When I began my career as a freelance writer and content provider, I was at a loss for how to promote myself and my new business. I knew that I needed to show samples of my work, but hey, I was just starting out. How could I show work I'd done when I hadn't gotten any actual jobs yet? I knew how to write and had been blogging and creating web content on my own for a few years, but I felt I needed to show samples of paying work if I wanted to be taken seriously.

The advice I'd give to anyone beginning in this business is something I learned along the way and it has helped me tremendously. First, hire yourself! Yep, that's right. Treat yourself as both client and provider. Create a job, complete with requirements, delivery date and specifications. If you treat the work as a paying job, you'll find that you are far more motivated to deliver something you'd be proud of, than if you just set out to write a sample piece. You will also discover how you work under a deadline, albeit self-imposed.

After completing the job, look at the work and write yourself a review. Keep in mind; you are both the provider and the client. Put on your client hat and jot down a quick and "objective" evaluation of the article. This can also be used in your portfolio, so long as you don't attribute it to any fictitious person.

Now that you've finished your first gig, do it again. On the next one, try to come up with a different theme and set of requirements. Give the project a set of keywords to use and try fitting those into the work as naturally as you can. Keep expanding and challenging your skills with these new tasks.

Continue with these assignments until you've built a decent repertoire of writing samples to show off. Before you know it, you'll have what appears to be a successfully completed set of assignments -- and it will be. There's no need for any prospective client to suppose or to question whether these are anything but well-written samples of work completed to meet a client's need. You will have built up valuable experience at the same time you were creating your portfolio to show. Next step, promoting your talents and finding work that pays. Best of luck to you!