Do F/OSS Contributions Make You More Marketable? 69
Bucking for a Raise asks: "Assuming that Free/Open Source contributions qualify as 'experience' in a professional sense, it would seem to follow that contributing would make one more marketable as an employee or contractor. Personally, I feel that I've gained invaluable experience from my contributions. However, I'm curious to know what other Slashdot readers have experienced: do potential employers/clients feel that it increases your worth? Does it depend on the visibility or perceived value of the project to which you contribute? Do the employers/clients you've seen place any value in, or even know about, F/OSS?"
Well...yeah... (Score:2)
Re:Well...yeah... (Score:2)
Follow the link... (Score:2)
More marketable? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:More marketable? (Score:2)
Re:More marketable? (Score:1)
Re:More marketable? (Score:5, Informative)
I think... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:I think... (Score:5, Insightful)
I think that the classes requirements essentially show what would look the best on your resume. If you can point to something that YOU did in a decently major project (as in something they will have heard of), it will probobly help you and differentiate you from the tons of other applicants who spent their time coding "Bob's freeware XP launch bar". Think of what would happen if your resume is read by someone who uses thunderbird or sunbird in the future and you can say that you played an integral part in implementing PDA syncing.
Re:I think... (Score:4, Informative)
Part of the class requires that your work gets accepted into the projects codebase before you get credit.
If someone took and passed a course like this, I would save that resume.
Getting your new work accepted into the code base means you have to demonstrate
Likewise, personable people with no technical proficiency can open doors, but have nothing real to bring to the table.
Someone with both skills is valuable.
Re:I think... (Score:1)
Re:I think... (Score:2)
I'm trying to setup a simple distributed calendar for a small office. Sunbird and a webdav server works perfectly. What doesnt work perfectly is sunbird + iCalendar on a webdav server with several users who want pda sync. iCalendar can't subscribe to and publish to the same calendar so its either read-only or overwrite the old data. PDA syncing is still a pr
Re:I think... (Score:2)
In other words, employers will think:
"Hey! What the hell am I paying all these other chumps for? This Guys givin it away FOR FREE!!!"
Re:I think... (Score:2)
Old Gray Mare she ain't what she used to be...
Valuable volunteer experience. (Score:5, Interesting)
For example, a bigger, more notable project will look more impressive. Also, it really depends on how familiar the hiring parties are with OSS. I have been turned down for jobs recently due to 'lack of experience', because potential employers failed to recognise volunteer experience as 'professional experience'.
Re:Valuable volunteer experience. (Score:2)
Depends (Score:3, Interesting)
It probably depends on the culture of the company. A company that values processes, procedures, reporting and bureacracy probably won't care much for open-source contributions. On the other hand, a company that values creativity and initative will be impressed.
Re:Depends (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Depends (Score:1)
But does it make any difference at the current job?
No, not really... and it is an uphill battle to release open source software in an environment where there is a worry about whether or not my doing so will mean that they lose out on possible revenue.
I get a lot of support at the lower levels (such as my supervisor, and the director of the department.) But when it comes to the institution level thi
Sure (Score:5, Interesting)
I work in a closed environment. On intranet and back-end systems. I can't put these in my portfolio. So, I spend a decent amount of time supporting my language, and I work on various php.net related projects [zend.com]. This lets any future employers see what I'm capable of doing, even though they might not be able to see the work I'm currently doing, professionally.
Having an @php.net address (although quite easy to get if done right) is instant credibility (at least for anyone I'd want to work for).
I know of several key PHP contributors that have been offered (and have taken) positions as a direct result of their contributions.
So, in short: yes. (-:
S
Re:Sure (Score:3, Funny)
Considering one definition of hob [princeton.edu] is a small grotesque supernatural creature that makes trouble for human beings, I can see where PHP experience would give you some familiarity with them.
Anything that sets you apart. (Score:5, Interesting)
If you had code in a release of a well known project Apache or the Linux kernel, it would probably almost guarantee you a phone call back and probably an interview. Howewver if you were bullshitting, it would be a very short interview.
Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:4, Interesting)
I've contributed things ranging from ports of linux to new PPC northbridge platforms, to plugins for GAIM that were hacked together after a few to many pints of stout. Let me tell you, it's embarassing explaining to a commercial software development company what a converter from Z64 to V64 roms is used for during a job interview.
Be careful what you put your name on when you post code to the internet. What you put out there can hurt you just as much as harm...
Re:Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:2)
Re:Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:3, Insightful)
Tell them you have worked on software code to properly control Macintosh motherboard chipsets all the way to plugins to Instant messengers to increase functionality.
Leave out all semi-ethical or romhacking stuff, unless it's Zsnes or older system emulators. Better yet, say that you've worked on real-time assembly code-translations between 2 very different systems. And List the processors used. R65000, X86, Mips, Z80, et cetera.
Re:Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:2)
They had printouts of code and such that they found online, and askend me to describe what each program did and what it was for.
I got the job anyway (I didn't take it, but I got the offer), but it was uncomfortable, and it could have gone the other way on that one item.
Re:Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:2)
Still, what they did was quite UNprofessional. I'd have asked what sort of hobbies, projects, and other things you do in yoru spare time. I'd then zero in on extracirrcular software activities. But, it sounds they were accusatory and harsh.
Good luck
Re:Depends on the quality and the employer (Score:2)
Yes it helps (Score:2, Funny)
Publishing your code is a major display of confidence.
Re:Yes it helps (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Yes it helps (Score:1)
Substitute "java" for "foo" and my real name for "marcus". Got me hired, twice. Both times, after the interviewer brought that page up on his laptop, conversation changed from job oriented to general, by the watercooler style, BSing. They *knew* I was capable, instantly.
Only one time (Score:2)
Re:Only one time (Score:3, Funny)
Maybe your interviews are a little different over in Europe than in the US.
Re:Only one time (Score:2)
>Maybe your interviews are a little different over in Europe than in the US.
God, I hope so. I'm tired of these Wankers in the states who think "Where do you see yourself in 5 years?" to be the Ultimate Interview Question.
Re:Only one time (Score:2)
I wear tighter-fitted clothing on most occasions, although im relatively skinny.
PHB says... (Score:5, Interesting)
Open Source projects are an INSTANT door opener. You have work on one in on your resume, you get an interview. Period.
That's not because this is some corporate give-away, but because we're techies, here. We want to talk to you, to find out how that went, what you did, etc. We're curious. And that means you get the interview. Most of the resumes we see don't get an interview, so you're already in the running for the job, unlike the guy with similar resume who didn't get called.
Plus the drive to do this sort of thing means you're not a slug. We get a lot of slugs with VERY good resumes. They waste our time. I've never had a slug come in who had OSS authorship.
Re:PHB says... (Score:1)
Re:PHB says... (Score:2)
Re:PHB says... (Score:3, Interesting)
No matter how bad someones code is, the fact that they were willing to contribute their time and effort is a major plus in my book. Often they just lack experience...
Re:PHB says... (Score:1)
By the way, both my patches were accepted, although I did run the di
Re:PHB says... (Score:2)
It can (Score:3, Insightful)
Actually getting code into a non-trivial project means you were able to navigate unresponsive mailing lists and over-booked bug tracking systems to actually get something done. That's not a small feat, IMO.
Job (Score:4, Interesting)
It's a good way to build up a portfolio of code to show to an employer, it shows dedication and organisation and that you enjoy development.
Of course, the fact that employers can see your source code can hurt your chances too
Does it show you can do the work they want? (Score:4, Interesting)
There's no one size fits all, however. If you're applying for a COBOL position doing payroll applications, they probably won't care that you've written Apache modules. It's all about being applicable.
One of the great things about open source software that helps me, as a hiring manager, is that it lets me see your code. I always want to see a candidate's code as part of the interview process, and open source stuff available on the web makes it real easy for me.
Re:Does it show you can do the work they want? (Score:2)
written Apache modules."
I'd say that depends on who is hiring. At least half the positions of this nature have HR hiring.
Re:Does it show you can do the work they want? (Score:1, Funny)
But then, they may have other reservations about your mental condition...
Of course it matters. (Score:4, Insightful)
Cool stuff is universal.
ALWAYS (Score:2)
Of course techs and managers with actual experience will acknowledge coding work for what it is worth regardless of who you did it for (the bigger and more popular the better though, if you screw up the manager needs to be able to justify hiring you).
HR on the other hand is looking to sit if you fit the criteria needed for the job. If you spend 6 months working on an open source project, you list it as a pla
IBM certainly likes it (Score:3, Informative)
For the companies worth working for... (Score:4, Interesting)
I hire development contractors nearly every month, and every single one of them has been chosen because they proved themselves capable by working on interesting, well-designed, projects. It's not the only way to prove it, but any proprietary software on a resume is out of my reach. I can't read the code.
I'm searching now for a part-time jack-of-all-trades to help out in my new office (i.e. telephone support, perl, python, bash, documentation, some basic book-keeping, building/installing servers, etc.) and I'll be much more likely to hire someone with some Open Source projects on their resume. Not only that, but I'll be much more likely to pay them at the higher end of the pay scale.
Open Source developers are great because I can see the code to get a solid grasp on their abilities, see that they truly enjoy the more complex aspects of technology (because why else would they be writing code for no money?), and I can see that they are more likely to want to take an active part in the kind of business I'm building. I'll probably enjoy having them in the office more, too.
That's not to say that all, or even most, companies that are hiring developers, consider all of these things as positive...it's just that I know that Open Source friendly companies are becoming more common, and you're probably more likely to rise to the top of the resume heap at the companies that will be more fun to work for.
Just think about it like this:
Who would you rather work for:
Google or Microsoft? Which one is more likely to hire an Open Source developer? Right!
Extreme examples, I know, but I think the trend holds for the majority of industries that develop software. I could be wrong, of course, but every time I try to think of a comparison of predominantly proprietary vs. predomintantly OSS, I come up thinking the OSS company would be more fun to work for. Zope vs. Vignette? Red Hat vs. SCO (pre-lawsuits, even)?
Put your projects on the resume. Be proud of your OSS work. Even if the company you're hoping to sign on with doesn't do Open Source, taking pride in your work always looks good to potential employers.
Definitely (Score:2)
If it is the RIGHT project (Score:2)
I didn't get the last interview I applied for because I'm not a heavy linux kernel developer. I've worked with the FreeBSD kernel, but that isn't even of interest, because they know nothing about FreeBSD, while they know linux.
Which is strange, because the FreeBSD license is a lot easier for them to deal with, and I suspect the FreeBSD kernel would be just as good for them. (If not better)
Re:If it is the RIGHT project (Score:2)
Re:If it is the RIGHT project (Score:1)
I would argue that they are being too picky. I can't be an expert in KDE, GNOME, linux, FreeBSD, netBSD, Wine, FCC, and X.org. (just to name a few, some of which are too big to be an expert on the entire thing)
In the case I cited, there are less than 1000 people in the world who meet their qualifications, and most of them have good jobs already. In many cases, they have that ideal job where their boss doesn't tell them what to work on.
Linux kernel wasn't the only part of the requirements. There were s
Re:If it is the RIGHT project (Score:1)
Especially in the technical realm, it's very difficult (practically impossible) to get a job if you haven't had a number of years of experience doing the exact same job.
Spent 5 years debugging networking drivers on embedded i386? Not good enough, we are debugging networking drivers on embedded PPC. Ask my wife, who despite a few years of PC and laptop repair experience, got turned down for a job because they used Dells and her
Another reason not to be an ass on the lists... (Score:4, Interesting)
Then I was laid off, got depressed, and lost all my drive to code. After about a year of no work the first break I got was from a guy who I helped install phpslash on the phpslash-users list years prior.
--Ajay
Yes (Score:5, Interesting)
If you list F/OSS projects on your resume, I will be more interested. You are more likely to get an interview.
Anything that makes your resume stand out from the rest is good. You probably wouldn't want to work for anyone that counts F/OSS as a negative.
Most definitely! (Score:2)
Short Story (Score:2)
I was a developer in the financial industry for 10 years. All I ever developed on professionally was Windows and MS tools. I tried for years to get management to look at open source, or even anything non-MS, but with no success. Attempts to get jobs not using Windows were impossible without experience. I started to contribute a few modules to an open source project. Two months later and I'm now in an all open-source development company.
It might hinder you in this important way... (Score:1)
The fact that you have a lot of computer technical skills shows that you could certainly master COBOL in a week. COBOL WAS DESIGNED TO BE EASY TO CODE, AND IT IS.
However, the management will be eyeing you to jump ship just as soon as a "more modern" opportunity lands at your doorstep.
So, it depends on how desparate the management is to find a COBOL guy. If it comes d