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Side projects that actually impressed interviewers

Garima SaxenaGarima Saxena
7 months ago
314

Rather than listing generic project ideas, let me share what projects got me compliments in interviews:

  1. CLI tool for git workflow - Simple but showed I solve real problems
  2. Personal finance tracker - Full stack app with auth, DB, charts
  3. Browser extension - Small but showed initiative and different tech stack
  4. Contributing to an open-source project - Even small PRs (docs, bug fixes) count

What doesn't work:

  • Todo apps (overdone)
  • Exact tutorial clones
  • Projects without a README

The key is having a project where you can explain WHY you built it, not just HOW.

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Comments (2)

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Vaishali Malhotra
Vaishali Malhotra6 months ago

I totally agree on the importance of the WHY! I worked on a fitness app that solved a specific need I had, and it was a great talking point in interviews. Do you think it's worth revisiting old projects to add a README and more context?

Raghav Ahuja
Raghav Ahuja6 months ago

What you said about open-source contributions is interesting. I've been hesitant to start because I feel small contributions might not be valued. Can you share more about how interviewers responded to your open-source experience?