What is a pet project in programming?

A programmer’s pet project is an unpaid project a programmer is doing at home, after work, using their free time. It’s independent of the main work profile (albeit sometimes connected). Programmers practice such projects for multiple reasons — most often, to practice new skills, to get distracted from the everyday (boring) routine, or/and to make something they could later show to the next employer.

Do employers look at personal projects?

Yes. Just think of it: you’re an employer hiring new staff for a startup. Every day, you grab a pack of fresh resumes and start a tiresome search for some new skills and descriptions that can hint at a future star. Your triage is often limited to the technologies and projects all the candidates had before applying to your vacancy. A professional able to follow clear instructions is indeed a valuable asset — but you probably want to hire someone stellar, special, and out-of-this-worldish if you’re planning your startup to break the ceiling, right? That’s the time to look at pet projects — personal ideas and plans maintained after the main work (that goes in the appropriate CV section). If your candidate devotes their free unpaid time to something, it means they’re eager to develop themselves, to strive to new heights. and to create nonstandard things. Isn’t it a perfect description of a startup-related mind? Probably, such candidates will suit your business better.

How do I start a personal software project?

No project is completed in a snap. A truly professional project requires tons of time, effort, stamina, failures, and all that entails. How can you build your personal software project that’ll have its deserved place in the IT hall of fame? Read on, we’ll at least give you some hints. 1. Break your process into smaller units. They are much easier to complete, and you’ll find more tutorials about them than about the whole project. 2. Break the bigger units into components. Such modularity will pay off. Try to construct units in such a way that will allow independent development. 3. Don’t try to plan everything even before writing a single line of code. Just sit and write, corrections are inevitable. 4. Look at similar projects and use their life hacks. Don’t steal completely, but try to inspire yourself. 5. Don’t be afraid to get stuck.

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