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ReachRole

Guides for your first job

What a portfolioactually needs to work.

One hero project, a live demo, the code, your specific role, screenshots, and contact info. And what to leave off entirely — a portfolio full of unfinished course dumps hurts more than it helps.

  • Six thingsevery portfolio needs
  • What to hidenot just what to add
  • Build itwith the site's own tool

One hero project

Your best work, front and centre, not buried in a scrollable list. A reviewer should see your strongest thing in the first five seconds.

A live demo

Something clickable, not just a screenshot. If it can't stay hosted permanently, at least a short screen recording embedded on the page.

A code link

The actual repo, public, with a README that explains itself — see the GitHub review guide for what that README needs.

Your specific role

If it was a team project, say exactly what you did. "Built the frontend and API" is worth far more than "part of a team project".

Screenshots

Even with a live demo, include a couple of screenshots — some reviewers skim on mobile or won't click through, and screenshots let the work register instantly.

Contact info

Email, LinkedIn, and a resume link, easy to find without hunting. The whole point of the portfolio is to be one click from a reviewer reaching out.

What to hide, not include

  • A wall of unfinished course exercises or tutorial follow-alongs with no independent work of your own — these read as evidence you followed instructions, not that you can build.
  • Ten thin, near-identical "To-Do app" style projects with no depth. One deep project beats ten shallow ones, on a portfolio just as on GitHub.
  • Broken links or dead demos. A portfolio with 404s is worse than no portfolio at all — check every link before sharing.
  • Generic, unedited template copy ("Lorem ipsum", "Welcome to my portfolio!") left in from whatever template you started from.
  • Anything you genuinely can't explain in depth if asked. If a project is on your portfolio, assume an interviewer will ask about it.

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QUESTIONS? WE'VE GOT ANSWERS

Common questions

A portfolio that actually gets clicked through

How many projects should be on my portfolio?
One to three, well presented, beats five or more presented thinly. Feature your strongest work prominently and either leave weaker projects off entirely or move them to a less prominent "other projects" section.
Do I need a custom-designed portfolio, or is a simple template fine?
A clean, simple template is completely fine — what matters far more is the content quality (a real demo, a real README, real screenshots) than custom visual design. Polish the substance before worrying about the design.
Should my portfolio be a separate site, or is a GitHub profile README enough?
Both work and they serve slightly different audiences — a dedicated portfolio page presents your work more visually and is easier to share as one link, while a strong GitHub profile is what a technical reviewer will check directly. Having both is ideal if you have the time; a strong one of either is far better than a weak version of both.
What if my best project doesn't have a live, hosted demo?
A short screen recording or a set of clear screenshots showing it in action is a reasonable substitute — the goal is letting a reviewer see it work without needing to run it themselves. A live demo is ideal but not strictly mandatory if hosting isn't practical for that specific project.
Should I include projects I built entirely with heavy AI assistance?
Yes, as long as you can explain every part of it if asked — see the GitHub review guide on honesty about AI use. What matters on a portfolio is that the work is real and you understand it, not exactly how it was written.
How often should I update my portfolio?
Whenever you finish something genuinely worth adding, rather than on a fixed schedule — an outdated portfolio with your strongest current work missing undersells you more than an infrequently updated one that's still accurate.
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