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Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

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Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#41

Post by mindcrime »

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Here's a piece of advice from actual experience (from both sides): Invest your time studying for interviews than wasting time building side projects if you're doing this purely for getting a job, period. In my experience, companies don't care about your little side project when hiring--that is, unless your "little side project" had some huge impact or is something they have been aware of--the best you could get is "h…

This whole process of job interview is broken because it's extremely easy to study for them and give the right answers if you invest a couple of weeks to a few months.

This is highly dependent on the company you're applying to. The world is bigger than GooBookHooSoft. I've worked for a lot of companies that don't do any of that "grill you on Algorithms 101" stuff, and are far more interested in a demonstrated ability to build something.

OTOH, it certainly can't hurt to study the shit out of Algorithms 101, but projects will carry more weight at certain companies. I know if I were in a position to hire right now, I'd care more about projects than CS trivia.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#42

Post by bourbondd »

Interesting to see many comments here claiming that side projects don't matter when looking for a job. I've been actively applying for a full-time dev position for the past 3 months and the most common feedback I receive is "We need to see side projects, OSS contributions so we know how you code."

I have about 4+ years in DevOps and in support. I consider myself a programming generalist, which I thought would be enough to at least get a technical interview. Instead of working on a project that will most likely be left incomplete due to fatigue or loss of interest, I rather spend that time learning ways to improve my skills to make myself the best programmer I possibly can be.

I've been considering starting my own blog and write articles about lessons learned or an e-book to express my credibility. Does anyone have any opinions with developers who write blogs/publications in lieu of side projects or OSS contributions?

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#44

Post by mindcrime »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #27
jamesmp98 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what do you do if you lack a degree and professional experience?

It probably varies from place to place but in the Bay Area at least you pretty much have to get a degree of some sort. There are so many programmers out there that the degree/no-degree has become an easy filter for recruiting types and no-degree + no experience (which means no one to talk to about how you work and what it is like to work with you) makes it doubly difficult. That said, it doesn't have to be a degree f…

Silicon Valley used to be famous for the exact opposite: the story was always that formal credentials were less important than demonstrated competence. Have things really changed that much?

Anyway, at least here on the East Coast, I find that many (most?) companies don't have a strict requirement regarding a degree. At least, not if you have real world experience. Maybe it's more crucial if you're going for your first job.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#45

Post by Blahah »

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Here's a piece of advice from actual experience (from both sides): Invest your time studying for interviews than wasting time building side projects if you're doing this purely for getting a job, period. In my experience, companies don't care about your little side project when hiring--that is, unless your "little side project" had some huge impact or is something they have been aware of--the best you could get is "h…

It depends what OP means by "getting jobs". To me it means getting work from clients. For getting clients side projects can be extremely useful, and there are no interviews.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#46

Post by rolodato »

Find a company that works with open source projects, and contribute to them on your own time. Bonus points if you actually use them for your own projects so you are able to provide real-world use cases and feedback to them.

This especially helps if the company is a startup, in which case they most likely are understaffed to keep everything up to date and bug-free. They will also be more likely to respond to your feedback in an actionable way besides a "thank you" from a maintainer.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#47

Post by wslh »

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Here's a piece of advice from actual experience (from both sides): Invest your time studying for interviews than wasting time building side projects if you're doing this purely for getting a job, period. In my experience, companies don't care about your little side project when hiring--that is, unless your "little side project" had some huge impact or is something they have been aware of--the best you could get is "h…

If I see one of your side projects is inline with what we are currently working in my company I would hire you immediately. Obviously we will do some checks on the code quality but nothing extreme. I always hired people based on previous experience and never ever gave them a puzzle to solve.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#48

Post by philipodonnell »

Side projects can be amazing for building skillsets in areas that aren't a direct part of your current role but will be in a desired next role. 95% of domain knowledge for non-engineering interview purposes is lingo and plausible applications from your past.

Anecdote warning: Some years ago (pre big data) I wanted to move into analytics from more general strategy consulting because I found it more intellectually challenging, but didn't have much on my resume to support it. I started building database-backed sportsbetting algorithms (first horses, then hockey) and trying to find profitable strategies. I never did find one, but a year later when I found myself a part of the inevitable downsizing that happens in the industry and applied for analytics jobs, the statistics, probability and analytics strategies I learned betting on sports definitely got me the job.

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#49

Post by jamesmp98 »

mindcrime wrote: post #44
ChuckMcM wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It probably varies from place to place but in the Bay Area at least you pretty much have to get a degree of some sort. There are so many programmers out there that the degree/no-degree has become an easy filter for recruiting types and no-degree + no experience (which means no one to talk to about how you work and what it is like to work with you) makes it doubly difficult. That said, it doesn't have to be a degree f…

Silicon Valley used to be famous for the exact opposite: the story was always that formal credentials were less important than demonstrated competence. Have things really changed that much? Anyway, at least here on the East Coast, I find that many (most?) companies don't have a strict requirement regarding a degree. At least, not if you have real world experience. Maybe it's more crucial if you're going for your firs…

Where are you on the east coast?

Re: Ask HN: What sort of side-projects are useful for getting jobs?

#50

Post by shireboy »

cocktailpeanuts wrote: post #10

Here's a piece of advice from actual experience (from both sides): Invest your time studying for interviews than wasting time building side projects if you're doing this purely for getting a job, period. In my experience, companies don't care about your little side project when hiring--that is, unless your "little side project" had some huge impact or is something they have been aware of--the best you could get is "h…

As someone who hires for software development, I have to only partly agree here. No, your little dogfood calculator is not going to make me hire you, but given equal resumes and presentation, I'd hire the candidate who also shows some self-initiative and actual code vs the candidate who is all on paper, only uses the limited 8 year old stack of their previous employer, or worse openly admits they have no actual experience.

So, to OP, definitely don't over-do it on the side projects, but do be sure your potential employees know you enjoy what you do and are self-taught and self-motivated.

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