Building Your Technical Portfolio

Having a technical portfolio is a key element in your job hunt as an engineer or a developer. But what should you include to help potential employers assess your capabilities?

If you are gunning for a role as an engineer or a developer, your technical portfolio is a key element in your job search. It serves as a great opportunity to not only showcase your skills through the projects you have worked on, but it also shows prospective employers just what you can offer them.

But what exactly should be in it? Getting started can be daunting, especially if you are only just starting out. Here are some practical tips about making an effective technical portfolio for prospective employers.

Building the foundation

While you can opt for a physical one (which does have its advantages), digital portfolios have become the more popular choice, due to its increased ease of access. Moreover, using a digital portfolio means that you have more control in designing it however you want.

To start, you can find pre-made template websites, where you can download the code and edit it to suit your needs (though some may request to give credit). Alternatively, if you are looking for a challenge or want to get more creative, you can try your hand at building a website from scratch, which is a great way to show off your proficiency at JavaScript, Python, or other languages.

Once you have it set up, you will also need a domain name, ideally the name you put in your resume. However, keep in mind that although there are some that are free, most domains often need to be purchased, typically via a yearly subscription. But you can consider this as an investment to give a more professional polish to your portfolio.

Regardless of how you choose to build it, however, your portfolio should not be treated as just some storeroom where you just toss your projects in haphazardly for later. Rather, it should be easy to read and navigate, as well as providing access to your best (and current) works. So ensure that the layout of your portfolio is well designed.

Showing off your work Make it about you

Managing your portfolio

If you have any projects or work that you are proud of and exemplify your coding or design abilities, your portfolio is the place to showcase them. It can stem from anything, from school assignments, personal projects or open-source projects you contributed to on the Internet.

“Building up a portfolio and working on personal projects kind of tells us where your interests lie and shows your interest and your passion,” Kenneth Li, a senior data manager from foodpanda, commented. “From my point of view, these are the things that stand out for me.”

However, do not just leave it there as is – you should also put in effort to briefly explain it, such as what it was about and what it achieved. Providing supplementary materials, such as prototypes and draft sketches can also give employers a peek at your working process, arguably an important aspect they would want to learn about from a candidate.

If you have any work done for past clients or companies, however, be sure to check if you are allowed to display them. Although some projects like website re-designs and overhauls may be accepted due to being publicly used, others may also fall under confidentiality, and thus cannot be used in a public portfolio.

But what if you do not have any? Consider embarking on personal or side-projects — from creating a website for a dream client or contributing to open-source projects on platforms like GitHub. Your own portfolio can also be used as an example if you choose to build it from the ground up, as well. Of course, your portfolio should also tell people about who you are as a person. After all, you want to give potential employers an idea about what you will be like as an employee. So feel free to be more expressive about yourself, not only in the way you describe yourself in your ‘about me’ section, but even when designing your portfolio.

You can also add in additional contributions if you think they can help you stand out more. For example, if you run a side-blog about programming and design, or if you have a reserve of testimonies, you can absolutely slot that in, too

Just like how you should be updating your LinkedIn and resume, your technical portfolio is no exception. You want this to be an accurate representation of your professional work and current skillset, so try to update it once every month, or when you have something new to add. You can also consider phasing out older works if you find your portfolio getting too cluttered. After all, potential employers and clients can still be looking through it at any time!

Moreover, if you are requested to present your portfolio for an interview, you also need to ensure that you have a way to access it, even if you have already sent a link to them beforehand. Bring along a tablet so you can at least have a way of showing off your work.

Additional tips

• If you are applying for a frontend developer, use your own code for the technical portfolio • If you are applying for a backend developer, use an online template, such as at GitHub, Bootstrap,

Squarespace or Webflow