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Do you think your resume needs a boost? Maybe you’re a recent graduate without a lot of real-world experience under your belt. Or perhaps you’re a more mature professional with an unvaried work history. Many IT professionals are looking for a way to make their resume extra competitive in the desire to make the next move in their career. Perhaps an open source passion project is just what you need to stand out.

This article will discuss the benefits of working on a volunteer-based open source project, and how employers view it as an “extra-curricular” effort.

The Benefits of Open Source Projects

It can be easy to think that unpaid projects are not worth your time or effort when there are so many ways to advance your career. But don’t discredit the opportunity to work on something you are particularly passionate about simply because it doesn’t come with a paycheck. Think of it instead as an investment in your personal marketability as you develop coding experience, bug-fixing technique, synchronized development, and teamwork skills. These are the qualifications that employers are desperately looking for. If you have a regular paying job and a little free time, consider investing yourself in a project because of the skills you will gain and the interest you have in the project itself.

Exemplify Your Initiative

Employers are looking for the type of IT professionals who can think outside the box, who take initiative and solve problems. By having an open source project on your resume, you show hiring managers that your work is more than a paycheck to you. Share your commitment and skills with the world through a volunteer project and you tell future employers that software development isn’t just about making money for a larger company, it’s about doing what you love. Recruiters want to know why you are special, and taking the initiative to further develop your skills, learn about new and upcoming technologies, and devote your free time to something you are interested in will make you a unique and exciting prospective hire.

Find Your Passion

There are several open source projects available for IT professionals looking to add some volunteer projects to their portfolio. Open source projects such as jQuery, the Apache Software Foundation, and GitLab all offer a wide variety of open source opportunities and even networking connections in the IT field. So much of software development depends on collaboration that connecting with other open source aficionados can give your professional network a boost along with making your resume stand out from the crowd. Consider what projects and topics would be most appropriate to build your skill set and join the appropriate network. Depending on what interests you have, and what programming languages you are familiar with, you will be sure to find the type of project that helps develop your skills and will keep you interested in the project as well.

For more advice, or for help in finding the next step in your career path as an IT candidate, contact the experts at Search Services today.SearchServicesCTA_ITjobs

 


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