How to Create a Portfolio Without Client Projects

From Side Hustle to Cyber Credibility: How I Used Freelance Projects to Break In I didn’t land my first cybersecurity role by applying. I landed it by proving I could already do the job. Let’s rewind ⏪ When I pivoted into cyber, I didn’t have a job title that screamed “GRC” or “security.” But what I did have was initiative—and a plan. Let me show you what I did (and what you can do too): 1. I Solved Real Problems Before Anyone Paid Me Freelance doesn’t always mean “paid.” At first, it just meant real. ↳ I volunteered to help a nonprofit write their privacy policy ↳ I created a risk register for a friend’s tech startup ↳ I mapped out SOC 2 controls for a fictional ecommerce company Each project was small, focused, and laser-aligned with the role I wanted. 2. I Documented the Process Like I Was Being Audited Most people say “I did a project.” I said, “Here’s how I scoped it, the framework I followed, the gaps I found, and the controls I recommended.” ↳ I used ISO 27001, SOC 2, NIST CSF—even when it wasn’t required ↳ I made my work portfolio-worthy, not just “done” ↳ I treated each one like a case study—even the unpaid ones 3. I Built a Simple Portfolio (That Did All the Talking) No need for a fancy website. I used Notion + Google Drive. Inside? ↳ 1-page summary of the company (real or fictional) ↳ Problem statement + risk area ↳ My analysis (gap, risk, control) ↳ Recommendation + outcome ↳ A visual (chart, framework, risk heatmap) I posted it on LinkedIn—and tagged it in my resume. 4. I Showed My Work Publicly Even before I felt “ready,” I showed what I was learning. I wrote: ↳ “What I learned writing my first privacy policy” ↳ “3 risk categories I missed—and what I’d do next time” ↳ “SOC 2: How I’d explain it to a client in plain English” Every post became a conversation starter. Every comment became a connection. 5. I Got Hired Because I Was Already Doing the Job By the time the interviews came, I wasn’t “aspiring to break in.” I had a body of work. And that’s what gave me leverage—even when my title didn’t match. If you're trying to break into cyber, GRC, or AI governance without a formal title—start where you are. 📩 Book a 1:1 Portfolio Strategy session and I’ll help you design your cyber proof plan. 🔔 Follow @InsPowerHER for weekly career drops that actually move the needle ♻️ Repost if you’re ready to build your credibility—before someone hands you the title. #InsPowerHER #CyberCredibility #WomenInTech #CyberSideHustle #PortfolioPower

I remember helping a STUDENT ( Fresher ) last year—  He messaged me: “Sir, I’ve never worked anywhere.  What should I even put in my portfolio?” He had skills.   He had potential.  But he thought without an internship or job,  he had nothing to show. Here’s what I told him 👇 You don’t need experience. You need proof of skill. Here’s how he built a solid portfolio from scratch: 1️⃣ Pick 2–3 small projects → To show real application (todo apps, clone UIs, APIs).   2️⃣ Write what YOU did → Not what the tutorial said. Show your thinking.   3️⃣ Document your process → Learning notes, errors, fixes = gold.   4️⃣ Make it public → Share on GitHub, LinkedIn, personal site.   5️⃣ Tell a story → Why you built it, what you learned. And here are 5 FREE websites to host or showcase your work:   → [GitHub Pages] -> (https://pages.github.com)   → [Notion] ->(https://www.notion.so)   → [Replit] ->(https://replit.com)   → [Netlify] ->(https://www.netlify.com)   → [LinkedIn Projects Section] ->(https://linkedin.com) No job? No problem.   Show what you’re learning—and that you can build. Your turn:   What’s one project you’d love to add to your portfolio? P.S. Share this with a student who needs to hear it. #studentportfolio #firstjob #buildinpublic #techportfolio #careerstart

Looking for a job? Build a portfolio. Not just a résumé. If I were job hunting in 2025, here’s what I’d do. Build ONE great portfolio project in the next 30 days. Something that shows - not tells - your skill, thought process, and creativity. I say this as someone who's also hired half a dozen people in the past 2 years. There's too much noise out there. You've got to find a way to stand out. Here are 3 roles and 3 portfolio projects you can build in the next 30 days to stand out: 👩🏽💻 1. Product Manager Build: A new feature for an app you love → Pick a product (Spotify, Notion, Duolingo) → Design a new feature: user problem → solution → wireframes → Write a PRD (problem, KPIs, edge cases, success metrics) One of the most creative ways I've seen a friend get an interview was this: He mocked up a "Spotify Social Listening" feature - then sent it to Spotify PMs. This got him an immediate response and interview. Tool stack: Notion, Figma, Canva, ChatGPT, Whimsical 📱 2. UX/UI Designer Build: A 2-week redesign challenge → Pick a real-world flow that sucks (e.g. booking train tickets on IRCTC lol or the entire Goodreads web app) → Interview a few users (just ask around within your friends) → Redesign the flow with better UX → Share your case study on Behance or your website Write a post on the entire process you followed. Tool stack: Figma, Maze, Framer, Medium 📊 3. Data Analyst Build: A dashboard + case study → Choose a public dataset (NYC taxi data, Netflix ratings, upcoming Indian startups) → Clean + analyze it using SQL/Python → Build a dashboard in Tableau or Power BI → Publish your insights + charts as a case study Once again, write a post on the entire process you followed. Tool stack: SQL, Python, Tableau, Canva, Medium ... It's easy to get stuck in the rut of applying to jobs every day. Try something a tiny bit different... and you can easily stand out from the noise. Best of luck! 🌿 Found this useful? Repost it to help someone who’s job hunting. 🟢 Want a free guide to acing your first PM interview? Comment below “portfolio” below and I’ll send it over. :)

Free Guide to Create Your Portfolio Website as a Data Analyst (+ Links to Access Data) One of the most important steps that people often overlook or underestimate when seeking a job is creating a portfolio. Most beginners care more about learning the new fancy skill than actually giving time to doing things that will get them hired. That’s why you’ll see someone who has learned so many things like Excel, SQL, Power BI, and Python, but when you ask them to show what they’ve done, they have nothing to show. When I got hired by DebtRecuva, the first meeting I had with the COO was about how I could create what I had in my portfolio for them, which shows that my portfolio was one of the things that attracted them to me. To have a very solid portfolio, you need to work on projects that many people won’t have on theirs. That way, your portfolio doesn’t look like everyone else’s. Follow these steps to create a portfolio that will get you hired: 1. Work on at least 3 projects: Use Maven Analytics’ Data Playground. On this platform, there are so many datasets you can use for your project, and they also include the business problems they want you to solve. This is very useful because you can search the data on LinkedIn and see what others have done with it. It’s better than guided projects because you get to solve the problem independently, which builds confidence. Link: https://lnkd.in/dG9pyAfp 2. Learn to use NovyPro: The benefit of this platform is that it gives you access to an enterprise Microsoft Power BI account, allowing you to publish your dashboards for free. This is important because many beginners create dashboards but have no way to save them live to show potential employers. NovyPro also has many beautiful designs you can draw inspiration from for your next dashboard. Link: https://www.novypro.com/ 3. Participate in competitions: Participating in data analyst competitions is a great way to improve your skills. As a beginner, the goal isn't to win but to expose yourself to real business problems and try to provide solutions just like you would in a real job setting. Competitions also give you access to people who can review your work and offer valuable feedback on where to improve. Some platforms to find competitions include: DataCamp: https://www.datacamp.com/ Maven Analytics: https://mavenanalytics.io/ (Monthly Competitions) 4. Build and Deploy the Portfolio: After creating these projects, it’s time to build and deploy your portfolio website. A very good tutorial video to use was created by Alex the Analyst. My advice: Don’t use the same template he used, as many people have already done that. Follow the tutorial, and when it gets to the part where he adds projects, simply add your own and deploy your website. Link: https://lnkd.in/di-qXhJ8 Finally, add your created portfolio website to your LinkedIn profile and to your resume.

A lot of people ask me how to start a portfolio. Others show me portfolios filled only with “real work”—but often nothing very exciting. The truth is: at the beginning, it’s hard to get opportunities and strong briefs. That’s why I made this post—to help you kick off your first portfolio piece with spec work. The good news? Today, AI makes it easier than ever to create high-quality images and videos by yourself. But remember: the secret is not the tool—it’s the idea. Focus on powerful concepts, bold executions, and crafted details. Tips to get started: - Create for the brands and topics you love—it makes the process way more fun. - Show variety: posters, rebrands, packaging, Instagram stories, even short films. - Build inspiration boards on Pinterest (search “modern graphic design” or “brutalist design”). - Use free fonts from fontesk.com and free mockups from freemockupworld.com. - Showcase your work on Readymag (free), Cargo, or Squarespace. - Don’t rely only on AI—experiment with illustration, 3D, screen-printing, photography. And the most important tip: start today. Don’t wait. Your portfolio is built one project at a time—so roll up your sleeves and make it happen. 

So you’ve got one clip. Maybe two. And you're wondering, how do I build a real portfolio from here? This is a question I get all the time, from nurses dipping a toe into writing and from freelancers stuck in the early phase. Here’s what I tell them: You don’t need ten polished pieces to look credible. What you need is strategy. If you only have one clip, great. Use that as your lead sample. Then, round out your portfolio with pieces you create yourself, yes, even if no one paid you for them. Write a blog post that demonstrates your understanding of patient education. Draft a sample article summarizing new research. Create a short case study. Pick formats and topics that reflect the kind of work you want to get paid for. You’re not faking it, you’re showing initiative. That matters more than most people realize. Clients aren’t looking for volume. They’re looking for proof that you understand their audience and can write clearly, accurately, and on time. A portfolio of 2–3 solid samples can absolutely land you work, if they’re relevant and presented well. You don’t need more clips. You need to take the ones you have and make them work for you. #FreelanceWriting #PortfolioTips #NurseWriter #ContentWriting 

Once in awhile, I get a DM from someone asking if they can volunteer for me as a way to build their portfolio. While I would love to help, it is illegal in the U.S. to use volunteers on for-profit projects. If you find a company that says yes, I would be wary of them! If you are set on completing a real-world project, I would contact non-profits. The thing is, they might not even know what training needs they have. You are going to have to be proactive about identifying potential opportunities for them. For example, I spoke with an instructional designer who volunteers at a local dog shelter. As part of their onboarding, they had to read through a slide deck. So, this person realized they could turn the slide deck into an interactive Rise course. BUT there is a whole other option, which is creating concept projects for fictional clients. If you check out my portfolio, none of the featured projects are for real clients. Why? 1. I can't share certain info due to NDAs. 2. Concept projects allow you to show the type of work you would create in an ideal situation. In real life projects, you might not have the final say on all of the design decisions. But with a concept project, the sky is the limit. I'll share a couple of resources in the comments for concept project topics. What other tips do you have?