Some day I’ll leave my job at Lifehacker (fired for being too good), and as I apply for a new gig, I will need to assemble a portfolio and update my résumé. It won’t take long, because I’ve collected my best work as it came out. And whether or not your work is public, you should do the same. You’ll have a stronger portfolio with less grunt work.
When you're putting together a portfolio for a potential job, you want to highlight your best work. You might feel like that's your personal projects, but don't neglect your professional work.
If you're a freelancer, or just self-employed, you may be tempted to only use client-requested projects in your portfolio. After all, that's work you were paid to do. However, personal projects reflect your own passions and work sensibilities, and may showcase your skills better to potential clients.
