Portfolio Projects¶
Goal: Build a public, polished portfolio of GIS projects. This is the single biggest lever for landing your first GIS job.
What you'll learn
- Why a portfolio beats a degree
- The 7 portfolio projects in this roadmap
- How to structure each project for hiring managers
Why a portfolio matters¶
Recruiters and hiring managers can't tell from a resume if you can actually do GIS. A portfolio proves it in 30 seconds:
- A project page with maps, methods, and code
- A clear question, your approach, and the answer
- A few maps that look professional
You don't need 20 projects. You need 3 strong ones, well-documented.
The 7 portfolio projects¶
We've organized 7 projects from beginner to advanced. Pick 3 to build:
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Beginner. Classification, normalization, cartography. Your first portfolio piece.
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Beginner+. Buffers, joins, demographic analysis. Powerful policy story.
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Intermediate. Network analysis basics, USDA criteria, equity lens.
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4. Emergency Response Optimization
Intermediate. Service areas, OD matrix, optimization.
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Intermediate. Time-series choropleth, change detection, animation.
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Advanced. Weighted overlay, raster analysis, multi-criteria.
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7. Environmental Risk Analysis
Advanced. Floodplain, vulnerability, raster + vector combined.
The portfolio checklist¶
For each project, deliver:
| Element | Why |
|---|---|
| A 1-paragraph problem statement | Hiring manager understands the question |
| Data sources | Shows you can find and trust data |
| Methods | Shows you can think through analysis |
| At least 1 hero map | Shows your cartography |
| Charts / tables | Shows you can communicate |
| Code (if applicable) | Shows reproducibility |
| Reflection | Shows you learned something |
Where to host¶
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GitHub repo
One repo per project. README with maps embedded. Code visible.
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ArcGIS StoryMap
Beautiful, narrative-driven. Free with a public AGOL account.
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ArcGIS Online (Hub)
Branded landing page that links all your projects. Free with public account.
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Personal site
Bonus: a static MkDocs site like this one for everything.
Portfolio anti-patterns¶
Don't
- 🚫 Submit a screenshot of someone else's tutorial
- 🚫 Ship without writing any explanation
- 🚫 Use random data with no question
- 🚫 Hide your data sources
- 🚫 Skip the cartography (default symbology = dead portfolio)
Patterns that work¶
Do
- ✅ Pick a question that matters in your city — local stakes increase impact
- ✅ Use real, public data
- ✅ Show before / after, or trade-offs
- ✅ Include something you'd actually deliver to a client (memo, dashboard, map)
- ✅ Document the methodology so it's reproducible
Sample 3-project portfolio¶
For your first 3 projects, we recommend:
- Population Choropleth Map — proves cartography
- Transit Desert Analysis — proves spatial joins + buffers + storytelling
- Site Suitability Analysis — proves raster analysis + decision-making
Spend ~2 weeks on each. By month 2, you have a portfolio.
Practice¶
→ Open Projects and start the Population Choropleth Map. It's the gentlest entry.
Next up¶
→ GIS Career Preparation — apply, interview, get hired.