Onward and UpwardKeith Ward, Editor in Chief, Visual Studio Magazine
Blog archive
Join GitHub, Get a Job
There's a fascinating story on CNET about how software developers are getting hired based on their work on GitHub, the open-source code repository, and how it's replacing LinkedIn as the go-to site for hiring managers.
I'd never considered it, but it makes sense: If you've put a lot of stuff on GitHub, that's real work that potential employers can see. It's one thing to have a great resume, but another entirely to have great software already built (or forked, if you haven't built it yourself.) "A common view is that a developer who has a profile there has an advantage over those who don't," writes Daniel Terdiman.
It works the same for authors who want to write for Visual Studio Magazine: If you can point me to articles you've published, it demonstrates that you're not just a wannabe. You're actually doing it, and have done it. That gives you an advantage -- at least in this editor's eyes.
So now you have another reason to consider contributing to GitHub; not only will you be helping move the field forward, but you might land a job out of it!
By the way, John Papa wrote about other reasons for using GitHub, and describes his experiences with his alert message program toastr.
Posted by Keith Ward on 08/17/2012