Git is a wonderful tool, right?
Many use Github as their Git platform.
It does, of course, provide a valuable interface for history, pull requests, and much more - but did you know it has a huge impact in how companies see you as a developer?
If you want to leverage your Github profile more, these tips might help:
Time is valuable: have a clear focus 🎯
You start multiple projects enthusiastically, only to your Github become a big mess or repositories in all sorts of languages. If you want to apply for jobs in the JavaScript sphere, make sure your Github shows this:
- Pin relevant projects for JavaScript
- Set old or irrelevant projects to private
- If a visitor only views one project, which one should it be? If you pin 1-4 projects, the chances of getting it right are big. If you focus on 10+ projects at once, that chance is a lot smaller.
Everybody hates absent docs: leverage README's 📖
A good readme allows you to inform your visitor so much better. Ideally, you mention:
- Your role in the project (solo or part of a team?)
- Scope and languages of the project
- How to install, test or use (getting started)
- Bonus: screenshots of how it works
Do you need a manual: do you have a personal readme? ✍️
Github offers a great option to add a small description to your profile. Create yours using their guide.
Don't be a stranger ✋
Lots of users never change the default picture. How personal you prefer your profile picture to be is your own choice, but I'd advise to at least change the default. It's often associated with newly created repositories having little content and purely tutorial-based code.
Don't stop at Github 🛑
Profile all brushed up? Great!
If you mention your Twitter, LinkedIn, ... give those some love too. Not sure what to link?
There's no single right answer here, but a good UX-focus always helps: what is most interesting to the people visiting your profile? Someone looking for a job might prefer to add LinkedIn, while an open source maintainer could opt for a Twitter account to have active discussions about the framework.
What do you think?
Hope you'll have a profile as cool as Mona Lisa Octocat now!
What makes a Github profile stand out for you? Curious to know, feel free to discuss in the comments.
Top comments (2)
Good tips! There's a small typo in the Don't be a stranger paragraph: "Chance" should be spelled "change" (twice).
Good catch, thanks!