

Ask HN: How can I prove I know how to write software with nothing on my GitHub? - devcheese

I work so many hours with my current job, so I have no time to work on my personal projects. Money has been a struggle so I have been looking for a job. Employers ask to send them a link to my github account, but I don&#x27;t have many public repositories and my current job has no open sourced software I can show. (I also signed an NDA)
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trcollinson
When you say you have been looking for a job, what does that mean? I ask
because for some (and maybe not you), it means "I found a great listing at
company A and company B and I applied at both. I talked to a recruiter and
they said I needed X, Y, and Z". This can be quite discouraging. My advise to
those who are looking for a job is to apply to as many companies as humanly
possible. Apply to 5 every evening for two weeks. You are working hard and
don't have a lot of spare hours so get your resume into shape and apply to two
jobs in the morning, two during your lunch break, and one when you get home.
Keep on applying until you have applied to 50 organizations. Apply for
positions that you might not even think you want (always within your technical
discipline of course, let's not go crazy here). Don't get too attached to the
idea of any given job you apply for.

Now an interesting thing will happen. When a recruiter asks you for a github
account, tell them you don't have one. That's ok! You applied to 49 other
companies. In fact, tell them you are talking with numerous other companies
when you let them know you don't have a great github account. Maybe some will
ask for "some other crazy requirement". No problem! You have applied to so
many, it doesn't matter.

Generally speaking when I have done this in the past (or have couched others
through the process), 50% of the companies they apply for will at least reach
out to them. 50% of those companies will do a phone interview. 50% of those
companies will call them in for an in person interview and often times better
than 50% of those companies will give them an offer. So you'll have 25
companies that reach out to you. 12 companies which give you a phone
interview. 6 companies which bring you in for an in person interview. And 3 or
more offers! If you make it that far and don't take a great offer up front :)

Job hunting is a numbers game unfortunately. If a company isn't willing to
give you the time of day because you can't provide them a github account that
makes them happy, it's time to move on to another company. Keep on looking and
good luck! You'll find the right one.

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nkassis
Not all employers ask for Github account. What type of companies have you been
looking at?

One option I would say it to try larger tech companies? They usually rely more
on resume and credentials then github accounts. Make sure your linked in
account has up to date information on your skills etc... Given that you have a
signed an NDA I assume you have a current job? If so do you have coworkers
that could provide you with references etc...?

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tectonic
When I'm looking at job applicants, I ask to see a GitHub profile or other
sample code. However, I will happily talk to people who cannot provide them.
It's nice to see, and helpful for me when evaluating candidates, but it's not
a requirement.

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IndianAstronaut
I find asking for a github the exception, not the rule.

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lsiebert
I put my github on my resume, and my projects and open source contributions
are at the top. But then, my bachelor's isn't in CS.

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IndianAstronaut
My bachelor's isn't CS either and I still don't list those. Th3 couple times
it has come up, I just say I do side projects for the company if I have time.

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edoceo
Can we see your github?

