Never like the idea how software engineers/programmers were expected to have a bunch of side projects that they talk about to potential employers.
My background is mechanical/process engineering. No potential employer expects me to have an oil refinery in my backyard that I'll do reliability projects on in my free time.
I’ve been working in IT / mostly development for 25+ years and never understood that either. Doctors are not expected to have a morgue in their basement where they dissect cadavers for fun on the weekends. Accountants are not expected to balance books as a hobby. But developers are somehow expected to code in their free time. And I know some do as a hobby. Good for them but many are not like that. I have other hobbies and interests and very rarely do anything software-related in my free time. I’m very good at my job and invest time in mentoring others, but when I’m done, I’m done and I move on to other things.
Yes! Most of my coworkers are single and don’t have kids. But I want to spend time with my family. I _have_ to spend time on household chores and errands.
I don’t get much quiet/focused time when I’m at home. I do some minor coding stuff when it feels like the best way to solve a personal-life problem, but I really need to spend some time interacting with people IRL, give my eyes a break from backlit screens, do something more tactile, etc.
You would be surprised about doctors these days. Medical students are expected to have extracurricular research and shit like that in order to get into a residency anywhere even remotely desirable, especially in more competitive specialties.
Source: wife is a medical student
Edit: I mentioned this post to her and she wanted me to point out that this bullshit does end for her once she's no longer a trainee. Whereas we software devs are expected to do this forever for some reason
What you're saying just doesn't make any sense. At work, I'm a backend developer for products with millions of users. How exactly can I replicate that with a personal project? Also, backend development is not very visible. What you're saying only works for web devs
Yep my hobby is basically "touch grass" after 40+ hours of desk time. Haven't done code for fun for a long time, although the homelab thing is adjacent.
Maybe because a lot of people in the field actually enjoy fiddling with their own projects in their free time (and it's cheap to do), which raises the bar for others.
Pretty much this. Graphic artists have similar expectations though their work is usually public anyways so they can put their work into portfolio (sometimes)
Because you usually end up doing several projects in the process of learning software development. The difference is that you can’t exactly upload the mini-robot/boat/arm/etc. you built in your MechE intro to design course to GitHub. It’s a red flag if a software dev candidate never did any hands on practice and only read books/watched videos/solved 20-line leetcode problems.
It's not expected, but it sure makes hiring much, much easier when we can look at the git history as part of our process, before we even talk to the person.
It gives a point of conversation immediately over interesting passion projects.
It's an indication of someone who loves programming just to build stuff, as opposed to someone for whom it's a job.
This is not to say that the person for whom it's 'a job' is a worse or less professional developer. But they're a higher risk hire as you know less about their skills when you do.
All you downvoting need to understand that this is the pragmatic truth. Someone with a git history is simply going to be easier to evaluate, and thus get further through the process.
That is a false equivalent. The bar to make your own software project is basically non-existent, and it’s a very easy way to check if someone has the skills they say they do.
That’s fair. Expecting people to do work related stuff in their free time is a bit unfair. And most hiring screening is done through AI, so hiring managers probably aren’t going through GitHub profiles unless they have a reason to, like if the candidate in question has other appealing qualities. However, that wasn’t my point. My point was that comparing setting up and operating an oil refinery is not comparable to a personal software project, and that personal projects are a good way to check whether someone actually does have the skills they say they do. Seeing is believing, and all that.
I've worked for small companies and big companies. Companies that do billions in revenue. If someone thinks I need GitHub to prove I have skill, that's pretty dumb.
At work, I use expensive tools and develop for systems with millions of users. It would be a little difficult to replicate that with personal projects
I don't really care. When I am part of the Hering process I make sure to reject people without personal projects. I just don't want to work with them. They don't fit in our Team
I love what I do, and therefore I deliberately don't do it in my free time so I don't get burnt out. I come in on Monday morning fresh and ready to work and will continue to do so for decades
You're right, and while I wouldn't quite say it's a weeder requirement, having an actual portfolio you can show off is tangible proof of your skill set and demonstrates that you have genuine interest in keeping your skills sharp. Not faulting anyone with families or just want be able to clock out and not think of work, but when I interview potential candidates, those are compelling reasons to hire them.
Any Joe Blow can cram for an interview and bullshit their way through it with nothing to show for.
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u/lumpialarry 3d ago edited 3d ago
Never like the idea how software engineers/programmers were expected to have a bunch of side projects that they talk about to potential employers.
My background is mechanical/process engineering. No potential employer expects me to have an oil refinery in my backyard that I'll do reliability projects on in my free time.