Intro
Lemme just start by saying that this is a rant. So take everything I say with that in mind.
I’m going to address the, often unmentioned, disconnect between what passion/pet projects in software are actually like and what the projects employers and recruiters expect us to have.
Why are Projects Good for You?
As a developer, it’s important that you always practice your coding skills in real projects, not just exercises and puzzles. Programming is inherently all about creatively solving problems, so it’s not hard to see why most personal projects arise from a need in your life to be addressed.
The type of problems that inspire projects are often specific to some aspect of your life, so your solution’s likely to be custom to your needs. However, as you work on a project and identify it’s shortcomings AND its potential you’ll begin to expand its scope, this is considered scopecreep in some contexts but not always.
Projects can lead you to learning new tools and skills, introduce new communities, hobbies, and interests. Sometimes, these happy coincidences lead to life-changing outcomes, as you never know what skill will come in handy for you in the future.
So, I’m all for projects and wish I can have 10 at a time, and finish all of them with lifetime support. But, sadly that’s not possible, so I try to pour real time and attention into whatever I’m currently working on.
The Problem
There’s this idea or notion that drifts around, that the devs worth interviewing and hiring are the ones that have built big, scalable, multi-framework, microservice, SaaS, B2B, AI/ML, BaaS, PaaS, with 10000 users, bringing in $100M a year, in their spare time. Everyone else is not even worth a rejection email…🙄
It’s further exacerbated by influencers in the computerscience and softwaredevelopment sphere that are constantly making short-form content for project ideas that will make aspiring devs “stand out”, without actually understanding the sheer time and energy commitment required during a time when most are barely getting by…
Additionally, if I as a passionate programmer, in my spare time, have made something special that and brings me joy and experience with an active user base, do you honestly expect me to dedicate my time applying to every of Full Stack role for a React GPT-wrapper paying a measly 60k/yr?? No. I’d be going all in on my own project.
The reality is that most personal projects, are small in scale, they should always start razor focused, be fun and interesting to You, avoid scope-creep, and ultimately solve a real problem! If they grow and find new audiences, then that’s a blessing and testament to your creativity.
Outro
This doc’s more of a frustration rant, than a useful analysis of the state of things and where projects fit. My survey of my peers (the dozen or so people I’ve talked to lol) expressed feeling similarly… These are stressful times, but I’m sure we’ll make the best of what we have.
Keep building things that interest you, my friends.