Software Portfolio

Thu Dec 1 09:56:00 MST 2022

Hi Stephen,

That is what I had strongly suspected -- especially if you don't have much
experience or you didn't just graduate from a top program.  I think I'm
getting to the point where I can do more than just little training and test
exercises, so it's time to devote some effort to some demonstrable product,
even if I were to get an entry level position in the field which satisfied
me for a while.  (It looks like I might get something soon as a Python web
developer ... which would be a step up from writing automated UI tests in
VBScript.)

Trent

On Thu, Dec 1, 2022 at 9:47 AM Stephen Partington via PLUG-discuss <
plug-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org> wrote:

> I will be brutally honest. When I review what someone has done the resume
> is less impressive than the work done when it comes to software.
>
> Anything you can opensource and share with the public do so. make a
> website that is based on the same domain as the same email you submit
> resume's on. link any working demos you may have. link your projects via
> git so they can look at what you make.
>
> Keep a project journal someplace and make that available.
>
> You can be the best dev in the world. but unless you can show off what you
> do nobody will have an idea.
>
> Resume's are for headhunters mostly. they look for buzzwords and
> consistent work. as well as references.
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Nov 30, 2022 at 3:53 PM Joseph Sinclair via PLUG-discuss <
> plug-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org> wrote:
>
>> Some thoughts that may help (in addition to the good advice from Keith,
>> Steve, and David).
>> 1. Working on some open source software in Github is a good place to
>> build a "here is what I have done" portfolio.  Github has pretty good
>> public analytics showing all your public commits and pull requests, as well
>> as issues, reviews, etc... I've used github history to understand
>> engineering skill, practice, and approach for both candidates and coworkers.
>> 2. What to work on depends a lot on what you find interesting.  If you
>> want to work on Java or other JVM languages (e.g. Scala), I can probably
>> make some suggestions (ping me off-list for detail) for open source
>> projects to work on; if you can be patient I might be able to provide some
>> *light* guidance on some of those.
>> 3. The extreme majority of companies are terrible at interviewing.  It's
>> not entirely you that's bad at interviews; the company is probably about as
>> competent interviewing software engineers as the average garden slug.
>> 4. You can try an approach I've seen some people have good results with.
>> A number of companies have started using things like HackerRank to
>> (foolishly in my opinion) "test" potential hires.  It's relatively simple
>> to work through the "challenges" and "tutorials" on that site if you have
>> time.  Completing the majority of those both makes it simple to pass these
>> "test" interviews (whether you know how to design software or not), and can
>> also produce a large visibility boost if you want to find work with one of
>> the companies that use the service for hiring.
>>
>> Side note (OT and rant, skip if not interested in curmudgeonly rants).
>> Using canned "code challenges" as a pass-fail "test" is about the
>> stupidest way to vet software professionals ever.  High quality engineers
>> are not faster programmers (and make no mistake, HackerRank is mostly based
>> on "get the 'correct' solution fast").  High quality engineers produce
>> designs that meet requirements better, are more secure, perform better, are
>> more reliable, and/or cost less to maintain and operate.  The fact is that
>> people interviewing engineers don't know how to evaluate engineering skill
>> so they fall back to "objective" tests, and end up filtering *out* the very
>> people they want.
>> I want to be clear, asking a coding problem isn't bad; provided the goal
>> is to listen and observe problem solving, however, not get a "right"
>> answer.  Most people I interview never complete my coding problems; but I
>> learn a lot about how they approach problem solving in the process.
>> What's the alternative, though?  I advocate dropping the "interrogation"
>> style interview entirely.  If you have to dig and manipulate to get truth
>> from the interviewee, then you should not hire them at all; they cannot be
>> trusted.  Focus on a clear, honest, open, adult conversation and mutual
>> learning instead.  Ask questions about what the candidate can do, wants to
>> do, interests, and expectations.  Learn, both directions, if and how the
>> candidate may meet the needs of the business, and if the position offered
>> will meet the needs and expectations of the candidate (not everyone wants
>> every position, nor should they).
>> I have found, through hundreds of interviews, on both sides of the table,
>> that an honest and open conversation is many times more successful than the
>> typical approach.
>>
>> On 2022-11-29 08:50 PM, trent shipley via PLUG-discuss wrote:
>> > (Lead buried in last two or three paragraphs.)
>> >
>> > Hi,
>> >
>> > I've been in software writing positions on-and-off since about 1999.  I
>> > spent a couple years teaching myself Oracle SQL and PERL in 1999 and
>> 2000
>> > for a nice application in the phone industry, then I had a long bout of
>> > unemployment, with some false stats on contract programming positions
>> along
>> > the way.  During that time I complimented my degrees, which included a
>> math
>> > major, with an MS in Information Management (really IT management) and a
>> > certificate in programming from Rio Salado, a couple years programming
>> > software tests in VBS for Micro Focus UFT One--which ceased to be very
>> > challenging by the end of two years. Recently, I did a
>> pre-apprenticeship
>> > program with a local company with a software developer apprenticeship
>> > program (TechOne IT)  which basically worked out to a slow-paced virtual
>> > boot camp in anticipation of an initial contingent
>> placement/apprenticeship
>> > proper.
>> >
>> > Right now my current employer (The Precisionists Inc)--which is
>> specialized
>> > in semi-supported contingent employment for autistic, neurodiverse, and
>> > other disabled people (in that order) has me on the bench, but I'm
>> close to
>> > getting a new position as a Python web developer ... for which, I could
>> be
>> > more unqualified, but not much.
>> >
>> > After lackluster success with the equivalent of more than an AS in CIS
>> > specializing in programming.  I have concluded I face a few obstacles.
>> >
>> > 1.  I'm autistic, so I can't interview worth a damn.
>> > 2.a. There is a tremendous shortage of doctors and nurses, but no one is
>> > going to hire one who hasn't graduated from an accredited program, done
>> an
>> > internship successfully, and passed their credentialing exam ... unless
>> > it's as a drug salesperson.
>> > 2.b.  There is a tremendous shortage of software writers, but no one is
>> > going to be studpid enough to hire one until they have completed an
>> > accredited degree, done an internship, done a bootcamp, and maybe gotten
>> > some certs.  I've only done the first.
>> >
>> > I've been looking at maybe putting together a "software portfolio".
>> >
>> > The stuff on the internet is focused on web-developer portfolio and
>> seems
>> > to be really describing a visually appealing website which is partware
>> > between a resume and CV, but much closer to a friendlier more personable
>> > website--which to pay to have made since you aren't a web designer.
>> >
>> > I was thinking more, "this is my public GitHub account and this is
>> software
>> > I've written."
>> >
>> > Between school and the recent quasi-bootcamp, I should know Java well
>> > enough to write something useful in it.
>> >
>> > I'm partway through a Scala basics book, and I love it sooo much.
>> >
>> > I'd like to write more than just toys, maybe starting with little
>> > utility-like things (but all the good ones seem to have been done) or by
>> > doing maintenance or little chores on a Java- or Scala-based open source
>> > project, which raises the question of how to find a not-dead project I
>> fit
>> > well with and which can use my not-MIT grade talent and knowledge.
>> >
>> > I'd  really like advice on how to put together a public software
>> portfolio
>> > which is also of practical use (well, of some kind of use to others,
>> even
>> > if not terribly practical.)
>> >
>> >
>> > Trent
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > ---------------------------------------------------
>> > PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org
>> > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>> > https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>> >
>>
>> ---------------------------------------------------
>> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org
>> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
>> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>>
>
>
> --
> A mouse trap, placed on top of your alarm clock, will prevent you from
> rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
>
> Stephen
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> PLUG-discuss mailing list: PLUG-discuss at lists.phxlinux.org
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings:
> https://lists.phxlinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.phxlinux.org/pipermail/plug-discuss/attachments/20221201/b5071837/attachment.htm>