Building your Github profile and reputation (2024)

Introduction to GitHub (skip it if you know it already)

GitHub is a social network for developers, but probably not the type of social network you use every day:

• You can't post a picture of what you are about to eat.
• You post documents on any format (txt, html, css, xls, png, jpeg, etc.).
• You can't post status messages like on Twitter, Instagram, etc.
• You have to use a special program and protocol called GIT.
• It cannot be faked, and it tracks your activity as a developer.

Why GitHub Matters for Recruiters

GitHub is now the developers' #1 portfolio, the best way to get noticed and build a professional brand. You need to make a huge effort on making it:

1. Easy to browse by a potential employer.
2. Easy to understand and fast to read.
3. Amazing look (you never have a 2nd time to give the first impression).

Whether you are a junior, or senior software developer, GitHub is one of the best tools you can adopt to showcase your hard/soft skills, executed projects, personal research, and even past college assignments.

It is now no longer sufficient to tell recruiters what you can do with your competence in Python, Java, or JavaScript. In today's competitive programming world, recruiters now want developers to show them what they have done or are currently up to.

Many years ago, having a portfolio website used to be essential for finding a job. This is no longer the case, and this is the reason why. Having a GitHub account is significantly more important these days. Every company expects you to have a GitHub and experience using GIT and version control. These have become the standards for programming now.

Making Your GitHub Profile Shine

Make sure to give your own personal style, but in general, you can focus on trying to comply with the following guidelines:

• Write a short bio with your main focus as a developer and mentioning your special skills.
• On your profile page, include links to your personal website, LinkedIn profile, email and social media handle, if relevant.
• Add a picture or avatar.
• Start committing and pushing from day one: GitHub tracks and publicly reports your activity as a developer in something called The GitHub Activity Graph, which is impossible to fake. That is why we encourage you to start committing and collaborating from day one.
• For each repository you want to pin and promote, your upload must include:
  1. A detailed README.md.
  2. Live demo (GitHub pages), screenshots, and gifs.
  3. Very organized, clean code and comments.
• Your most important project, the one you are proud the most, must be pinned on the first slot.
• Contribute to at least 5 external projects. Find open-source projects you like and make contributions. In the following links you'll find projects and indications on how to contribute:
  • https://www.firsttimersonly.com/
  • https://www.codetriage.com/
  • https://github.com/MunGell/awesome-for-beginners
• Avoid using "new developer", "junior developer", "recent graduate", or the likes in your summary statement or bio.

An Example Profile: Dan Abramov