Build your portfolio while learning, not after. Early (months 1–3): tutorial projects with a meaningful twist. Intermediate (months 3–6): solve a real problem in your life or a domain you know. Advanced (6+ months): build something ambitious you’re uncertain you can finish. Document each project: what you built, why, decisions made, problems encountered, what you’d change. Host on GitHub, a personal website, LinkedIn Featured section, and domain-specific platforms (Behance, Kaggle, CodePen). Start today. Don’t wait to feel ready.