Why this matters
A new tester's biggest problem is proving they can do the job without having had the job. A portfolio solves that. When an employer can open a link and read your test plan, your test cases and a bug report that would let any developer reproduce a problem, they can judge your work directly. Entry level testing adverts ask exactly for these skills.
What to include
Build your portfolio around one or two real, public products you tested through normal customer use. A strong portfolio has:
- A test plan: one page covering scope, approach, devices and risks.
- Test cases: ten to twenty clear cases, including negative and boundary cases, in a spreadsheet or markdown table.
- Bug reports: three or four of your best, each with steps, expected and actual results, environment, evidence and severity.
- An exploratory session record: charter, notes and findings.
- A test summary: what you tested, what you found and your recommendation.
- An automation project: once you reach that section, two to five reliable automated tests with a README, and ideally a CI workflow.
Quality beats quantity. Four excellent bug reports are better than twenty vague ones.