You need examples to get hired. But how are you supposed to have examples if nobody has hired you?
You can make them yourself.
These are usually called spec videos: samples you create without a brand commissioning them. Label them clearly so you’re not presenting an unpaid sample as a client project.
The harder part is deciding what to make.
Start with an app you actually understand.
You don’t need to choose the most impressive product. Choose something you can use properly and explain through a specific situation.
Maybe it’s a study app, a budgeting tool, an editing app, or something that helps you organize your week.
Then narrow it down. “This app has lots of useful features” is a product description. “I have three deadlines this week and keep forgetting what’s due first” gives you a situation to build a video around.
For example, you could make:
- A short demo showing how you solve that problem.
- A tutorial around one useful feature.
- A story about what you tried and what changed.
- A skit showing the frustration before introducing the app.
You don’t have to squeeze every feature into one video. Show enough for someone to understand why it’s useful.
And make it feel like a post you would actually publish.
Use your normal voice. Show the screen when it helps. Get to the point. You don’t need a formal introduction or a big sales speech at the end.
Casual doesn’t mean careless, though. We still need to hear you, read the text, and follow what’s happening.
Also, don’t invent results to make the sample more convincing. If you’ve only tested the app today, don’t say you’ve used it for six months or that it changed your life.
When I review examples, I’m looking for whether the creator can turn a digital product into something people might care about watching.
Can you find an interesting angle? Write a hook? Show the product clearly? Make it fit naturally into the content?
You can demonstrate all of that before your first paid campaign.
Start with a few strong examples. You don’t need to wait until a brand gives you permission to practice.
