I decided to answer the question, "What kinds of projects do I want to work on?" I am slowly building a small suite of applications around the answer. In my case, I prefer backend, systems and "thick client" application development using C++ and/or python. I have an interest in moving into finance, so I'm focusing on two projects related to that. I have no idea if/whether it will work.

Regardless, it's pretty clear to me from the numerous times this sort of topic comes up around here and my own experience that the real important question isn't "what kind of portfolio do I need?" so much as "who do I know?". Short of being far less introverted/shy than I am and thus attending meetups, cold calling, or the like, I'm not sure how to overcome that.

I got my first and only gig from the French equivalent of these sites. The time you spend looking for contracts, the time not billed, is what kills you. I was looking for a long term thing, and I was lucky to find a client who shared my point of view.

My client was smart to ask for exclusivity to be removed a year from then. A year later I transitioned to them, getting a 16.66% increase (which is just under the full commission I think).

Anyway, a dev portfolio can be an extended CV where you describe in details what you did on your previous assignments, the technologies you used. This is what I was asked for by the various HR shops that were trying to place me. No github account needed.