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I have no side code projects to show you

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Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#2
I really enjoyed this post. I feel the same way, I do love coding and working on software projects doesn't feel like work to me. I spent my high school years and college years(and I graduated years after I should have from taking two years off after freshmen year) working fast food and grocery stores. I know what work feels like.

However, I don't and won't spend every waking hour I have doing one thing. This life has so much to offer and experience, I do not have a drive to spend 80 hours, nights and weekends like that. However, if the project calls for it every once in a while, fine, it's not a big deal until the company comes to expect that.

Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#3
> I ran 50+ miles a week. I pushed myself to excel. To excel within the boundaries of the time and life-balance I had set for myself.

Part of excelling at your job is learning new stuff - something that I am absolutely certain you do all the time, even if you only do it during work hours. Maybe this week you are starting a new project and need to learn Vue.

Publish those 100 lines of code to GitHub. Just like that you've demonstrated that:

* You are willing to learn new things.

* You know how to use a little Vue.

* You know how to use a little Git.

Make it clear that it's a learning project - call it "Learning Vue," "Learning C#," "Learning Node" etc. When a hiring manager looks at your profile they will see dozens of technologies that you have at least some experience with.

Edit: if they turn around and demand side projects; you would be completely correct to ask about how many office hours they allocate to side projects. Interviews are a two-way process and the more you stick your neck out, the more you get noticed.

Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#5
Meh, I agree in general and believe in work/life balance but you don’t need a huge side project.

Just take a few scripts written already, write a readme, and an hour a year per script tuning them up and adding tests. Maybe a code golf problem or two.

In short, if you can’t find four hours a year to put into your career, maybe you just aren’t interested. I think of it as page two of my resume.

Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#6
Sounds like you weren't a fit for that company asking you for some code. And that might be a blessing in disguise for you. If you are a decent developer in Austin, you probably have lots of opportunities, so no need working for a company with those kind of requirements.

Just know that as a company in Austin, they have lots of employees to choose from probably too and this is their narrowing approach. No biggie, y'all aren't a fit. Just know that this becomes circular, because many of the types of companies that ask for this also allow you to open source some of your work-hour code which helps that visible resume.

Also, if you are in demand and have leverage, consider trying to work at places that encourage making at least some of your work visible to the world. Many other professions benefit from this. If you don't have leverage, I'm afraid you may be stuck in an endless loop of invisible, hard work you leave behind.

Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#8
How would you go about putting a personal side project up on github if you are stuck with an employment contract that says your employer owns all your intellectual output, even that which you produce on your own time? Yes, I realize that stipulation is there for general protection of the employer and not typically intended to be used in a draconian way, however it still leaves the door open for you to get sued into oblivion for posting proprietary code that "belongs to your employer" (even if they've never seen the code before).

Re: I have no side code projects to show you

#9
Getting hired is a game. People that have side projects usually have a leg up in that game. Whether they actually should is debatable. It's probably bad to correlate side projects with better employees. But since this is the game we have to deal with, it can help to have a side project and maybe a blog.
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