The world of front-end development is becoming more competitive as more and more programmers are getting involved. In order to stand out as a prospect, one must put a lot of effort into their portfolio.
The need for developers is increasing at an incredible speed and this has drawn developers from all different backgrounds to search for front-end development jobs. When applying, it can almost seem impossible to know which companies will hire the best way and how others are doing it.
Comparing yourself to other front-end developers is a good idea, but how exactly do you showcase your unique skills? The market is large enough for many developers to participate and there is no reason a portfolio should keep you on the outside.
Here are 4 tips to cover the absolutely most essential aspects of a good and hireable front-end developer portfolio:
1. Be clear
All too often front-end developers get so caught up in their design skills that they forget to make themselves easy to contact. Ideally, you want to be as open as possible with your contact information and your biography.
Have pictures and information about where you are from and your history in web development. Potential employers do not want to deal with a mystery.
Your first priority should be making it easier on any employers to find out exactly who you are and what you are about. State your programming knowledge clearly and have contact details ever-present on your site. This will benefit the business and yourself as only those that share your culture will be drawn to you. Give no Illusion and receive no falsity.
2. Don’t shy away from your uniqueness
Do not be afraid to list all of the things that you can do on your portfolio that are possibly rare, or unexpected, for a front-end developer. Perhaps you are very good in C# or you are an incredible Python programmer.
You may have a strong interest in artificial intelligence or virtual reality and have created projects in those fields.
Be sure to share these qualities and interest as they may influence potential employers to hire you. Your portfolio should not just express your skills in programming as companies like to hire people who are interested in a multitude of things.
The facets of your interests and the shades of your skills are all important information to those who may deal with you. More often than not, these interests will play to your benefit so share them with everyone you can.
3. Cut out weak projects
One of the most important things a front-end developer can do is showcase the projects they have worked on and the documentation for them as well. It is important that potential employers can see what you have done in the realm of front-end development.
List projects that you have been involved in from college or freelance work and everything in between.
Try, if you can, to show off projects that have been mostly successful and demonstrate your skills clearly in front-end development. Do not hesitate, if you do not have a host of projects, to spend time and create them as soon as you can. everything from web games to informative sites can aid your portfolio.
The goal is to have a wide array of projects that show the range you have as a developer and the different interests you possess. Ultimately, you want to show employers that no matter the situation you can implement a design without error and that your work is well-documented and clean.
4. Don’t skimp on presentation
Of course, the most essential part of any good portfolio is the design of the portfolio itself. You should spend as much time as you can polishing and designing the most inventive or folio you can possibly imagine which will not only impress but double as a showcase of your front-end development skills.
You should list any and all awards or accolades you may have received. It should be interactive with complex forms and beautiful imagery. The design should be elegant and reflective of your personality. Think of the portfolio as a mirror image of yourself. When all is said and done, your portfolio should speak volumes about your skills and should leave potential employers absolutely floored.
Conclusion
The market for front-end developers is becoming increasingly saturated and as such, it is becoming more important to have a portfolio that really stands out. Do not be afraid to showcase what a unique front-end developer you are and what special skills you have so that you may differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd.
Employers are not seeking any old programmers, in fact, they much prefer real developers with varied interests. Spend time on to create an elegant portfolio and, let it showcase who you as a developer truly are inside. People want to hire people, not coding machines.