Building a Personal Portfolio

I used to think my portfolio had to impress other designers. So I filled it with sleek mockups, polished animations, and endless case studies. It looked beautiful...But it didn’t land me clients. Why? Because clients don’t hire you for aesthetics. They hire you for outcomes. 🚫 Too many portfolios still look like it’s 2015: → Pretty mockups → Trendy layouts → 10-second Behance loops But here’s the hard truth: Clients don’t care how cool it looks. They care what it does. 💡 Ask yourself: → Does my portfolio solve real business problems? → Am I showing results or just visuals? → Is it written for clients or for other creatives? What actually works in 2025: ✅ Highlight before/after results (data if possible) ✅ Explain your thinking, not just your tools ✅ Tailor your portfolio to your ideal client, not your peers Because great design isn’t just about craft It’s about clarity, strategy, and trust. ✨ Your portfolio shouldn’t be a gallery. It should be a sales tool. One that shows the value you bring, not just the vibe. 💬 Got a portfolio tip that worked for you? Drop it in the comments, let’s help each other grow. 📌 Save this if you’re about to redesign yours. It’s not about looking good. It’s about landing the right kind of work.

How I created my UX Portfolio from scratch ↴ This post covers: building case studies + choosing the platform. (📝 Resume tips coming in upcoming posts!) 👉 The first time I built my portfolio, I had no design background — just the Google UX Design Certificate I finished in 1.5 months, and 3 case studies (all hypothetical). 👉 The second time, I had some real experience — and updating it led to my first Product Design role. 💼 Here’s what actually helped me: ✅ 3 solid case studies Doesn’t matter if they’re hypothetical problems 🖥 Web design 📱 Mobile app 🌐 Different industries + different approaches Even while freelancing, I chose projects that helped me grow & build versatility. ✅ Choose your platform wisely You can go for Behance or Dribbble — but I strongly recommend creating your own website. It makes you stand out. I used Wix — no code needed, super flexible, cheap domain. (Con: not super responsive on tablets — but worth it.) ✅ Research + take notes Google: “Top 20 UX Portfolios 2025”. Open 20–30 of them — don’t just read case studies. 📸 Screenshot everything you love: footers, testimonials, cover banners, page layouts, even animations. Look at their: • Brand color, logo, minimal or bold style • Case study structure (overview → research → design → outcome) • Additional pages like Photography, Playground, Blog, Illustrations ✅ Start planning before designing Use Notion / Trello / Google Docs. Start listing tasks + ideas: • What projects are you showing? • What skills do you want to highlight? • What types of projects are you aiming for? Then, create a Google Doc for each page — About, Case Study 1, etc. Add text, image ideas, testimonials, design section layouts — everything. 💡 Label it as V1 — no pressure to be perfect. Iterate → V2 → V3. ✅ Build like a designer: from docs to design Use the docs as a blueprint. Start translating your ideas into your site. 🛠 In Wix, I began with my branding — logo, theme, vibe. 📄 Started with the header + footer, then one page at a time. 💡 Pro tip: use Strips in Wix — acts like auto layout in Figma (easy to move sections). 📌 Google everything you’re stuck on — there’s a tutorial for everything. ✅ Present your work right Don’t just show designs — tell the story. Include: • Goals • Research • Wireframes → Final designs • Design files / prototypes • What you learned, what changed 📷 Add photos of yourself working, behind-the-scenes, anything that adds authenticity. ✅ Go live 🚀 Buy a domain. Add resume + social links. Publish + share on LinkedIn. Let people see your work and give feedback. Your portfolio is never final — keep improving. 🎯 UX portfolios take time. Be patient. Stay focused. If you want that first job — this is where you show what you’re capable of. 💬 Let me know if you want me to break down how I write case studies — happy to share! And meanwhile — follow me on Instagram @inher.designera for videos + more tips! #productdesign #design #uiuxdesign #portfolio

We all know we're supposed to "show instead of tell." But most design portfolios fail to do this and here's why. 👇 Designers love showcasing their raw work in their portfolios including outputs or deliverables such as: → Sketches → Diagrams → User flows → Wireframes → Sticky notes → Journey maps But to be honest, 90% of the time, I have absolutely no idea what is going on in those images. For example, I'll often come across a screenshot or picture of 25+ sticky notes, but: → They are too zoomed out. → If I zoom in, they're too blurry. → Even if I can seem them, they're too overwhelming. Then I start asking myself questions such as: → Am I supposed to read every sticky note? → What's important about these sticky notes? → Is this worth my time and attention to decipher? This is where storytelling comes in. What if instead of showing a raw zoomed out screenshot of sticky notes, we instead pulled out the key highlights and takeaways? Then we can guide the reader's attention to what's actually important, and optionally include a link to the original raw image afterwards. This creates a far more compelling narrative for our audience (hiring managers and recruiters), and ensures we're showing the right level of detail that is necessary to understand the story. Now to be clear, I'm not saying you should entirely avoid raw images or assets (or even raw Figma files). For example, these can be effective during the interview process because the designer can use their voice to guide their audience through the image. But when it's an online written case study submitted with an application, then you won't be in the room when a hiring manager first sees it. In that moment, your story will need to stand on it's own. It will need to communicate the right level of clarity and detail to compel the hiring manager to offer you an interview. In summary, when we want to "show instead of tell", that doesn't mean slapping a raw screenshot or image in our portfolio. It means reflecting on how we're using our words and images to give context, clarity, and tell an impactful story. Use it effectively to your advantage. What are your thoughts? #ux #design #portfolio #casestudy #storytelling

7 INSTANT IMPROVEMENTS FOR STAFF PRODUCT DESIGN PORTFOLIOS I just reviewed 100 Staff Product Design portfolios. Most of them looked exactly the same. For many companies, Staff level isn't about years of experience. It's about impact and craft at scale. And your portfolio needs to show that. 1 - First impressions ✅ Case studies visible without scrolling ✅ Perfectly fitted to the screen ✅ Strategic keywords that showcase your expertise ✅ Clear TLDR's and blurbs 2. Storytelling Clear language ↳ I don't have to guess what your abbreviations mean Less is more ↳ Instead of paragraphs of text, I see short sentences. ONLY truly senior folks do this. The rest write their newsletters in portfolios Every case study has a table of contents that decreases my cognitive load ↳ I know exactly where I am in a case study and what's ahead 3. Consistency All case studies follow an identical structure: → Same headers → Same sections → Same flow Save the creativity for your solutions. Not your formatting. 4. Reverse storytelling Impact first. Approach/Process second. Start with what changed and WHY it's important for the business AND the user. Then tell me how. Most portfolios make me dig through 10 pages to find the results. 5. Beyond basic UX They know how to add life to their work. • Animated prototypes • Changing modes • Microinteractions • Animations But it's not vulgar. It's JUST enough to wow. 6. They ARE the brand They show me who they are. Through their design (not selfies) That means: → Consistent visual language → Personal brand that stands out → Attention to every detail "I'm not a visual designer" isn't an excuse at the staff level. Excellence is excellence. 7. Scale → 0 to 1 AND 1 to many → Mobile AND desktop → B2B AND B2C → Feature work AND system design But here's the key: Every project shows ownership of the entire product stream. Not just your slice of the pie. Sounds like a lot? Well, not everyone is a Staff. Junior portfolios show tasks completed. Senior portfolios show problems solved. Staff portfolios show businesses transformed. If you're still showing individual features without business context... If you're still hiding your metrics on page 12... If you're still thinking in screens instead of systems... You might have good level of experience. But it's not a staff level case study that will get you hired. And in this market? That's the difference between getting interviews and getting ignored. P.S. Think this is useful? Wait until you see my plan for the next 2 months of 2025. Sign up for my newsletter to know more. Link in comments

Consistency, make “Your Brand” great again! Strong growth can kill your brand in the medium term. Rapid growth usually requires improvisation, quick decisions, and agility in seizing opportunities. But this often results in a completely disorganized product portfolio, a poor brand image, little consistency, and a cluttered, low-quality look that does not inspire consumer confidence. What should we do as brand managers to solve this problem? +90% of customers expect uniform experience. +33% increase in revenue, consistently presented brands can boost revenue by one-third. →Visual consistency of BRAND elements. Many times, the different graphic elements that build our product are neither defined nor prioritized, and we end up improvising as needs arise. +90% more connected, consumers report stronger connection to brands that project consistent messaging and visual identity. +Logo → Position, size, and visibility? +Graphic and visual elements → Do we have any special feature? +Claim/Tagline → Its always present and in the same space? +Product names/Descriptions → Do we keep the same startegy for all? →Visual consistency in the PORTFOLIO. As brands grow, whether rapidly or to adapt to trends or opportunities, they often launch products that break the consistency of the portfolio. +3.5× more visibility, Brands that maintain consistency are more likely to achieve strong visibility versus inconsistent ones. +Secondary and primary packaging → Is it standardization of sizes, volumes? +Materials → Do we have a clear politics? +Textures, components, and essences → Do you recognize the brand with out seeing it? → Visual consistency at the POINT of sale. Often, our product has only a few seconds to be chosen on the shelf. That is where the customer must find it and understand it at a glance. Our brand must be recognizable in one second, and its categories must be understood in less than five. +76% Credibility boost, consistent branding elevates brand credibility. +Brand color block → Is it identifiable at a glance? +Category block → Can you tell in one word who is who? +Product detail → what about product self explaining? Conclusion Consistency is not just design, it’s strategy. A clear, unified brand across elements, portfolio, and point of sale builds trust, boosts credibility, and drives up to +33% more revenue. In a market where 90% of customers expect uniformity, only consistent brands stand out, connect, and win loyalty. Consistency makes your brand great, and keeps it strong. Find my curated search of brands and get ready to success. Featured brands: Charlotte Tilbury Dior Beauty e.l.f. Cosmetics Fenty Beauty Glossier Huda Beauty La Roche-Posay MAC Cosmetics NARS Cosmetics NYX Professional Makeup Olay Rare Beauty The Ordinary Shiseido #beautybusiness #beautyprofessionals #luxurybusiness #luxuryprofessionals

Stop chasing UX job offers—let them come to you. Here’s how to become a lead magnet for your dream job. 1/ Identify a burning problem your target companies face. ↳ Research what specific UX challenges the companies you want to work for are dealing with—such as poor user engagement or complex interfaces. ↳ Create a case study, blog post, or portfolio project that addresses this exact problem with a detailed solution. ↳ Offer this resource for free, showcasing your expertise and willingness to solve their problem. Takeaway: Solve a specific problem to get on their radar and build trust. 2/ Create a compelling portfolio that serves as your lead magnet. ↳ Design your portfolio like a lead magnet—make it visually engaging, easy to navigate, and packed with value. ↳ Include interactive elements like before-and-after comparisons or video walkthroughs that demonstrate your design thinking. ↳ Ensure your portfolio doesn’t just showcase your work, but also educates and inspires potential employers about your process and the impact of your designs. Takeaway: Your portfolio should be a lead magnet that pulls employers in and keeps them engaged. 3/ Promote your portfolio like a pro. ↳ Share insights and snippets from your portfolio on LinkedIn, emphasizing how your skills solve real UX problems. ↳ Use curiosity-driven posts, highlighting a challenge you solved without giving away all the details—encouraging readers to view your full portfolio. ↳ Apply psychological principles like social proof to make your portfolio irresistible. Showcase testimonials from satisfied clients or colleagues. Takeaway: Drive interest and urgency around your portfolio to attract more attention. TL;DR: 1/ Identify and solve a specific UX problem your target companies face. 2/ Design your portfolio to be a lead magnet that showcases your value. 3/ Promote your portfolio strategically to draw in potential employers. What’s the biggest UX challenge you want to solve for your dream job? Comment below, and let’s brainstorm how to turn that into your lead magnet! P.S. Ever tried promoting your portfolio like a product? It might be the game-changer you’ve been looking for!

Most designers overthink portfolios. (and it's why they often stay stuck) Instead, try shipping it iteratively: 1/ Ship portfolio v0.1 (with a 2-day deadline) - Dead-simple value proposition as your title ↳ “Product designer for AI tech startups" - Don't overthink color; start with the basics ↳ Black, white, grey & one contrast color - Show 3 design projects with a mock-up ↳ Display your taste for product design - Give all projects an executive summary ↳ Role + Problem → Solution → Result - Add a CTA to projects & the footer ↳ Like: “Request portfolio deck” No need for the deck to be finished. Finish it once you get a request ;) 2/ Iterate with tiny goals & short deadlines v0.2 → Write a mini-story about yourself v0.3 → Add a highlights & awards block v0.4 → Launch case study of project 1 v0.5 → Launch case study of project 2 v0.6 → Launch case study of project 3 v0.7 → Animate all mock-ups (Jitter) v0.8 → Throw in a showcase section v0.9 → Make all work pixel-perfect Promote every iteration on LinkedIn. With a short “build-in-public” post. (check how Eduard Bodak does it) 3/ Launch ‘finished’ portfolio (V1) - Showcase your best design work - Build trust with the right people - Display your thinking in articles - Ask design peers for feedback - Promote yourself on LinkedIn Keep learning, iterating, and sharing insights. Portfolios without visitors are useless. Stop overthinking your portfolio. And just ship what you have. They'll never be “perfect.” Are you overthinking your portfolio?

I found a trick to make portfolio creation 10x easier. Before you *design* your portfolio, *write* your portfolio. I know it’s tempting to jump straight into the design tool. But hang on for a moment…and consider these 3 steps: 1/ Create your outline - Open a text document - Type a list of each page you will include - Under each page, type each section - On your “projects” page, list each project Bam, at this point you have the full outline. It’s better to be here right now with text. If you arrive here first in the design tool you’ll stress too much over pixels. Now it’s easy to decide if this is the right direction before committing. 2/ Get inspired by other designers - Find 3 portfolios you admire - Scroll through their site - Write a list of the pages/sections they include - See if they do anything you love that inspires yours Congrats, now you enhanced your structure without moving a single design pixel. 3/ Add the meat - Type out the content you wish to include under each page/section - This may include your positioning statement, bio, project overviews, visuals to include, etc. Super, now you’ve just given yourself a blueprint for your entire portfolio. — The key is to write with words what you hope to see with your eyes. If you jump into the tool first, you’ll get overwhelmed with decisions. By writing your portfolio first you made 100+ decisions while the structure was more malleable. It’s easier to edit words than it is to edit polished pixels. Way to go, you are amazing.

After many, I mean many, iterations of my portfolio I started to notice the importance of making them flow like a narrative, rather than a checklist. Even more so, I realized that my case studies should not just be the play by play of the all the steps I took to complete the project. Instead, that there were two stories at play. One was that of the play by play. Think me retelling everything I did and what went on to complete the project. The other, is that of the case study. The difference? The case study one should only share out the vital pieces that will help your reader to understand your process and how you think. So you are probably asking, how do I figure that one out? Well, I can help you with that! That is why I created my UX Portfolio Sandwich Model. It’s a list of steps with questions that help you figure out this difference. It’s important for 3 reasons 1️⃣ It helps you find the important deliverables to add 2️⃣ Creates a case study that is shorter in length so helps your Hiring Managers who have no time see more 3️⃣ Allows for more transitions between steps to create a more engaging narrative