to clients and recruiters.

However, building a robust portfolio is not that easy. You need to consider many things to make a solid portfolio that looks creative, converts, and gets you opportunities. Many people think that a LinkedIn profile or a traditional resume is more than enough to land their dream job. However, in an ever-growing competitive landscape, we believe it’s best to leverage all the tools you have.

Resumes check the boxes. Cover letters let you express yourself. Portfolios show what you’re capable of. This article will give you some crucial tips that you need to follow to make a robust developer portfolio. 

Checklist before you Build a Powerful Portfolio

When building a portfolio, developers often forget about its purpose and make a random website. Here are the essential questions to ask yourself before building a portfolio.

Who is your target audience?

Identify your target audience and show that you understand their problems and can bring solutions.

What is in demand?

Opportunities are greatest when there is a gap to fill within a trending skill. Do you fit those needs? Are you on top of the latest developer trends? If not, do some research first.

Will they relate to your portfolio?

Clients or hiring managers will most likely be interested in seeing your projects and code relevant to their problems and industry. If you have the experience, tailor your portfolio to fit what is already on their minds. It’s also good to check what the potential employer has on their website to see if they value personality versus pure facts. If they have a fun tone, try to match it in your portfolio. 

Employers need to make sure that you are a team player who meets deadlines and delivers. Use client logos and case studies to prove to your potential clients that you are trustworthy and reliable.

Why you?

Lastly, highlight why they should choose you over another developer? What are the benefits of working with you? What makes you stand out from the crowd?

Why do Developers need a Portfolio?

It’s safe to say that every developer can benefit from having a personal portfolio. Still, some career paths call for it. Nowadays, If you are a developer having an online portfolio is a must.

Here are some benefits of having an online portfolio as a developer

Amplifies Your Online Presence:

A personal portfolio will take your online presence to the next level. It can also help build inspiration. Showcasing your work on your platform will put you one step ahead in professionalism and dedication to your craft. As a result, your website might start getting featured on top media channels.

Reflects your personality and creativity

An online portfolio is an excellent reflection of who you are as a person and professional. You can even show your sense of humor if you wish to do so and make yourself look more approachable. You can choose how to present yourself, what works to display, what achievements to list, and even the layout.

Improves Chances Of Gaining Customers

A typical resume cannot tell your work quality and personality. Instead, it allows you to present your work the way you want and reflects your aesthetic. Potential clients are also more likely to be impressed and consider your service if they see your visual portfolio rather than just a text on paper.

Provides a Platform to Showcase Your Work

You are free to design any layout to showcase your developer portfolio, what pieces to show at the forefront, provide background information on every project, and much more.

How do you Build a Developer Portfolio?

When it comes to applying for a position as a developer, there are two key things you’ll need. First, the necessary skills and a killer online developer portfolio to prove you have them.

Build Something for your Friends

It’s easy to find someone in your family who needs any developing work for his business. It may be a website for his business or an app to manage their bookings, clients, or staff.

Tell your friends and family member that I will do developing work, so please feel free to ask if anyone needs it. Take your surroundings and building something out of them. That’s incredibly valuable for anybody looking to hire. You see a problem, understand a platform for a solution, and make it!

Building a Clone

Cloning a website or a piece of software can take a lot of skill and time. You can understand your developing potential better and helps you to focus on your weakness. Maybe you can make something easy and refactor it to improve it. You have to have a sense of what’s good and what’s not in the industry to stand out.

Use Coarse Assignments and projects as your portfolio

Most of the programming courses will give assignments and guide you through building projects while learning. Why not use those projects as a platform for portfolio material? Improve, expand, and publish them. Show how much you like to take the extra mile and get something done right.

Build Something for a Local Business

It’s time to bring your service to the local market. It allows you to demonstrate your ability to work in a more competitive environment. You’re seeking real clients and working with them to find a solution to their problems. This will show you can work in an unfamiliar environment to deliver projects. It also demonstrates some soft skills, like proposing a product to a business.

Review other developer work

Reviewing other developer work and publishing it on social media platforms will enable you to analyze the weakness in code and introduce it to many potential clients. It’s a way to show you as an expert and also helps you keep up to date with the market trends.

Get Some Positive Freelancing Experience

Offer your developing services on the reputed freelancing platforms and get started doing projects. It’s tough to get a project as a beginner, but consistency will give you the chance to prove yourself.  Ensure you put extra effort into your beginning projects so clients give you a positive review for your portfolio.

Creating your web developer portfolio presents a unique challenge. However, a well-rounded developer portfolio is your chance to advance faster in your career and build a personal brand.

As you can see, these guides are essential if you want to have a robust portfolio and increase your chances of getting hired as a developer.