Five Portfolio Ideas for Post-Editors (Even Without Big Projects)

Building a portfolio can feel tricky for MT post-editors, especially if most of your work is behind NDAs or you haven’t landed large-scale projects yet. But don’t worry—you can still create an effective, impressive portfolio that demonstrates your skills, even without a long client list.

Here are five creative and professional ways to build a portfolio that helps you stand out.

1. Before-and-After MT Samples

Take a short segment of raw machine translation output (from publicly available content—e.g., Wikipedia) and show your edited version beside it.

Why it works:

  • Clearly demonstrates your editing decisions
  • Shows your ability to improve fluency, tone, and accuracy

Tips:

  • Keep samples short (200–300 words)
  • Focus on segments that show meaningful improvements
  • Add brief notes on what was changed and why

2. Annotated Editing Samples

Go one step further by marking up the MT output with comments explaining your changes. This can be done in Word using “Track Changes” or as side-by-side screenshots with callouts.

Why it works:

  • Shows your critical thinking
  • Gives insight into your decision-making process
  • Highlights your understanding of post-editing quality levels

Bonus:

Create two versions of the same sample: light post-editing and full post-editing.

3. Style Guide or Glossary You Created

Include a short excerpt of a custom style guide or terminology list you’ve developed or adapted.

Why it works:

  • Shows your attention to consistency and detail
  • Demonstrates experience with quality assurance practices
  • Adds value to your profile beyond editing alone

You can include a downloadable PDF or a well-designed image preview.

4. Self-Initiated Project Showcase

Choose a topic you’re passionate about, feed related text into an MT engine, and post-edit the results as if it were a real job.

Why it works:

  • Shows initiative and versatility
  • Gives you full control over the content and layout
  • Allows you to target specific industries (e.g., travel, medical, tech)

Example:

“MT post-editing sample based on a tourism blog article, using DeepL output. Full post-editing applied for tone and style.”

5. Testimonials or Feedback (Even From Test Projects)

If you’ve done unpaid tests or pilot projects for agencies, reach out and ask for a sentence or two of feedback.

Why it works:

  • Builds social proof and credibility
  • Gives potential clients peace of mind

If you don’t have formal testimonials yet, consider adding a short “About Me” section with a quote that reflects your values or approach (e.g., “Fast, accurate, and always eager to learn.”).

Where to display your portfolio

There are a few ways you can display your portfolio online.
The best solution for promotion is to have a personal website (more on this in a future article).
Otherwise, there are websites specifically created to display portfolios, like Portfoliobox or Journoportfolio.
Finally, if you have a Google account, a free option you might consider is Google Sites, which is part of Google Workspace core apps with the option of having your own (paid) domain.

Conclusion

A portfolio doesn’t have to be packed with big-name clients to be impactful. By showcasing your skills, process, and professionalism, you can demonstrate your value as an MT post-editor. Start small, be creative, and update it regularly as you gain experience. Your portfolio is your voice when you’re not in the room—make it count!

Disclaimer: mtpedirectory.com is not affiliated with any company whose products it might suggest.

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