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What Makes a Good GitHub Profile?
Tips to make your GitHub application-ready
When I was applying to internships in college, I definitely underrated GitHub. I coded a lot of projects in my college classes. I even had to include long-winded writeups about each project that could be easily translated into a README. But I didn’t bother to upload and maintain these projects on my GitHub profile. I quickly realized that it was a missed opportunity.
The truth is, maintaining a GitHub profile takes a lot of time and effort. Writing documentation and keeping code up-to-date when your class has moved on to the next project is extra work. However, with just a little bit more effort, that school or side project can be turned into a meaningful portfolio piece. And a portfolio is a fantastic way to stand out.
Which job seekers benefit from GitHub projects the most?
Entry-level applicants (college students, recent college grads, and bootcampers) benefit immensely because — due to their lack of professional tech experience — projects are what showcase their abilities best. Experienced developers looking to transition can also greatly benefit from GitHub projects. A programmer who is under-challenged or forced to write in out-of-favor languages will struggle to find an employer with the latest tech stack without demonstrated experience.
In this article, I put together all the tips I gathered from college and mentors on what it takes to make a GitHub profile that boosts your job application. I am by no means a GitHub super-user, but please read on for some helpful guidelines that I welcome you to follow.
Including a well-documented README in every repo
Documentation of your code goes a long way — not just for any users trying to use the tools, but for the recruiters & hiring managers looking at your profile. Including well-formatted documentation shows that you:
- Have great communication skills
- Know how to invest in a project for the long-term
In your documentation, you should include the purpose and use cases of your project. You should also include installation instructions so that users can…
