How to use this checklist
Not every portfolio needs all ten items, and the right mix depends on your field and your reader. Treat the list as a set of prompts: for each item, ask whether it helps the person looking at your work make a decision. If it does, include it. If not, skip it without guilt.
The list moves roughly in the order a reader encounters things, from the first impression through to the next step.
1. A clear headline or one-line description
Open with a short statement of what you do and for whom, such as “Technical writer who turns complicated software into clear help pages” (a hypothetical example). Readers often decide within seconds whether to continue, so this line carries a lot of weight. Plain wording usually works better than clever wording.
2. A short bio
Two or three short paragraphs are usually enough: what you do, what you have focused on, and perhaps one detail that makes you a person rather than a résumé. Keep it factual. The mechanics of a good professional bio are worth reading separately, and it helps to write a one-sentence and a longer version so you can reuse them.
3. A professional photo, if you are comfortable with one
A photo is optional and some people have good reasons to leave it out. If you include one, choose a clear, recent image where you are easy to recognize. You do not need a studio; good daylight and a plain background go a long way, as covered in the notes on professional photos.
4. Three to six featured work samples
This is the core of the portfolio. Choose pieces that represent the work you want to do next, not simply everything you have done. Showing fewer samples that you can explain well is generally stronger than showing many that you cannot.
5. A short description of each sample
For each piece, add a few lines: the goal, your role, what you did, and the outcome if you know it. Be specific about what was yours and what was a team effort, and avoid numbers you cannot support. If you do not have a measured result, say what you observed or what feedback you received instead.
6. Credits for collaborators
If other people contributed, name them or describe their roles, with their permission where appropriate. Giving credit shows you understand how work actually gets done, and it protects you from appearing to claim someone else’s effort.
7. Testimonials or recommendations
Short, genuine comments from clients, managers or colleagues act as social proof. Always ask before using someone’s words, quote them accurately, and do not edit a comment so that it says something they did not. The principles for using testimonials apply equally to a portfolio page. If you have none yet, leave this section out rather than inventing or padding it.
8. Relevant skills, tools or credentials
A brief list of the skills and tools you actually use, and any qualifications you hold, helps a reader scan quickly. List only what you could comfortably discuss in a conversation. Avoid rating yourself with bars or percentages, which look precise but mean little.
9. A way to get in touch
Say clearly how to reach you and what to expect. A contact form or a dedicated professional email address is often safer than a personal address. The page itself can be simple, as explained in the guidance on a contact page. If you want the reader to take a specific step, such as requesting a quote or booking a call, state it plainly in a sentence, which is the idea behind a call to action.
10. A last-updated note or date
A date, even a small one at the bottom, tells readers the material is current. It also reminds you to review the portfolio. If you notice the date is more than a year old, that is a prompt to refresh it.
Privacy cautions: what to leave out
A portfolio is often public, so think before including anything personal or sensitive.
- Confidential or client material. Do not show internal documents, client names, unreleased products or private data without clear permission. Blur or remove details, or describe the work in general terms. See the principles of portfolio confidentiality.
- Personal contact details. Home address, personal phone number and similar details are rarely needed and can be misused.
- Other people’s images and words. Photos of colleagues, customers or children, or copied text, can create problems unless you have permission.
- Sensitive personal information. Details about health, finances, family or exact location are generally better kept off a public page.
- Old or unrelated accounts. Link only to profiles you are happy for a stranger to read.
If a piece of work is useful but too sensitive to show, consider recreating a similar example with invented content and labeling it as an example.
A quick final check
Read the portfolio once as if you were a stranger. Can you tell what the person does within ten seconds? Does every sample have context? Is there a clear next step? Is anything on the page something you would not want a stranger to see? Fixing those four points covers most of what matters.