What's in the portfolio that helped me land a full-time UX writing job

Creating a portfolio has to be one of the most energy-consuming tasks for UX writers on the job hunt, especially for the perfectionists among us.

It's not just about selecting the right number of projects, outlining your process step by step, creating a narrative with copy and visuals, and explaining how you contributed to the outcome. That's daunting enough in itself.

Every project needs to show why you're the right fit for the job. Then, the portfolio as a whole should paint the picture of who you are as a UX writer. That's no easy feat. And you have about a minute to catch the hiring manager's attention.

In this post, I'll share what's in the portfolio I created to tell my own story as an up-and-coming UX writer. I'll link each project I included, so you can see for yourself.

This work earned me recognition from recruiters and colleagues alike, and it eventually helped me land a full-time, in-house position.

My goal for the portfolio

The idea on what I wanted to achieve with this portfolio came to me a few years ago, while spending a few days in beautiful Urbino, Italy.

(Did you need to know this? Well, no, but here you go. I mean, just look at one picture of the town and you'll understand.)

At that point, I’d worked for years in translation and localization, content writing and customer service. As I looked back, I realized my UX mindset had been there all along.

I decided to tie it all in and picked 6 projects – 3 personal and 3 for clients – that would demonstrate that connection.

I also wanted to show how versatile I could be: across different sectors, from user interfaces and website copy through to email sequences and SMS, I can focus on the details while never losing sight of the bigger picture.

Microcopy

Ok, the first one may be the most obvious.

This is a challenge UX writers know all too well: you need to convey a lot in a limited character count.

Apply everything you've learned in content design: be concise, clear, helpful and empathetic. Be aware of your users' expectations and mental models. Guide them to the next step in a way that is ethical and coherent with the rest of the product. Polish the message until you reach the best possible compromise. This is our bread and butter.

Here, I worked on 2 scenarios that required time-sensitive, mindful communication. To make this exercise more interesting, I:

1. produced a first iteration on the copy;
2. critiqued it and gathered my mentor's thoughts;
3. wrote a second, improved iteration based on the feedback.

Delivering bad news with better microcopy

I wrote microcopy to deliver bad news to app users. The two scenarios I worked on were a canceled flight and a late delivery. Here’s how I created and then improved the copy.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

Digital product content

Our copy, though, doesn't exist in a vacuum, in isolated strings and individual Figma screens.

Microcopy matters, but let's zoom out to the bigger picture. What recruiters want to understand is if you can look beyond the words and contribute to the end-to-end experience.

In this intense and rewarding assignment, I worked with brand, operations and UX people to overhaul a social commerce app, rewriting existing features and developing new ones. I was involved in the design process from the start and produced lots of deliverables for both business and consumer audiences, in my second language.

I'm quite proud of this one. You can read more here:

Creating a body of product content for a Shopify app

A Shopify app that rewards shoppers with cashback when they buy with friends and family was looking to build brand awareness before their relaunch. Here’s how I helped them move forward.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

Content guidelines

In a way, the next project complements the previous one.

Alright, I can join a well-oiled team and help them move towards version 2.0. But what can a UX writer do to support the launch of a new product?

Turns out, a lot! You have a unique opportunity to:

• research the competition
• analyze user goals, tasks and needs
• define the brand's personality

All this information will help the marketing department understand how to position the product on the market. And it will serve as the foundation for the experience you and your team will design.

In this case, I chose an ecosystem I'm particularly interested in: the creator economy. I created a customer journey map, a website content audit and a set of tone-of-voice and editorial guidelines with plenty of copy examples (the dos and don'ts that will help the whole content team stay consistent over time).

Supporting an MVP launch with content

I was challenged to design a set of content guidelines to support the launch of a fictional digital product of my choice. Here’s how I went about it.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

Usability testing

As a UX writer who owns the end-to-end process, your work isn’t done when you validate your copy and hand off the designs.

You'll want to run regular tests with front-end developers and QA engineers to keep control over the final result.

And if the organization allows, you might get the chance to test the product with real users as well.

Here, I identified a drop in website visits on a well-known fitness nutrition e-commerce and involved actual users to investigate potential issues with a usability testing session.

I focused on content structure and localization for the Italian-speaking audience, among other aspects. My final report includes recommendations on what works well and what needs improvement.

Optimizing a localized website with usability testing

I conducted a usability test on foodspring, an international wellness and fitness brand. In particular, I involved 3 users to test the desktop version of their localized Italian website. Here’s the process I adopted and what I found.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

Translation and terminology

Did anybody say localization?

I've loved localization from the start. I studied languages in high school and went on to graduate with a master's in translation.

Naturally, I had to include a related project in my portfolio.

Here I break down the whole process:

• researching reputable sources in the food safety industry;
• choosing the right language for the right audience;
• addressing the actual challenges, such as terminology, cultural references, syntax and text structure;
• have the translations professionally reviewed (ah, yes, all this was into my second language!)

Each step is meant to further my client's goal: do business with their corporate partners abroad. These translations help consolidate my client's reach in a new market, and that's where I see the connection with UX.

This isn't something I've seen in other portfolios, so I'm happy to have it featured in mine.

Helping food safety experts communicate across languages

An Italian foodservice company needed to translate a set of 7 food safety regulations for their corporate partners in the UK. Here’s how I helped them achieve their goal.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

Customer service

Last but not least, a project that bridges customer service and design.

When you work in the service industry, each interaction with a customer essentially contributes to their overall experience.

With time, you learn things like which words they use, how they want to be talked to and which tone will alienate them.

Once you have this data, you can use it to create an experience that feels personal and is actually helpful to them.

Within my team at a Fortune 500 company, I co-designed an improved complaint management flow. I collected both employee and customer pain points, collaborated with different stakeholders to map the journey and implemented a closer feedback loop.

Improving complaint management within a customer service team

The customer service team I was part of struggled with customer complaint management. The process was slow and both employees and customers would get frustrated. Here’s how a colleague and I stepped in.

Elisa TrippettiElisa Trippetti

... And beyond

Some time has passed since I created this portfolio for my job search. I was a junior then, and I'm a mid-level UX writer now (yay).

Even though I'm not actively looking for a new position, keeping your work up to date is a good idea. You never know when it might come in handy (a side hustle, for example).

If I had to create a new portfolio now, I'd probably make different choices. I'd add more recent assignments that better reflect the skills I've developed. I’d have a wider range of projects to choose from when sharing them in conversations with colleagues and recruiters.

I'd also focus more on impact and results, clearly linking my work to the final outcome. This is something you might struggle with early in your career, but it should become easier as you gain experience, and it's definitely an area worth developing to stand out from the crowd.

Now, over to you. What's in your portfolio? What would you include if you had to start over?

Happy writing 😊

Read more from me:

Elisa Trippetti

I’m Elisa, a content designer from Italy with experience in customer service and localization. This is where I navigate and document my work life in UX and writing.

Elisa Trippetti