The demand for web developers is growing quickly. But even with this rapidly expanding demand, if you’re looking for a permanent or freelance assignment, landing the right work can feel daunting. The competition can be intense, and trying to stand out can be exhausting.
Many employers will look at your education and work history, but what they’re interested in most is your web developer portfolio. What have you done in the past, and more importantly, does your work fit their needs? Fortunately, there are steps you can take that will differentiate you from other web developers, and make landing your next position or assignment more effortless.
You likely have an online portfolio, but what do prospects think when they view it? After spending time on your site, do they feel like you’re a natural fit for their projects? Or are they left with unanswered questions? Here are some tips for refreshing your web designer portfolio when it’s not getting the job done.
Develop a specialty. It may be tempting to highlight a broad range of experiences so you will “fit” whatever the visitor is looking for, but this can be a mistake. Instead, focus on highlighting expertise for the projects that you most want to pursue. Or even better, focus on specific niches and industries. When you get specific about project expertise, the right employers will be attracted to your work, and will perceive you as a “better fit” than the majority of competitors.
Develop points of differentiation. Many designers are available for work, which can make these professionals seem like a commodity, especially in the freelance market. So what makes you different? Maybe it’s your expertise in a specific niche, or perhaps it’s the way you approach projects. Don’t be afraid to weave your points of differentiation into every aspect of your site.
Don’t showcase everything, only your “greatest hits.” Think about your web design portfolio like a greatest hits album. Many projects could be included in your body of work, but there are some projects that are stellar. Cherry-pick the projects, and displaying only a select few, rather than everything.
Highlight your skills and abilities through testimonials. Prospective employers and clients want to know “If I hire you, what will working together look like?” Will you improve their overall work dynamic and deliver excellent outcomes, or will they have regrets?
Ask previous co-workers, clients and others who can speak to the quality of your work to write testimonials. Request testimonials on LinkedIn if possible, and then leverage that content onto your portfolio site, doubling the impact.
Develop a clear call to action on every page. Oftentimes, a developer will create a fantastic portfolio, but there is no clear call to action. What should your visitor do next? Maybe it’s a “Hire Me” button for freelance projects or “Request a Quote.” Or perhaps it’s a softer call to action, such as “View My Recent Work.” Whatever it is, don’t leave your potential customer at the end of the page without a clear next step or a good idea of how they can contact you.
Portfolio Building Blocks: Finding the Missing Pieces
You’ve figured out how to make your portfolio stronger, differentiate your positioning and showcase your best work, but what are the basic elements that your portfolio should have? More importantly, are you missing anything? Here are some basics that every great portfolio should include.
Name and picture. Your site and work might be compelling, but nothing adds a personal connection like a photo of you. If you prefer not to include a photo, and it fits with your personal brand, consider including a logo that reflects your individual brand infuse additional personality into your site.
Who you are. This can be a basic “About Me” page that details your background, relevant education and anything else that demonstrates your expertise as a web developer.
Contact details. This information should be on every single page. Once you sell a potential employer or prospect, it shouldn’t be hard for them to get in touch with you. Make the experience fast and easy.
Recent work. A carefully selected sampling of your greatest work.
Social icons and networks. Encourage visitors to connect with you on social networks, whether it’s LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or other media.
Building a Portfolio With Limited Samples
Developing a great portfolio may appear simple for the seasoned pro with many samples to choose from. But what if you’re a relatively new developer, and you don’t have many work samples? Even if you don’t have a large body of work, you can still create an excellent portfolio.
First of all, if you don’t have a few samples to showcase, get some quickly. This isn’t as difficult as many people think. The easiest way is to handpick a few companies in the niches where you’d like to work, and offer to do a pro bono assignment for them. In return, ask the client for a strong testimonial, assuming they are happy with the work. If all goes well, hopefully they’ll hire you in the future, or at least provide a solid referral to another prospect.
Potential clients and employers won’t know the sample was completed at no cost. And more importantly, once you’ve completed a few work samples, you can upload them to your portfolio and have a starting point. A few strong projects are enough to start. Once you’re established and have more samples, you can swap out older samples and focus on displaying the most impressive work.
The Next Steps
Depending on the current state of your portfolio, there may be lots of work to do. Don’t feel overwhelmed. Select a small task to complete each day. By taking a single step daily, you will build the required momentum to create an excellent portfolio.
A web developer’s portfolio will always be a “work in progress,” but by continually tweaking it and making it better, you will become an established developer in your niches, and land your next assignments with greater ease.
