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What should a novice programmer write to show a potential employer his knowledge and skills? What characteristics should such a project have? These questions were discussed with specialists from BizUPLab.
The purpose defines the project
Before you choose a project, you need to decide on the purpose. Ask yourself why you need a project.
If you are learning to code for your own enjoyment, you can take any project and develop it in any programming language. You don't have to go to an interview with it, prove its viability and fight for a job. You are making it for yourself, so enjoy the process.
If you are a young developer looking for a job, your goal is to show your skills to a prospective employer and prove that you are a real developer. In this case, you should be responsible and serious about choosing a project.
The purpose defines the project
Before you choose a project, you need to decide on the purpose. Ask yourself why you need a project.
If you are learning to code for your own enjoyment, you can take any project and develop it in any programming language. You don't have to go to an interview with it, prove its viability and fight for a job. You are making it for yourself, so enjoy the process.
If you are a young developer looking for a job, your goal is to show your skills to a prospective employer and prove that you are a real developer. In this case, you should be responsible and serious about choosing a project.
What projects should a new programmer be hired for?
Which technologies to use
In order to determine what knowledge and skills you need to demonstrate in your project, you need to monitor the market, look at as many vacancies as possible, and pay attention to the technologies that are mentioned in the requirements. Make a list, count the number of times they are mentioned in the vacancies - this will help you identify the most in-demand ones. It is the knowledge of these technologies that should be specified in your CV and confirmed in practice. This could be a project using the specified technology or a certificate of completion of a training course. However, a project is the preferred option. If you know two mutually exclusive technologies, you can confidently choose the more popular one. You can use the less popular one in another project if the job search process drags on. If you get a job that uses the less popular technology, you are likely to be hired with knowledge of the more popular technology.
In order to determine what knowledge and skills you need to demonstrate in your project, you need to monitor the market, look at as many vacancies as possible, and pay attention to the technologies that are mentioned in the requirements. Make a list, count the number of times they are mentioned in the vacancies - this will help you identify the most in-demand ones. It is the knowledge of these technologies that should be specified in your CV and confirmed in practice. This could be a project using the specified technology or a certificate of completion of a training course. However, a project is the preferred option. If you know two mutually exclusive technologies, you can confidently choose the more popular one. You can use the less popular one in another project if the job search process drags on. If you get a job that uses the less popular technology, you are likely to be hired with knowledge of the more popular technology.
Create a useful product
A project starts with an idea. You need to create a product that is potentially useful to someone. This is very important. Think of your project as a commercial one, i.e. one that you can make money from in the future. Remember that you can monetise anything useful, and you cannot monetise something that nobody needs.
Every project should start with an MVP - minimum viable product. This is a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of features that has some value to the end user. You don't need to write a full-featured application that does everything at once. Create a minimal version that people can use. Later you can develop it into a full-blown product, if of course there is demand.
What kind of applications might it be? A task tracker, for example. There are a lot of those out there, but not enough good ones. Think of one that you really like. Maybe there will be people who like your tracker more than others.
You can also develop a recommendation service for books, films, etc. The more specific you can be, the more likely it is that the app will be useful to someone.
Ideas should not be cherry-picked:
How to choose a project
The perfect project is the one you get paid for. Even if you're paid the minimum, it's still a great option. Firstly, you are immediately immersed in the process of communicating with the client and getting feedback: they will only let you relax if the project does not meet all their requirements as much as possible. Such a project will look professional and add value to your portfolio.
If there is no client, choose an idea that inspires you. At the same time, don't forget that your product must be needed by someone, at least in your immediate environment: family, friends, hobby colleagues, etc.
A project starts with an idea. You need to create a product that is potentially useful to someone. This is very important. Think of your project as a commercial one, i.e. one that you can make money from in the future. Remember that you can monetise anything useful, and you cannot monetise something that nobody needs.
Every project should start with an MVP - minimum viable product. This is a test version of a product or service with a minimum set of features that has some value to the end user. You don't need to write a full-featured application that does everything at once. Create a minimal version that people can use. Later you can develop it into a full-blown product, if of course there is demand.
What kind of applications might it be? A task tracker, for example. There are a lot of those out there, but not enough good ones. Think of one that you really like. Maybe there will be people who like your tracker more than others.
You can also develop a recommendation service for books, films, etc. The more specific you can be, the more likely it is that the app will be useful to someone.
Ideas should not be cherry-picked:
- Very large projects - you don't want to create a social network.
- Projects that are too small. For example, a classic calculator.
How to choose a project
The perfect project is the one you get paid for. Even if you're paid the minimum, it's still a great option. Firstly, you are immediately immersed in the process of communicating with the client and getting feedback: they will only let you relax if the project does not meet all their requirements as much as possible. Such a project will look professional and add value to your portfolio.
If there is no client, choose an idea that inspires you. At the same time, don't forget that your product must be needed by someone, at least in your immediate environment: family, friends, hobby colleagues, etc.
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