How to Write a Portfolio Case Study That Gets You Hired

A great case study can be the difference between getting an interview and getting ignored. Here's exactly how to write one that showcases your skills and gets results.

Why Case Studies Matter

Hiring managers spend an average of 6 seconds scanning a resume. But a well-crafted case study? They'll spend minutes reading it. Case studies prove you can do the work, not just list skills.

The Perfect Case Study Structure

Every effective case study follows this proven structure:

1. The Hook (2-3 sentences)

Start with the outcome. What was the result? Lead with your biggest win.

"I redesigned the checkout flow for a $50M e-commerce company, increasing conversions by 34% and reducing cart abandonment by 28%."

2. The Context (1 paragraph)

Set the stage. Who was the client? What was the timeline? What was your role?

• Company/client background
• Your specific role and responsibilities
• Team size and collaboration
• Timeline and constraints

3. The Challenge (1-2 paragraphs)

What problem were you solving? Be specific about the pain points.

• What wasn't working?
• What were the business implications?
• What constraints did you face?

4. Your Process (2-3 paragraphs)

This is where you show your thinking. Walk through your approach:

• Research and discovery
• Key insights that shaped your solution
• Design/development decisions and trade-offs
• Iterations and pivots

5. The Solution (2-3 paragraphs + visuals)

Show your work. Include screenshots, prototypes, or code snippets. Explain your key decisions.

6. The Results (1 paragraph + metrics)

Quantify your impact. Use specific numbers:

• ✅ "Increased conversion rate by 34%"
• ✅ "Reduced page load time from 4.2s to 1.8s"
• ✅ "Grew user engagement by 156% over 3 months"
• ❌ "Improved the user experience" (too vague)

7. Lessons Learned (optional but powerful)

Show self-awareness. What would you do differently? What did you learn?

Case Study Checklist

Before publishing, make sure your case study:

• ☐ Leads with results
• ☐ Includes specific metrics
• ☐ Shows your process, not just the output
• ☐ Has high-quality visuals
• ☐ Is scannable (headers, bullets, bold text)
• ☐ Demonstrates your unique contribution

Ready to Write Your Case Study?

Our portfolio templates include dedicated case study pages with this structure built in. Pick a template, fill in your projects, and launch in minutes.