Who needs a portfolio
Essential:
- Designers (graphic, UX/UI, product, industrial)
- Developers (web, mobile, data, ML)
- Architects
- Photographers, videographers, illustrators
- Marketers (campaigns, content, growth)
- Writers (journalists, copywriters)
- Consultants (case studies, deliverables)
Optional but useful:
- Product managers (frameworks, cases)
- Data scientists (published notebooks)
- Systems architects (diagrams, schemas)
- Project managers (transformations delivered)
The essential structure
Homepage:
- Photo + name + role in 1 line
- Pitch in 1-2 sentences: your unique value proposition
- 3-5 flagship projects visible immediately
- Contact details (email, LinkedIn)
Projects page:
Each project must show:
- Context: company, problem, constraints
- Role: your precise responsibility
- Approach: method, tools, process
- Deliverables: photos/screenshots/code
- Results: quantified impact (revenue, conversion, time saved)
- Learnings: what you would do differently
About page:
Your story, journey, values. More personal tone.
Contact page:
Form or direct email, Calendly link, downloadable CV.
Platforms to use
For designers:
- Behance: industry standard
- Dribbble: visual projects, exposure
- Behance + personal site: ideal combination
For developers:
- GitHub: visible code, open source contributions
- Personal site on Vercel/Netlify
- CodePen: interactive demos
- StackBlitz: WebContainer projects
For writers / content:
- Medium / Substack: published articles
- Personal site WordPress, Ghost, Notion
- Links to external publications
For photographers/videographers:
- Vimeo Pro or YouTube
- SmugMug, Format, Squarespace
- Pro Instagram (specific case)
Tools to build
No-code builders:
- Webflow: pro design, hosting included (CHF 300-1,200/year)
- Framer: modern alternative, excellent templates
- Notion + Super.so: fast, simple, beautiful
- Carrd: ultra-simple one-pager (free or USD 19/year)
For devs:
- Next.js / Astro + Vercel
- Hugo / Jekyll static
- Free templates on GitHub or Vercel templates
Domain and hosting:
- .ch or .com domain: CHF 15-30/year
- Free Vercel/Netlify hosting (sufficient for 99% of cases)
- Google Workspace pro email: CHF 7/month
Visual quality
Switzerland is demanding on graphic quality. Invest:
- Polished typography: Helvetica Now, Inter, JetBrains Mono
- Professional project photos (not blurry screenshots)
- Visual coherence: 2-3 colour palette max
- Generous white space: no overcrowding
- Perfect mobile responsive: 50% of visits are mobile
Fatal mistakes
- Projects without context: just beautiful images without explanation = no value
- Too many projects: 5-7 excellent cases > 20 mediocre
- Lack of quantified results: "nice project" vs "+35% conversion"
- No client mention: credibility doubtful
- Slow or broken site: eliminatory red flag
- Dead links to projects or GitHub
- Hesitant English on international version
Swiss specifics
- Languages: FR + EN version minimum (DE bonus if German Switzerland)
- Sober tonality: no excessive ego
- Precise technical details: show your rigour
- Confidentiality: blur client data if necessary (NDAs respected)
- Mention your permit B/C/G in footer (practical info for recruiters)
Maintain and keep alive
- Quarterly update minimum
- New flagship project every 6-12 months
- Analytics enabled: see where visitors come from
- Link in email signature, LinkedIn, CV
- Active sharing: LinkedIn posts when new case
A good portfolio generates 30-50% of your opportunities without active application. It's the most profitable long-term career investment.
