My GitHub profile wasn’t very polished when I was applying for jobs. It was mostly just descriptions of the projects on my resume, and discussing them during the interview. Reaching out to recruiters at the company after applying, or (even better) connections that work there (even if you haven’t spoken in a while) will also boost your chances of getting an interview.
Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
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Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#22My GitHub profile wasn’t very polished when I was applying for jobs. It was mostly just descriptions of the projects on my resume, and discussing them during the interview. Reaching out to recruiters at the company after applying, or (even better) connections that work there (even if you haven’t spoken in a while) will also boost your chances of getting an interview.
Reaching out to recruiters or people you've worked with in the past is a much higher yield job searching activity than cold applications.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#23Thanks for all the comments so far everyone! I’m quickly getting the impression that I need to work on my resume. Also, I have never used a recruiter. I apply directly to the jobs through their website. Perhaps I need to rethink this approach as well. Again, thanks for the responses! Also I might have to bite the bullet and create a LinkedIn.
Creating a linkedIn account is also a great opportunity to reach out to previous colleagues and acquaintances, which allows you to ask if they know anyone who would be in the market for your skills.
"Hi , I enjoyed working with you at , and am finally getting on linkedin, so let's connect."
And then if they actually respond to the message, tell them that you're looking for opportunities building XYZ or in a role doing ABC. It sounds like you've had a good career so far, and you probably have dozens or hundreds of people you've worked with over the years who may know somebody who would love to employ you.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#24GitHub is irrelevant.
> spent over a decade with one company. However, by choice I have zero online presence. No LinkedIn
On the other hand, a good LinkedIn and resume is absolutely necessary.
With a polished LinkedIn and your YoE you would be getting pinged by recruiters constantly.
While most opportunities will suck, some good ones will come your way too.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#25"Having a github is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a personal blog is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a LinkedIn profile is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a portfolio website is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a degree from anything but a top 10 university is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Posting on is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Going to network meetups is worthl…
You have five master's degrees? I'm not sure if most people (or anyone) can really use what works for you and make it work for them, if that's really the case.
FWIW, I found your comment very unhelpful. It sounds more like you want to brag about who you think you are.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
> you created a non-trivial project from scratch I think a lot of people overestimate the amount of effort it takes to create a moderately successful, useful project. Like, make a plugin for something. Demonstrate that you can solve a real problem competently. If you have any kind of outside interests, you probably have an itch that can be scratched this way.
I think you might be over-estimating the ability of many software engineers to write a whole project - any whole project - from scratch. I mean, you're not wrong - it's not that hard - but it's also amazing how many people in our profession aren't particularly good at doing more than make small modifications in some giant monorepo at work. And like, if you don't have the drive or desire to outside of work, that's fin…
And the irony is that those people will only automatically get bonus points for being an "engineer" of a large, well-known company while a solo developer creating an impressive project can be viewed as an amateur and likewise people working in startup jobs that have more technical ownership will have less of a resume.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#27"Having a github is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a personal blog is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a LinkedIn profile is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a portfolio website is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Having a degree from anything but a top 10 university is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Posting on is worthless!" For some, not for me. "Going to network meetups is worthl…
You have five master's degrees? I'm not sure if most people (or anyone) can really use what works for you and make it work for them, if that's really the case. FWIW, I found your comment very unhelpful. It sounds more like you want to brag about who you think you are.
It's simply small amounts of marketing, continuously applied. Why would that be unhelpful? What in any of my statement was "bragging?" The only people who care about any education I ever got was someone in HR who needs to check a box. I get hired for the stuff I have built and can build, not what I learned in a classroom two decades ago that I have most assuredly forgotten by now. I built a couple of small side projects, I put them on github, I took photos, I showed the project to people on LinkedIn, I got hired. That's what works, for me. If anything, I'd say getting a formal education beyond high school is probably the most worthless thing I've ever done in my life to advance my career.
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
You have five master's degrees? I'm not sure if most people (or anyone) can really use what works for you and make it work for them, if that's really the case. FWIW, I found your comment very unhelpful. It sounds more like you want to brag about who you think you are.
It's simply small amounts of marketing, continuously applied. Why would that be unhelpful? What in any of my statement was "bragging?" The only people who care about any education I ever got was someone in HR who needs to check a box. I get hired for the stuff I have built and can build, not what I learned in a classroom two decades ago that I have most assuredly forgotten by now. I built a couple of small side proje…
Clearly you have a formula that works. But I was merely commenting that I wish your comment was more helpful, because you clearly have wisdom to share.
Between the two comments of yours that I’ve replied to, you used the first-person “I/me/mine” 39 times. Take that for what you will.
If you were to go back in time to a younger version of yourself, what advice might you have offered about life?
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#29Earlier quoted context omitted.
You have five master's degrees? I'm not sure if most people (or anyone) can really use what works for you and make it work for them, if that's really the case. FWIW, I found your comment very unhelpful. It sounds more like you want to brag about who you think you are.
It's simply small amounts of marketing, continuously applied. Why would that be unhelpful? What in any of my statement was "bragging?" The only people who care about any education I ever got was someone in HR who needs to check a box. I get hired for the stuff I have built and can build, not what I learned in a classroom two decades ago that I have most assuredly forgotten by now. I built a couple of small side proje…
> If anything, I'd say getting a formal education beyond high school is probably the most worthless thing I've ever done in my life to advance my career.
Thus, it begs the question - why did you pursue 5 master’s degrees? Was anything you learned worthwhile to your life? If not, why did you pursue them?
Re: Ask HN: How important is a public GitHub repo for job applications in 2024?
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's simply small amounts of marketing, continuously applied. Why would that be unhelpful? What in any of my statement was "bragging?" The only people who care about any education I ever got was someone in HR who needs to check a box. I get hired for the stuff I have built and can build, not what I learned in a classroom two decades ago that I have most assuredly forgotten by now. I built a couple of small side proje…
Clearly you have a formula that works. But I was merely commenting that I wish your comment was more helpful, because you clearly have wisdom to share. Between the two comments of yours that I’ve replied to, you used the first-person “I/me/mine” 39 times. Take that for what you will. If you were to go back in time to a younger version of yourself, what advice might you have offered about life?
Sounds like you have a chip on your shoulder about something.
Why education? Because I was told by teachers I would never amount to anything and I dropped out of school.
I wouldn't say anything to my younger self. I'd just kick my younger self's ass for wasting time and opportunity and listening to adults.
There you go, you can add a few more I/me/mine's to your total count.