Hey friends 👋🏾
Let’s be honest for a minute.
Most beginner portfolios don’t get interviews because the portfolio doesn’t communicate what recruiters actually want to see.
NB: it doesn't mean that the developer is bad
I’ve reviewed quite a few beginner portfolios and the same patterns keep showing up.
Let’s talk about them.
1️⃣ Too many cliché tutorial projects
If your portfolio is full of:
- Todo apps
- Weather apps
- Calculator apps
…that’s not necessarily wrong.
The problem is everybody else has the same thing.
Recruiters have seen these projects hundreds of times. When they open your portfolio and see another cliché tutorial clone with no explanation, there’s nothing that makes you stand out.
How to fix it
You don’t need “unique” ideas. You need context.
For each project, answer:
- Why did you build this?
- What problem does it solve?
- What did you learn while building it?
...a ready example is my portfolio section where I have some projects with case studies.
Even a simple app becomes interesting when you explain your thought process.
2️⃣ No explanation of decisions
Many portfolios show screenshots and links, but zero reasoning.
Recruiters aren’t just looking at what you built.
They want to know how you think.
If I see a project and can’t tell:
- why you chose a certain stack
- how you structured the app
- what trade-offs you made
…it’s hard to judge your skill level.
How to fix it
Add short write-ups:
- Why React and not something else?
- Why this database?
- What would you improve if you had more time?
You don’t need an essay. A few honest paragraphs would do.
3️⃣ No README (or a weak one)
This one hurts.
A missing README feels like submitting an assignment without instructions.
Or even worse, a README that says:
“This is a simple app built with React.”
That tells me nothing.
How to fix it
Your README should include:
- What the app does
- Who it’s for
- How to run it locally
- What features you’re proud of
- Any known limitations
Think of it as a short conversation with the recruiter.
4️⃣ Projects are not live
If I can’t click and try your app, that’s a missed opportunity.
Most recruiters won’t clone your repo.
If there’s no live link, they’ll move on.
How to fix it
Deploy your projects.
Even basic hosting is fine.
What matters is:
- The app runs
- It doesn’t crash immediately
- The core idea works
Perfection is not required.
5️⃣ No personality, no story
This is the mostly overlooked by a lot of beginners.
A lot of portfolios feel robotic.
No sense of who built them. No story. No voice.
But hiring is still human.
How to fix it
Add:
- A short “About me” that sounds like you
- Why you’re learning software engineering
- What kind of problems you enjoy solving
You don’t need to overshare. Just be real.
What you should takeaway
A good beginner portfolio has:
- Clear thinking
- Honest communication
- Showing how you approach problems
Recruiters aren’t expecting senior-level code.
They want to see how you think, not perfection.
If your portfolio tells a clear story about how you think and learn, interviews will come.
If you’re a beginner and this hit close to home, you’re not behind.
You probably just need to reframe how you present your work.
If this helped, drop a 💬 or 🧡
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Email: egbonyigiftvicky@gmail.com
See you next week! 🚀
Till then, write clean code and stay curious. 🦋
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