Pass 02 · Workbook page
The sample board: a small portfolio before the first client
Turners keep a sample board: a few finished pieces that show the range of their work. Before your first client, you need the same thing, small and honest.
Three to five pieces is enough
A portfolio for side work does not need dozens of items. Three to five well-made samples that match the kind of job you want are more useful than a large mixed collection. Each sample should answer a simple question a client would ask: can this person do the thing I need?
Where samples come from
- Self-set briefs. Invent a realistic task and complete it as if it were paid: a menu for a fictional café, a cleaned-up spreadsheet with made-up data, a repaired chair.
- Before and after. Show the starting point and the result, with a short note about what you changed.
- Small favours with permission. Work for a friend or local group, and ask clearly whether you may show it.
Never present your employer's work, confidential material, or someone else's piece as your own. Label self-set briefs honestly as practice projects. Clients respect clarity far more than inflated claims.
What each sample card should say
| Field | Example |
|---|---|
| Brief | One-page price list for a bakery (practice project) |
| Time taken | About 3 hours including one revision |
| Tools | Free layout software, public-domain photos |
| What I would change | Larger prices, fewer fonts |
The time taken matters later. It becomes the first real data point for pricing.
Where to keep it
A single simple page, a shared folder or a printed folder all work. What matters is that you can send or show it within a minute when someone asks. Keep personal data out of it and use an email address separate from your main job.
Check it with a stranger's eyes
Ask someone outside your field to look at the samples for two minutes and say what they think you offer. If their answer is not close to what you intended, simplify. A sample board, like a turned piece, often improves by removing material rather than adding it.