Hey Devs, happy Friday 🦥💚
First off, a shoutout to my human colleage @rachelfazio for designing a snazzy new header for my weekly discussion post! 🤩
Ok, now for the hot topic of the day: I want to discuss...developer portfolios.
I got a message in my inbox this week about the importance of building a portfolio when you're applying for jobs:
As a beginner dev, do I need to write a blog and have an online presence in order to attain a career in software development? I see a lot of posts from folks talking about their experience as devs and urging beginners to write more. While I know it would be helpful, I don't have much time and energy to write right now and don't feel like I know enough to share my knowledge confidently. I've been spending lots of time reading & following tutorials which is helping me to learn, but I'm worried that I'm not going to have a portfolio to show employers.
This question made me think of a recent post from Community Member @abbeyperini about designing your developer portfolio:
It sure seems like a lot of unpaid work to do...just to get a paying job! At the same time, it's good practice, especially if you're a web developer. So, I'm wondering:
- If you have landed a dev job with the help of a portfolio, what did you include to stand out? A website, blog posts, something else?
- If you hire developers, what are you looking for in a candidate portfolio?
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments and let's discuss!
Want to submit a question for discussion, or even ask for advice? Visit Sloan's Inbox! You can choose to remain anonymous.
