Download - Building a rockstar portfolio (4:13)
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Building a Rockstar Portfolio
April 2017
http://bit.ly/tf-rockstar-portfolio
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About me
• Jasjit Singh
• Self-taught developer
• Worked in finance & tech
• Co-Founder Hotspot
• Thinkful General Manager
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About us
Thinkful prepares students for web development & data science jobs with 1-on-1 mentorship programs
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What’s your goal?
• I’m not a developer, but looking to transition
• I’m a developer but don’t have a portfolio
• I have a portfolio but I want to improve it
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Agenda for tonight
• Portfolio in tech — an overview
• Elements of a great portfolio
• Discussion with Justin & JP
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How to break into tech?
• Learn the skills
• Build a portfolio of high quality work
• Develop a relevant network
• Prep for technical interviews
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The good news
By 2020, there will be 1.4M computer science jobs available and only 400,000 computer science grads with the skills to apply for those jobs
- Bureau of Labor Statistics
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Portfolios level the playing field
Hiring in tech is more based on skills, not credentials. A great portfolio showcases those skills and can get you an interview.
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Quick hiring stats
• 80% of job openings are never advertised
• 120 average applicants per job posted
• 20% get an interview
• 56% of hiring managers are “more impressed” with personal websites
• Only 7% of job seekers have a personal website
*https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/04/26/why-every-job-seeker-should-have-a-personal-website-and-what-it-should-include/#578fbf6f119e
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Assembling a portfolio
• What is your goal?
• Who is your audience?
• What should I include?
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A tech portfolio includes…
• Social media presence
• Github profile
• Personal webpage
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Managing your search results
• Google yourself (incognito)
• Manage anything harmful (i.e. politics, pictures, etc)
• Ensure search returns LinkedIn, social media, projects
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• Strong LinkedIn profile is essential
• List projects, skills, and endorsements
• Include links to portfolio & Github
• Add technologies you’re familiar with
• Each work item should include 2-3 sentences
• Add summary
• Do as I say, not as I do!
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Examples
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Twitter (optional)
• Popular in tech community
• If active, make sure to clean up tweets
• If no, just basic presence is fine describing as developer with link to LinkedIn
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A tech portfolio includes…
• Social media presence
• Github profile
• Personal webpage
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Github
Github is a git-based cloud repository — it’s the standard way developers to store and share their code
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Github
Github can tell employers more about your abilities than a resume. For developers, your Github is your resume.
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Things employers consider
• Project quality
• Documentation
• Commit history (start, frequency, substance)
• Open source contributions
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General tips for Github
• Add personal page URL and email to public profile
• Add one-sentence description for each repository
• Push most impressive projects to top by committing to them
• Make sure code is well documented & well-structured
• Add tests to code when possible
• Get feedback
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Example
https://github.com/NOUX-NOVA
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Readme files
The Readme file can help employers understand more about your project in a glance. It is a marketing opportunity.
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Tips for Readme
• Clearly describe what project accomplishes
• Lists installation instructions
• Provides usage examples
• Describe process / approach
• Link to live site (if possible)
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Readme example (pt 1)https://github.com/NOUX-NOVA
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Readme example (pt 2)
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Readme example (pt 3)
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Ways to make open source contributions
• Report a bug
• Refactor code
• Improve a Readme
• Contribute to documentation
• Close an issue
• Add a feature
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A tech portfolio includes…
• Social media presence
• Github profile
• Personal webpage
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Personal website
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Need to have
• Full name
• Contact info
• Current location
• Description of skills
• Scannable list of projects
• Call to action
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Good to have
• Summary of you
• Lots of links (Github, LinkedIn, etc)
• Individual page for each project
• Splash of personality
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Example
https://noux-nova.github.io/portfolio/
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Example
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General tips
• Communicate who you are & your capabilities
• Don’t go crazy on visuals (unless you’re a designer)
• Check sites like onepagelove.com for “inspiration”
• Keep it simple — bells & whistles are distracting for everyone
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Peter Kim Interview
• Recent Thinkful graduate
• Background in SEO
• Looking for career in front-end web development
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More about Thinkful
• Anyone who’s committed can learn to code
• 1-on-1 mentorship is the best way to learn
• Flexibility! Learn anywhere, anytime, & at your own pace
•We only make money when you get a job
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Our Program
You’ll learn concepts, practice with drills, and build capstone projects — all guided by a personal mentor
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Our Mentors
Mentors have, on average, 10+ years of experience
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Web Development Syllabus
• Frontend Development (HTML, CSS, Javascript)
• Frontend “Frameworks” (React.js)
• Backend Development (Node.js)
• Electives (Python, Ruby, Swift, Angular, UX)
• Computer Science Fundamentals
• Technical interviews + Career prep
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Our Results
Job Titles after GraduationMonths until Employed
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Special Introductory Offer
• Two-week program, six mentor sessions for $50
• Starts with HTML/CSS/Javascript
• Option to continue into full program
• Talk to me (or email me) if you’re interested