5 Tips for Choosing Projects That Boost Your Chances of Breaking Into Tech
Personal projects are crucial for a successful transition into tech. Here is how you can make sure you’re focusing on the right projects.
1. Choose a problem you’re passionate about
Don’t choose a problem simply because it’s popular.
Explore popular projects for inspiration, but solve a problem you’re personally interested in. This ensures you will stay invested in the project when faced with challenges.
And you will definitely run into issues and challenges. This is how you will learn.
2. The hardest problem is not necessarily the best one
Solving a hard problem that nobody has solved before is impressive but more relevant to a research position. Don’t go this route unless you’re aiming for a research position.
Focus on the skills you’re looking to develop and the requirements of your dream job. Make sure your project allows you to develop those skills.
3. Keep projects open-ended while setting specific milestones
Dream big and aim for a large project, yet consider your timeline and prioritize accordingly.
Let’s say your entire project can take you 1 year to complete and you only have 2 months. Focus on the components that are most relevant to your growth and can be done in 2 months and leave everything else as future work.
4. Assume the project is already done and work backward
Imagine the final solution. Set up a Github repository with a README.md file explaining the motivation for the project, its goals, milestones, etc. Explain how someone can replicate the project and recreate your results. There will of course be lots of missing information. Your goal is to populate them as you make progress on your project.
5. Describe your plan to someone working in the industry
This is the simplest but the most important tip. Talk to professionals to make sure your project is possible and doable within your timeframe.
