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Discussion on: Should a lack of side projects raise flags in an interview?

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Brandon Benefield • Edited

Software is a particularly interesting industry. Everyone wants in, it's the future of jobs, etc. Some go in to Software for money, others for passion, and others for a mix of different reasons.

Let's pretend you're the Kitchen Manager (KM) of a high-end restaurant and you have been tasked with hiring a new chef. Interviews have been difficult, I'm sure there have been a few whiteboarding sessions, 😂, and now it's down to the final two candidates. Both have similar knowledge and went to the same school but one has their own recipe book, or a blog, and the other doesn't feel they need to experiment with new flavors.

Who do you think is going to get the job?

Now, I know that's not your question but it's easy to see the similarities that software and cooking have in common. Personally, I feel like the less experience you have the more of a red flag not having personal projects is going to throw while the more experience you have and having a track record delivering successful projects is going to be less of a red flag. Just think back to the chef example. Would you prefer a candidate that has a history of success, or would you prefer that history of success as well as a recipe book?