What projects to add to the portfolio of a UX / UI designer if there is no experience?

Question

Portfolio

I have been studying design for about half a year and now I want to make a portfolio for a job search. No experience with real projects. Working on a portfolio will take time, I would not want to spend it on something that turns out to be of no interest to anyone.
Please advise how to choose the right project (even if not a real one) to get a job? I had the idea to ask for a test task, but many write that this is a bad way.

Answer 1

Read the book "The Art of Elephant Washing" and then open any catalog of applications, browse the most popular ones in the categories you are interested in, and think about what can be improved there.

Answer 2

In any case, they will give you a test, whatever one may say. But in order not to fly with an empty portfolio and get at least an interview, it would be nice to extend 3 pieces of worthwhile work there.
Of course the ideal - when the work is real. If there are none, then take something known and try to research and redraw. I do not recommend taking very large projects, because. you are unlikely to be aware of their entire kitchen and understand why such a UX was implemented, but for the guys who will interview it will be obvious.
Try not to do taste and not chase trends. Try to reflect in your portfolio why you redid it, how you came to this decision. And for ui - make it simple and clean.
In general, it all depends on the company in which you want to get a job. Here, too, it would not be bad to understand your strengths.

Answer 3

If you want to make a portfolio with an emphasis on UX, rather than visualization, then it’s better to draw up cases in the keystay format. and asserted the interface. Such a story is called a Case Study and it is good if each of your projects is designed in this format.