How to Build a UX Portfolio for Recruiters

I reviewed 2,000+ product design portfolios last year. Avoid these mistakes that 90% make: 1. 𝗧𝗢𝗢 𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗦 ❌ Showcasing every project you’ve ever worked on. ✅ 3-4 strong case studies with depth are better than 10 shallow or old ones. 2. WEAK VISUAL HIERARCHY ❌ Walls of text, tiny images. ✅ Clear sections, bold headings, and visuals that guide the viewer. 3. CONFUSING NAVIGATION ❌ Hidden menus, unclear labels, or requiring too many clicks to find case studies. ✅ Make it effortless: clear sections, easy-to-find projects, and a simple way to contact you. 4. SLOW OR CLUNKY WEBSITE ❌ Huge images, broken links, animations taking 3+ seconds to load. ✅ Your portfolio is your first impression. Make it fast and seamless. 5. NO PROCESS, JUST FINAL SCREENS ❌ A bunch of polished UI shots with no explanation. ✅ Show your thinking: research, sketches, iterations, and decisions. 6. UNCLEAR ROLES ❌ Instead of saying “We redesigned the onboarding flow.” ✅ Say: “I led UX research and wireframing, a teammate handled UI.” 7. NO METRICS ❌ “Designed a new dashboard.” ✅ “New design increased user engagement by 20% and reduced support tickets by 15%.” 8. NO PROBLEM STATEMENT ❌ “Redesigned the checkout flow.” ✅ “Users abandoned checkout at 65%. I streamlined the flow, reducing drop-off by 30%.” 9. OUTDATED OR IRRELEVANT WORK ❌ Student projects from 5+ years ago. ✅ Keep it fresh. Show work that aligns with the jobs you want. 10. NO PERSONALITY ❌ Generic “I love solving problems” statements. ✅ What makes you you? Show your voice, interests, and approach to design. Which of these mistakes have you seen or made? #uxhiring #design #productdesign #portfolio

I was talking to a hiring manager who said something that stuck with me: “The best portfolios are everywhere. I’m looking for people who get it.” He wants someone who can clearly show how they think and how they fit. That’s where some portfolios fall short. I’ve reviewed hundreds of portfolios over the years. One thing is consistent and great work showing the final product with no context can get overlooked. Think about how to make it easy to understand:
 - What problem were you solving?
 - Why did you make certain decisions?
 - What was your role in the project?
 - What came out of it? (Impact, learnings, results) Tailor it to the role:
 - Want a UX job? Show UX work. Walk us through your research, early sketches, wireframes, testing, not branding projects. - Going for a visual/brand design role? Highlight your layouts, redesigns or campaigns. - Applying for a senior position? Make sure we can see leadership, not just execution. Tell the story, not just the outcome:
Some of the strongest portfolios I’ve seen had the goal, their role, process shots or early ideas and a short note on what worked. It doesn’t have to be everything but it does have to be clear. Your portfolio is your voice when you’re not in the room so help the viewer understand how you think, what you care about and why you're the right fit. I've learned a lot from the hiring managers and creative directors I've worked with over the years and I’m grateful for the insight they’ve shared. Every hiring manager sees things a little differently but I hope some of this helps someone out there trying to figure out how to stand out.

As a Content Design leader and hiring manager, I'm often looking at portfolios and resumes. Here are five (5) things that delight me: 1. Clear navigation and IA for your portfolio. If I can easily find your UX writing and content strategy samples, that tells me you understand information architecture, which is critical to what we do. 2. Good storytelling. Tell me concisely what the problem was and how you solved it. Don't forget to describe the user and the role they played in your project. Show "before" and "after" screenshots where you can. 3. White space. Portfolios and resumes crammed to the margin edges with content indicates you have trouble self-editing. Remember the editing rule: cut it in half, and then cut it in half again. Use progressive disclosure. 4. A brief intro of who you are in your portfolio. I love photos of you, your pet, your kids, your favorite dish. Whatever makes you a human. 5. Empathy. UX research, asking questions...tell me how you considered the user. ("Because there were so many modals, we wondered if this process would be too complicated for our users to complete. So, we tested it.") That's it! Resumes and portfolios are writing samples in and of themselves. You don't have to be a visual designer to create an effective presentation, but as a content designer you must have a sharp eye for how things *could* look. It's time well spent. 😊

Want to build a UX portfolio that actually gets you interviews? It starts with a strong case study. I created this simple outline for one of my mentorship clients, but it was too good not to share. If you’re a UX or product designer on the job hunt, this can help you tell your story clearly, show your impact, and stand out from the crowd. Here’s the case study formula I recommend (plus a few tips to make yours even stronger): 🔹 Background/Context: What was the project about? What was your role? Timeline? 👉 Tip: Keep this to 3–4 sentences. Add a visual of the final product. 🔹 The Problem: What problem were you solving, and why did it matter? 👉 Tip: 1–2 clear sentences. Bonus points for "before" screenshots or user quotes. 🔹 Discovery: How did you get up to speed? 👉 Tip: Share your research highlights and key findings. Show evidence of collaboration with your team and stakeholders. 🔹 Design & Iteration: How did you approach the design? 👉 Tip: Include early sketches, whiteboard sessions, and messy Figma explorations — it shows your thought process. 🔹 Testing (+ more iteration): Who did you share your designs with, and what did you learn? 👉 Tip: Summarize the feedback you got and how you incorporated it. 🔹 Impact/Outcomes: What happened because of your work? 👉 Tip: Even if the product didn’t ship, focus on what you learned, how you moved it forward, and what impact you had. A few key reminders: MAKE IT SCANNABLE. Use visuals, headings, and type hierarchy to guide people through. Tell a story. Move through your project step by step so it’s easy to follow. Be selective. You don’t need to show everything you did — just enough to show the problem, your thinking, and the outcome. Hope this helps someone out there polishing their portfolio! If you want the full template (including extra tips), feel free to DM me — happy to share. 🚀 [EDIT:] I'm so glad y'all are loving this! if we're not connected, please include a note in your connection request so I can send the full template your way. Cheers! #uxdesign #productdesign #portfolio #uxcareer