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

10 points by devcheese 10 years ago | 7 comments

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't have many public repositories and my current job has no open sourced software I can show. (I also signed an NDA)

trcollinson 10 years ago |

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.

nkassis 10 years ago |

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...?

tectonic 10 years ago |

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.

IndianAstronaut 10 years ago |

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

lsiebert 10 years ago | |

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.

IndianAstronaut 10 years ago | | |

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.

edoceo 10 years ago |

Can we see your github?