Unique Tech Portfolio Ideas to Attract Employers

Your portfolio might be missing these underrated elements. Most people focus on polished case studies and pretty visuals. But what actually makes a recruiter pause and think “I want to talk to this person” are the things you don’t usually see. Here are 4 to start adding. 1️⃣ Show your decision trade-offs Don’t just show the final design. Show the fork in the road. What options did you consider, and why did you choose the one you did? Side-by-side screenshots + a short explanation = proof of your critical thinking. 2️⃣ Highlight collaboration moments Portfolios often read like solo projects, but hiring managers want to see you as a teammate. Call out where a PM, dev, or researcher’s input shifted the outcome. Add a quick “before & after” to show the impact of collaboration. 3️⃣ Call out constraints Great design isn’t created in a vacuum. Were you working under a tight deadline? Legacy tech? Limited resources? Own it. Explain how you adapted your solution within the real-world boundaries. That’s what makes your work practical and credible. 4️⃣ Add a “What I’d do differently” section Reflection shows growth. Wrap up each case study with 2–3 quick bullets: what worked, what you’d approach differently, and what you learned. It signals self-awareness without undermining your work. These details don’t just show your work, they show how you work. Now, let’s turn this into a community resource 👇 If you’ve got a portfolio you’re proud of (or one in progress!), drop it in the comments so we can start building a list for visibility and inspiration!

𝗜 𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗲. Their answers changed everything. I used to think any project on my resume was better than nothing. So I built a to-do list app, a calculator, a weather tracker—you know, the usual. Then I asked recruiters from Amazon, Meta, and Google what projects they instantly ignore. Their response? “If we’ve seen it 100 times before, we skip right past it.” Here’s what they told me not to put on my resume: ❌ To-do lists ❌ Calculator apps ❌ Basic CRUD apps with no real-world impact ❌ Portfolio websites (unless you’re a designer) ❌ Copy-paste tutorial projects 𝗦𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁? Recruiters want to see projects that show real-world impact, problem-solving, and creativity. ✅ 𝗔𝗻 𝗔𝗜-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿 – A tool that scans job descriptions and suggests resume optimizations. ✅ 𝗔 𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 – Helping them adjust pricing during off-peak hours to boost revenue. ✅ 𝗔 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗱𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 – Aggregating user feedback and behavior for product teams. ✅ 𝗔𝗻 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹 – Something that saves time or reduces manual effort in a business process. ✅ 𝗔𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 – If a company can see how your project could be useful, you’re already ahead. The best projects aren’t the ones that showcase your coding skills—they’re the ones that showcase your ability to solve real problems. If your portfolio projects aren’t getting you noticed, it’s time to build something that actually matters. What’s the best project you’ve built?

Tired of employers not seeing your value? The "Portfolio Strategy" will fix that (in 7 simple steps): [Context] Companies hire people for one reason: They believe they'll bring the most value to the role. Resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn are traditional ways to illustrating that value. But they're not the best. If you're struggling to see results with them? You need a portfolio. 1. Choose Your Platform First, choose the place where you'll host your content. I recommend a place that: - Allows you to create the way you want - Maximizes your visibility If you're job searching, it's tough to beat LinkedIn. Medium is another solid option. 2. Identify Your Target Companies Next, brainstorm your list of target companies. You're going to be researching them and creating value that's directly tied to their goals, challenges, and vision. I recommend starting with 3-5. Bonus points if they're in the same industry. 3. Align Your Projects Start with one company. Research the heck out of it from a high level. Then dive deeper into researching the specific product and team you're targeting. Your goal is to identify: - Goals -Challenges - Initiatives Learn as much as you can about them. 3a. Align Your Projects (Examples) Marketer? Perform site audits and recommend 3 ways for companies to get more leads. Software Engineer? QA your favorite apps / tools to identify bugs or improvements. Graphic Designer? Refresh the branding for your favorite products. 4. Map Out The Process Start with your methodology: Why this company / product? Break down your research, brainstorming, and solution process. Find and include reputable data. Project outcomes / ROI if you can. Finally, make a compelling case. Don’t just summarize, sell! 5. Show Your Work Now turn that process into content! Write up a "case study" showing: - The problem / opportunity - How you identified it - Your solution(s) - How you came up with them - The process for implementing them When it's ready, hit publish! 6. Share Your Work Now your case study is out in the world! First, add it to your LinkedIn featured section. Next, break it down into bite sized pieces of content. Start writing posts around: - Your research process - Your solutions process - Insights you came across - Etc 7. Systematize It This works best when you consistently work at it. Create a daily schedule and commit to it. Before you know it, you’ll have a body of work that includes *real* results and clearly illustrates your value. That’s going to get you hired!

Building a Tech Portfolio That Gets You Hired 🔥📂 I just got off an interview where I talked about why your tech portfolio might be holding you back. Let’s fix that. Here’s the thing: your portfolio isn’t just a gallery, it’s a pitch deck for your dream job. And the smartest way to pitch? Reverse-engineer it. If you want to work at Airbnb, don’t just tell them you love travel, build something that proves it. Example: An app that integrates Pinterest with Airbnb so users can book homes that match the vibe of their dream vacation boards. Now you’re not just showing skills, you’re showing alignment with their mission. This doesn’t just make you attractive to Airbnb, it makes you attractive to any product in the travel, experience, or lifestyle space. Here’s your roadmap: ✅ Pick a company or industry you love. ✅ Study what they’re doing well. ✅ Find gaps or opportunities. ✅ Build projects that support their mission. Do this 2-4 times across different verticals—streaming, social media, fintech, you name it. Your portfolio should feel intentional, not random. Organize it like a story. (More on that tomorrow.) Been staying at Airbnb a lot lately, so they were on my mind. 👀 Would you try this approach? Drop your thoughts below. #TechCareers #PortfolioTips #UXDesign #SoftwareEngineering ———————————————————————————————————————— 🙋🏾♀️ Hi, I’m Naya! ✨ I share career advice for new and aspiring tech professionals 👩🏾💻 Get my free 20-page tech career transition guide: https://lnkd.in/geu6JgNr 📲 Follow for more real talk from inside tech