To become a software developer, no official qualification is compulsory, because, in the industry, there are better ways to vet between an average developer and a world-class developer.
Many developers have tech unrelated backgrounds, which makes the industry very diversified, so what recruiters and team leaders are most concerned about is what an individual can create by working alone, and within a team, which is why recruiters and team leaders are more interested in knowing about these experiences.

Whenever an opportunity for a developer role appears, one of the most important things that’ll give you an edge over other applicants will be a portfolio containing projects you’ve created yourself, as well as others you’ve collaborated on.
Of course, the world has gone digital, so you’re not expected to hold an actual folder that contains a list of these projects, but a digital folder preferably on the web, so all potential clients can easily conclude you’re just the right individual for their opening.

Below are a few tips on how to get started in building your professional portfolio.

1. Create Projects.

Your portfolio contains projects you’ve created, so you need to get at it!

Begin working on projects that highlight the skills you want interested recruiters and potential clients to notice. Creating these projects doesn’t just prove you can code, but they note that you are a devoted individual!

Try working on your first project, and you’ll understand that sometimes amidst all the fun, coding gets tiring, especially if you’re trying to get something to work, and it just isn’t.

2. Collaborate with others

When the momentum kicks in, you’ll be fired up to work on new projects, after you’ve successfully created one, but as much fun as you’ll get in creating new tools and projects, working with others is far more rewarding (if you find the right people to work with).
Collaborating with others allows you to experience a different kind of workflow in the development process, as well as execution. Collaborating with others also shows you can work effectively in a team, as this is also one skill recruiters are always on the lookout for.

3. Host your projects online

Once you’ve got a handful of finished projects, you should go ahead and put it online for easy reference to it.
Some decide to build a unique website for themselves where they host and display all their work, but as a beginner, this might not be entirely necessary, especially if you’re working on a budget.
I'd recommend starting with a Github account, or a Codepen.io profile, as these platforms allow you to host your projects from code to design for free.

4. Create a personality

Writing quality code is awesome, but you also want people (potential clients and recruiters) to feel your energy i.e. a persona of what it is you are, and what you care about.
A personally customized webpage will be ideal for this, as you use it to effectively tell your story as a world-class developer. Although it’s a fair expense, it’s will bring you huge returns, because everyone who visits your personalized webpage will get to feel what you are like, and it makes you look like a real pro (even if you’re still a “beginner”), but it's not a necessary step especially if you’re a beginner.

5. Get feedback

While you can go through most of the process of building a portfolio with just the right amount of effort, you still need to get the feedback of other experienced developers or recruiters (if you’re lucky to personally know any), since they’ll be able to easily spot areas you need to improve on in your portfolio, before you send your portfolio out to potential clients and recruiters. A really good place to get feedback is from the tech communities you belong to. Find some here.

Conclusion

A portfolio is an easy way to not just convince hiring managers or companies about your skills because it shows not only your dedication to work, but also counts as pseudo-experience.
It also helps you see the progress you've made over time as a developer. And of course, not all your projects will be original ideas but you can for sure bring in your ideas into an existing one and make it yours.

It takes time to put together a really good portfolio, so be patient with yourself while staying dedicated to learning how to be world-class.