> Also, I have been noticing that Spring have become synonym of Java (Most of the time when I apply for a Java Developer job they ask about Spring), I can grasp it on the job.
If you are applying for a senior Java role in a Spring shop, they'll be expecting you to already know Spring. The easiest way is to write some projects in Spring!
That is it, right there. If you can show off a nice professional website written in Spring (try to find a designer buddy who is also out of work and needs a portfolio piece!), and a link to the GH repo for the same site, you'll possibly skip a large portion of the interview process, or at least be put in the front of the line.
This 100%. If you are going to include a GitHub link, then you NEED to have at least one project that shows you know how to code. All I see is forked projects and themes. That reads to me as someone who is trying to BS their way into a job. I'd pass because I've got a stack of other candidates to review.
I understand that you usually can't share what you do in your dayjob publically, but in that case you need to create something yourself. Even while working a 9-5 you have enough time for that in a couple of weeks (I say that as someone who works longer than 9-5 and has young kids) - if you have been laid off you have no excuse.
I created an "Ask questions to your PDF" app (using OpenAI's APIs) as an example project that is public on my GitHub profile. There's lots of things that would need to be changed before I put it into production, but it demonstrates that I understand the fundamentals and backs up what my CV claims.
As a hiring manager, my biggest concern is we end up hiring someone who doesn't bring anything to the table, and just wastes everyone's time.
If you are applying for a senior Java role in a Spring shop, they'll be expecting you to already know Spring. The easiest way is to write some projects in Spring!
That is it, right there. If you can show off a nice professional website written in Spring (try to find a designer buddy who is also out of work and needs a portfolio piece!), and a link to the GH repo for the same site, you'll possibly skip a large portion of the interview process, or at least be put in the front of the line.