30 Days, 30 Hacks: Mastering Your US Master's Journey

Let’s continue where we left of in the last newsletter, your GitHub presence is your coding portfolio, your collaboration space, and your playground for innovation. It's not just a repository for your projects; it's a reflection of your coding prowess, your commitment to open-source values, and your ability to work seamlessly with a global community of developers. GitHub is where you demonstrate your coding style, share your expertise, and make a tangible impact on the world of software development.

The last line might make you feel like a “Coding Spartan” but it is true, GitHub showcases your skills unlike the leetcode profiles people tend to share on their resumes. We have got to understand that leetcode profiles are not worthy to be shared when applying for a job/internship, it is your skill to develop, to document to be able to deploy your idea which makes a difference.

Making your GitHub profile stand out is crucial if you want to make a strong impression on potential employers, collaborators, and the open-source community. I have this analogy that I love to share - GitHub is the technical skills section on your resume, it should resonate with what you portray in your resume, anytime I get asked for a referral my first approach is to check the project section in the resume by heading over to their GitHub profile, I enjoy understanding ideas that people work on and giving them appreciation for the same. It’s what makes a profile stand-out for me and deserving of that referral.

Here are some ideas to help you make your GitHub profile more appealing:

1. Profile Picture and Bio:

• Upload a professional and recognizable profile picture. Could be similar to the one you posted on LinkedIn.

• Write a concise and informative bio that highlights your skills, interests, and open-source contributions. If you do not have any open-source contributions and are just starting out with GitHub or your undergraduate degree, limit yourself to your technical skills.

• Once you are in a job, you can limit yourself to your positions because it speaks more than it meets the eye.
  

2. Choose a Memorable Username:

• Select a username that is easy to remember and reflects your identity, again can be similar to the one on LinkedIn, easier to remember and makes a lasting impression if things are consistent.

3. Profile README:

• Customize your profile README with an introduction, contact information, and links to your best work (I haven’t done that because my best work is yet to come*).

• Something as easy and clear as this works, remember this isn’t a summary section unlike LinkedIn, crisp and concise highlights of your career or your aspirations.

4. Pin Your Best Repositories:

• Use the "Pinned repositories" feature to showcase your most impressive and relevant projects at the top of your profile.

• This helps people get an idea of the projects you’ve worked on, are working or are most proud to showcase.
  P.S. I haven’t made changes to the pinned section on my GitHub and I clearly lack the consistency here, but I look for candidates that follow this, my mistakes could be a learning opportunity for you all.

5. Write Informative READMEs:

• Create detailed and well-structured README files for your projects. Explain what the project does, how to use it, and provide clear documentation. I’ve always stressed on the fact that there are two requirements (at least) for any project you’ve listed in your resume -
  a. Documentation on how to run it and the Objectives
  b. Deployed Website and/or medium article explaining the project and/or 1-minute video explaining the project
  All this does is gives the viewer an idea on how things are supposed to be.

• Add screenshots, images, or GIFs to your READMEs to make your projects more visually appealing and user-friendly. There isn’t anything better than a picture book.

6. Collaborate and Network:

• Collaborate with others on GitHub. Fork repositories, submit pull requests, and engage in discussions.

• Follow developers and projects that interest you to expand your network.

• Actively contribute to open-source projects. High-quality contributions can attract attention and demonstrate your coding skills.

• Offer to improve documentation in open-source projects. Clear and helpful documentation is highly valued in the development community.

• Regularly check and respond to issues, pull requests, and comments on your repositories.

7. Use GitHub Pages:

• Create a GitHub Pages site to host your portfolio, blog, or personal website directly from your GitHub repository.

• Write blog posts or articles related to your projects, coding experiences, or industry insights. Share these on your GitHub profile.

MOST IMPORTANTLY:

8. Create Personal Projects:

• Showcase your personal coding interests and skills by creating unique projects. Even small, creative projects can attract attention. I believe in quality over quantity, if you can provide a worthwhile project that is deployed and with clear and concise documentation, I am definitely reaching out to know more about it.

• Showcase your versatility by working on projects in different programming languages and frameworks.

• Share code snippets, notes, or helpful scripts using GitHub Gists.

Remember that GitHub is not just about the code; it's also about your collaboration, communication, and willingness to contribute to the community. By consistently demonstrating your skills and passion for coding, you can make your GitHub profile stand out and attract opportunities in the software development field.

If you’ve not used this before, start using it now: https://education.github.com/git-cheat-sheet-education.pdf

Reach out to learn more - https://topmate.io/manik_taneja3 
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