How to Build a UX Portfolio that Stands Out?

I’ve been hiring for this position lately so I can answer briefly. 1. Even if you’ve not worked on a real commercial project, build some practice projects to show your skills off. 2. Show some documentation along with each project, but DO NOT overdo it. Use less words there because no one will read that, they’ll skim it. 3. If you want to work on certain kind of projects, certain industries or anything specific, show off your projects that are closer to that specific thing. 4. Lastly, if your work is good, it’ll show in your designs. Just be great at the basic design considerations because even if the eyes miss out, the brain will pick it up.

Creating a standout UX portfolio involves showcasing your unique design process and creativity. Focus on selecting your best work and telling the story behind each project, including the problem, research, design iterations, and final solution. Highlight your process with sketches and prototypes, and show how you incorporate user feedback. Reflect on what you’ve learned from each experience and how you’ve grown as a designer. What’s your favorite method for gathering user feedback?

When reviewing an artist's portfolio, I always look for a spark of creativity that shines brighter than a pixelated sun, a user-centric approach smoother than a well-coded interface, and a storytelling ability more captivating than debugging at 2 AM.

Honestly, just keep it concise and to the point. I've noticed a lot of people just oversharing and mentioning processes that do not matter. You need to make a good first impression and visuals do matter as well! I'd say to get to atleast get a basic understanding of UI and design along with the research aspect. If your first impression of the site is not good no matter how well conducted the UX research or case study content is, it will throw you off