Writing User-Friendly Content for Portfolio Sites

Have you ever thought to use your UX process on your portfolio? Obviously, you won’t need every tool in your toolbox, but the mentalities are the same. Just like you think through who your target audience is in a project so that you can understand their pain points… you can and should do the same with your portfolio audience! Those of you on your job search should have personas around Hiring Managers and those in hiring positions. They should contain attributes like limited time, multitasking, and maybe even a piece around lack of UX knowledge. By creating this persona and switching your mindset, it allows you to create a portfolio using a strategy. Which ultimately will create one that provides a better user experience. In other words, your portfolio should be your most important UX project you ever work on. You heard me right, your most important project is not the one with the biggest name attached. It is the one that represents you. ✨ Because your portfolio doesn’t just showcase your skillset. It highlights your approach, how you apply those skills, and who you are as a designer. It’s a storytelling tool, not just a case study dump. Think about it. When hiring managers review your work, they aren’t just looking for polished UI screens. They’re looking for how you think, how you solve problems, and how you communicate your design decisions. They’re also looking for your personality. Your portfolio should make it easy for someone to get a sense of who you are, not just the work you’ve done. 🧐 Do you simplify complex problems? 🤝 Are you collaborative and thoughtful in your approach? 💡 Do you take initiative and iterate based on feedback? 📖 Can you tell a clear, engaging story that makes someone want to work with you? These are things that matter more than just having a big-name company or flashy project in your portfolio. So, if you’re spending all your energy chasing “impressive” projects but not thinking about how you present them, you’re missing the point. Your portfolio isn’t a collection of work. It’s the bridge between where you are and where you want to go. So, treat it like your biggest UX project. Because at the end of the day, it is.

Many junior website portfolios fail because of this: (To be clear: I'm referring to websites not slide decks) They read like internal documentation: Sticky notes Personas Wireframes Excessive paragraphs They explain the the entire process. But they forget to sell the work. Senior portfolios? They feel like product marketing. Quick to scan. Heavy on outcomes. Sharp visuals. Clear business value. You don’t need 2,000 words. You need 5 seconds of clarity. Here’s what senior-level portfolios do differently: 1/ Start with the result Don’t make them dig to find impact 2/ Lead with visuals Show the solution before the process 3/ Skip the fluff Only explain what influenced the final result 4/ Make it glanceable Use spacing, hierarchy, and clean formatting 5/ Treat it like a pitch Not a research archive Want to stand out fast? Design your portfolio like you design a product. Consider the actual user. Use clarity, structure, outcomes. That’s what makes people want to talk to you.

Did you know that when looking at your portfolio website on average it takes 3 seconds for a recruiter to decide if you are a qualified candidate? 😳Crazy, right? Nope, this is the expected human behavior at the top of the funnel. We (users) are so bombarded with irrelevant content that our quality radar is very fine-tuned and we have no time to waste. ⏱️So what happens in those 3 seconds? Well as soon as that recruiter clicks on your portfolio website link the countdown begins. 3️⃣ seconds means that if your portfolio is password protected and you didn’t clearly list the password, the recruiter hits a dead end and likely moves on. 3️⃣ seconds means that the recruiter will scan your website above the fold area and if nothing hints to you having quality experience, they will likely move on. 3️⃣ seconds means that they will not click, scroll or even read anything so your only shot to give them a reason that your portfolio is worth their time is by giving visual cues that are resonant at a glance. Do this: ✅ Make your logo your name typed in a simple clean font. Avoid any logo marks as they are amateurish and don’t bring value. Your name is your brand and should be prominent but not overpowering. ✅ Make your headline a short scannable value proposition statement clearly demonstrating what makes you unique and different from everyone else. This is not a place to restate your name and location. ✅ Add a subheadline that states some facts about you such as years of experience and any recognizable companies you worked for. ✅ Have the first project tile be large and slightly visible above the fold. 💡Pro tip: mobile projects are in greater demand and convert better. ⚠️Please, please, please do not use your headshot here because you are applying for a design role, not a modeling gig. That’s it. Simple clean look where the snapshot of your value, experience and work give the recruiter enough to want to learn more. What happens if you pass this test? 3 seconds go by, recruiter scrolls and if your project cards are well designed and informative, they may grant you additional 2-5 minutes to scan through your case studies. For more tips or to see examples of converting portfolios, ask me #portfoliowebsite #portfolio #uxdesign #tips #careercoach