Rebuilding the Portfolio that Got Me a Data Scientist Job | by Matt Chapman | Feb, 2024

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In 2022, my portfolio helped me get my first DS job. Now I’m tearing it down and starting again from scratch

Image by David Pisnoy on Unsplash

If you’re a data scientist or aspiring data scientist, keeping an online portfolio is a fantastic way to showcase your skills to prospective employers.

I made my first portfolio in August 2022 on a free GitHub Pages site using an excellent guide by Ivanna Kacevica. The portfolio helped me articulate my skills and get my first DS job, and unexpectedly gave me “15 minutes of fame” when I wrote about it in a viral TDS story, The Portfolio That Got Me a Data Scientist Job.

Now, 1.5 years later, I’m tearing down the portfolio that got me my first Data Scientist job and rebuilding it from scratch.

In this article, I’ll explain why.

I’ll show you how I built my new one and share with you the template I made, which you can use to create a Data/Analytics/AI portfolio of your own in just 30–40 minutes.

Let me start by saying that I still like my old portfolio.

It’s simple and to-the-point, and I think it does a good job of showcasing my projects without overwhelming the reader.

This brevity is important because a recruiter might only spend 30 seconds looking at your portfolio (if that!), and you don’t want them to get bored or stop before they’ve reached the end. As I’ve said before:

The purpose of your portfolio is to get your foot in the door, not to get you the job. You’re never going to get a job offer solely off the back of your portfolio. The reality is that, even if recruiters like the look of your portfolio, you’re still going to have to go through their interviews and assessments. The purpose of the portfolio is just to provide a quick snapshot of your skills and show ’em what you can do.

Back in August 2022, I was satisfied that my portfolio did this. Here’s a screenshot of my old portfolio so you can judge for yourself: