Build Your Portfolio Site
Build a free personal website in one afternoon using Carrd, Lovable, or Notion. Put your proof of work where employers can find it.
What You'll Learn
- Build and publish a free portfolio site in under 30 minutes
- Write 3 project case studies using a structured template
- Add your portfolio URL to your resume header
- Walk out with a live website that proves your work to anyone who clicks
What You Are Building in This Module
By the end of this module you will have:
- A live portfolio website (free, no code required)
- Three project case studies published on it
- Your portfolio URL linked on your resume
This is the module where you build something real. Not an outline. Not a plan. A live website that exists on the internet when you are done.
You Will Need 30 Uninterrupted Minutes
Close your other tabs. Set a timer for 30 minutes. The goal is to have a published site before the timer goes off. It does not need to be perfect. It needs to exist. You can refine it later.
Step 1: Write Your 3 Case Studies First (15 Minutes)
Do this before you touch any website builder. The content matters more than the design. Use the prompt below to help you structure your case studies, but write the actual stories yourself.
Copy This Prompt to Structure Your Case Studies
`
You are a career coach helping me build a portfolio. I am going to describe 3 projects from my work experience. For each one, ask me these questions one at a time and wait for my answer before moving to the next question:
1. What was the project? (One sentence: what were you trying to do?)
2. What was the problem or challenge? (Why did this project exist?)
3. What did YOU specifically do? (Your role, not the team's. Name the tools you used.)
4. What was the measurable result? (A number: revenue, time saved, users, error reduction, etc.)
5. What would you do differently if you did it again? (Shows self-awareness)
After I answer all 5 questions for each project, format my answers into a clean case study with these sections:
- Project Name
- The Problem (1-2 sentences)
- What I Did (2-3 sentences, including tool names)
- The Result (1 sentence with the number)
- The Lesson (1 sentence)
Do NOT add corporate language, buzzwords, or polish. Keep my voice exactly as I said it. If I said "janky Python script," keep "janky Python script." That is the point.
Let us start with Project 1.
`
Run through all 3 projects. Save the formatted case studies. You will paste them into your site in the next step.
Step 2: Build the Site (15 Minutes)
Pick one of these three options. All are free. All can be live in 15 minutes.
Option A: Carrd.co (simplest)
- Go to carrd.co and sign up (free)
- Pick any single-page template
- Replace the content with: your name, a one-line description of what you do, your 3 case studies, and your email
- Hit Publish
Option B: Lovable.dev (AI-built)
- Go to lovable.dev
- Type: "Build me a portfolio page with my name [your name], a tagline about [what you do], 3 project cards with titles and descriptions, and a contact section with my email [your email]"
- Lovable generates the entire site
- Paste your case study content into each project card
- Publish
Option C: Notion + Super.so (most flexible)
- Create a new Notion page
- Add your intro, 3 case study sections (use toggle blocks), and contact info
- Go to super.so, connect your Notion page
- Publish
The one you pick does not matter. What matters is that you pick one and finish it.
Halfway Check
- [ ] 3 case studies written (from Step 1)
- [ ] Site builder chosen (Carrd, Lovable, or Notion)
- [ ] Content pasted into the site
- [ ] Site published with a live URL
If you have a live URL, you are ahead of 90% of job seekers. Keep going.
Step 3: Add Your URL to Your Resume (2 Minutes)
Open your resume. In the header, right next to your LinkedIn URL, add your portfolio site URL.
It should look something like:
Jane Smith jane.smith@email.com | linkedin.com/in/janesmith | janesmith.carrd.co
That is it. When a recruiter reads your resume and wants to see more, the link is right there. One click to proof of work.
You can also link specific case studies inside your experience bullets. For example: "Built a returns tracking dashboard in Retool (see case study: janesmith.carrd.co#returns-project)." This turns your resume from a static document into an interactive one.
Step 4: Quality Check With AI (5 Minutes)
Before you share your portfolio with anyone, run a quick review.
Copy This Prompt to Review Your Portfolio
`
You are a hiring manager reviewing a job candidate's portfolio website. I will paste the text content from my portfolio page. Review it and tell me:
1. FIRST IMPRESSION: If you landed on this page, would you keep reading or bounce? Why?
2. CLARITY: In 5 seconds, can you tell what I do and what I am good at?
3. PROOF: Do my case studies include enough specifics (tools, numbers, outcomes) to be credible?
4. MISSING: What is the one thing you would add that would make you more likely to reach out?
5. RED FLAGS: Anything that would make you hesitate (typos, vague claims, inconsistencies)?
Be honest. I would rather fix it now than lose an opportunity later.
`
Make the fixes the AI suggests. Then you are done.
What You Just Built
You now have a live website on the internet that proves your work. Most candidates have a PDF that makes claims. You have a URL that shows evidence.
41% of companies are moving away from resume-first hiring. They want proof. You just built it.
Module 3 Deliverables
- [ ] 3 case studies written with specific tools, numbers, and outcomes
- [ ] Portfolio site live with a public URL
- [ ] Portfolio URL added to resume header
- [ ] AI review completed and feedback addressed
You have a resume that beats ATS (Module 1), sounds human (Module 2), and links to proof of work (Module 3). That combination is rare. Move to Module 4.
Core Insights
- Write your case studies before you build the site. Content first, design second.
- The AI case study prompt interviews you about your work and keeps your voice intact.
- A free portfolio site can be live in 15 minutes. The only barrier is starting.
- Link your portfolio URL in your resume header. Every claim should have clickable proof.
- 41% of companies want proof of work, not just descriptions of work. You just built it.