A job in web development is a luxurious one. It has been like that for the past decade, and it’s unlikely that the need for web developers is going to die down anytime soon. While other domains are being shaken by the prospect of being replaced by AI, web developers are more or less safe. There are AI web development tools that developers can use as supplementary ones, but no one says AI will replace humans in this field.
And when you think about a career with a strong employment potential and stable income unless you have other aspirations, a web developer is your go-to. However, becoming a web developer is not that easy. It is even harder to become a good and sought-after one, but that’s a different story, so let’s focus on becoming one first. What do you need to become one and attract potential employers?
- Build web development skills
- Take a web development course
- Consider getting a degree in computer science
- Build a portfolio
If you are reading this, the chances are that you are already going or even have gone through the first three steps. Now, it’s time to focus on building a portfolio. Are there any specific tips for crafting a web developer’s portfolio? Of course, there are, and we are going to check them out without any further ado.
It’s Too Early To Decide On The Niche
When you are a professional web developer, you must have a certain niche of projects that you work on. However, when you’re still a student who strives to become a web developer, you need to show that you’re versatile. So, basically, your original portfolio should showcase whatever you have. Or those examples that you’ve excelled in.
It can be a website that you helped to create for your local vet clinic, services offering an essay writer for best price, and some of your pet projects as well. This will allow you to get your first serious job. Later, when your career stabilizes, you can remove some samples of your previous jobs that you may feel ashamed of now.
What Your Portfolio Must Include
There are several things that your portfolio must include. It all starts from an eye-catching home page. There, you can mention what kind of a web developer you are and what you are capable of. In brief, of course, as you are going to go into details and provide some examples of your skills later.
Then, your potential employer should see your skill page. There, as the name suggests, you provide the information on your skills. It is important to divide this page in two sections, hard skills and soft skills. The hard skills must include your programming language proficiency, in other words, your coding skills.
Showcase your knowledge of languages and frameworks and how you implement them. Yes, you are just starting and you may know only one language, but here it’s more important how you present your knowledge. Don’t forget to mention what tools you are familiar with, and if you know a thing or two about web design, mention it as well.
The soft skills that will grant you employment include problem-solving. Quite frequently, when something doesn’t work, you need to pinpoint the bug and fix it. You should also have great communication, as when working on websites, you need to communicate with other team members like copywriters and web designers. And your soft skills should also demonstrate your willingness to learn new things.
Then, your potential employers’ next stop should be the project page. The page should display the best projects you have accomplished. There, you need to provide a brief description of each project. In the project’s background you should expand on the coding process and the tools utilized. And it’s worth mentioning how much time it took from start to finish. Follow it all up with screenshots or videos of the finished websites, and provide links to them.
Finish up your portfolio with your resume, which will summarize your background, education, work experience and accomplishments. Given that crafting a portfolio can be a painstaking process, you can always rely on the best paper writing service and have your school papers crafted by professional writers while you are busy with the rest.
How To Make It Stand Out
The way you can make your portfolio stand out has nothing to do with its eye-catchiness, but with the approach you have to websites. You see, most websites nowadays are template-driven. Your potential employers are unlikely looking for another developer that will provide them with a simple template-driven website that allows them to jam in whatever they want, as there are thousands, if not millions, developers like that out there.
If you want your portfolio to stand out, consider adding projects that were tailor-made for your past clients. If you never had an experience like that, display pet projects that go beyond template-driven aesthetics. Opt for those that allow your personality to shine through. Even if it had to do less with the coding, and more with custom design of the project. This is how you can show the employer that you can truly think and work out of the box.
Final Thoughts
Now you know what it takes to build a portfolio as a student web developer. You know what to include in your portfolio and how to make it stand out. Yes, showing your first steps in web-development to the potential employer can be scary and somewhat shameful, especially if you evaluate yourself realistically. Yet, that’s the only way to get employed, improve your skill, get more professional, and build a career.
