Resources
Build your digital portfolio
A portfolio URL on your CV is worth more than a degree name that international employers don't recognise. Here's exactly what to build, where to host it, and how to describe it.
Why a portfolio matters more than your degree
When a company in the UK or US reads your CV, they have never heard of BAC, BIUST, or UB. Your degree is unfamiliar to them. But a live URL that opens a real application you built - that speaks for itself in any language and any country.
Most developer and designer applications now ask for a portfolio or GitHub link outright, and candidates without one are screened out before the first interview. It's also the first thing we look at when reviewing your profile here.
You don't need client work to build a portfolio.
A project you built for yourself - solving a real problem, using real tools, deployed to a real URL - is as valuable to an employer as a paid project. What matters is that it works, it's live, and you can explain every decision you made.
Where to host your portfolio
All options below are free and work from Botswana.
GitHub Pages
Best for: Developers
Host directly from a GitHub repository. Perfect for developers - your code and portfolio live in the same place. Gives you a URL like username.github.io.
How to get started:
Create a repo named username.github.io, push your HTML/CSS/JS files, GitHub hosts it automatically. Free forever.
Requires: HTML/CSS or any frontend framework
Vercel
Best for: Next.js / React developers
The same platform RemoteReady BW runs on. Deploy any Next.js, React, or static site in under 2 minutes. Gives you a clean URL like yourname.vercel.app.
How to get started:
Push your project to GitHub, connect to Vercel, it deploys automatically on every push. Free tier is generous.
Requires: Next.js, React, or static HTML
Netlify
Best for: Any frontend project
Drag and drop your project folder and get a live URL in seconds. Works with any frontend framework or plain HTML. Slightly easier than Vercel for beginners.
How to get started:
Drag your build folder to netlify.com/drop and get a URL instantly. Connect GitHub for automatic deploys.
Requires: Any frontend - HTML, React, Vue, etc.
Behance
Best for: UI/UX designers
Adobe's portfolio platform used by designers globally. Upload screenshots, mockups, and case studies. Many international design recruiters browse Behance directly.
How to get started:
Create an Adobe account, create a new project, upload your design files and screenshots with descriptions.
Requires: UI/UX design, graphic design
Project ideas - by field
No professional experience? Start with one of these. Each one is specific enough to be interesting and achievable enough to actually finish.
Software Developer
RemoteReady BW clone (simplified)
Build a job board with a registration form, a listings page, and a profile page. This alone demonstrates React, a database, and auth.
Stack: Next.js, Supabase, Tailwind CSS
Botswana weather dashboard
Use a free weather API to show current conditions for Gaborone, Francistown, and Maun. Add a 7-day forecast and a simple chart.
Stack: React, Chart.js, OpenWeatherMap API
Personal finance tracker
A simple app where you log income and expenses, see a monthly summary, and visualise your spending. Solves a real problem and demonstrates CRUD operations.
Stack: Next.js, Supabase, Recharts
Data Analyst
Botswana population analysis
Use publicly available Statistics Botswana data to analyse population trends, age distribution, and urbanisation. Publish as an interactive notebook or dashboard.
Stack: Python, Pandas, Matplotlib or Plotly
Remote job market analysis
Scrape job listings from RemoteOK or We Work Remotely, analyse which skills are most in demand, and visualise the results. Directly relevant to your own job search.
Stack: Python, BeautifulSoup, Pandas, Seaborn
Mobile money transaction dashboard
Create a simulated dataset of mobile money transactions and build a dashboard showing patterns, peak times, and anomalies. Demonstrates real banking domain knowledge.
Stack: Python, Pandas, Dash or Streamlit
UI/UX Designer
Redesign a local Botswana website
Pick a real Botswana government or business website that needs work. Document the problems, run a usability audit, then design a better version in Figma.
Stack: Figma, user research documentation
Mobile app concept for a local problem
Design a mobile app that solves a real Botswana-specific problem - water meter readings, public transport tracking, or market vendor directory. Full flow, not just one screen.
Stack: Figma, FigJam for research documentation
Design system for a startup
Create a complete design system - colours, typography, components, spacing - for a hypothetical Botswana fintech startup. Shows systematic design thinking.
Stack: Figma with component library
How to write a project description
The formula that works for both your CV and your portfolio page. Four parts, keep it under 150 words total.
What it does
One sentence. What problem does it solve? Who is it for?
A web application that connects Botswana tech graduates with global remote employers.
How you built it
Name the specific technologies. This is what employers scan for.
Built with Next.js 15, Supabase for authentication and database, and Tailwind CSS for styling.
What was hard
This is what separates you from someone who followed a tutorial. Show real problem-solving.
Implemented row-level security policies to ensure graduates can only see their own data while employers can browse public profiles.
What you'd do differently
Optional but powerful. Shows self-awareness and professional thinking.
I'd add automated testing from the start - retroactively adding tests to existing features takes twice as long.
What not to include
Hello World or tutorial follow-alongs
Everyone has these. They show you can follow instructions, not that you can build.
Broken links or projects that don't load
A broken portfolio is worse than no portfolio. Test every link before sharing your CV.
Projects that require a login to see anything
Recruiters won't create an account to see your work. Either make it public or add test credentials.
More than 4-5 projects
Quality over quantity. 3 excellent projects beat 10 mediocre ones.
Projects you can't explain in an interview
If you followed a YouTube tutorial and don't understand the code, don't list it.
Real example
See a portfolio built using this guide
This portfolio was built by the founder of RemoteReady BW applying every principle on this page - two live projects, real stack tags, "what was hard" sections, and no tutorial follow-alongs.
Masego Makati
Full-Stack Developer · Gaborone, Botswana
Projects: RemoteReady BW · Serve System BW
Once your portfolio is live
Add the URL to your RemoteReady BW profile, your CV, and your LinkedIn. Then complete your career prep tracks to go live in the talent directory.