In the past, we’ve noted that open source projects are a great way to spice up your resume.
There are several reasons why becoming part of an open source project makes you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. First, it gives you experience. In so doing, it answers the age-old question: “How do you get a job without experience and how do you get experience without a job?” When you join an open source project, you’re not getting paid but you’re learning more about your specific discipline and gaining experience that you can add to your resume as well.
Also, you’re showing you have initiative. Hiring managers like to see people who don’t wait around for opportunities to come to them but rather go out and make opportunities for themselves. When you join an open source project, you’re announcing that you’re a go-getter.
Finally, you’re also showing you can work in a team environment when you are part of an open source project. By definition, those aren’t solo projects. You’ll be working with other people by responding to bug tickets, communicating with other developers, and using source control in a team environment.
We mentioned a few projects that you can join in the previous blog post. Here are a few others:
1. Open Source Project Management: ProjectLibre
ProjectLibre is the open source version of Microsoft Project. It’s also part of the LibreOffice project so it takes the suite of office applications a step further with a productivity application designed specifically for project managers. It handles the usual tasks associated with team management: responsibility lists, milestones, dependencies, etc.
Project management is the life blood of software development, and getting involved in this project will help you understand not only the skills behind the resource, but the nuances of project management, making you a very well-rounded candidate. It’s a great project to join if you want to showcase your ability to develop code that can enhance business productivity. It’s distributed under the Common Public Attribution License Version (CPAL).
2. Open Source Process Streamlining: OpenBravo POS
OpenBravo is an inventory management application. Typically, it’s used as part of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) initiative. However, the software suite has been recently enhanced with the addition of a Point Of Sale application that can be used to run cash registers at retail locations and restaurants. Users add inventory using the ERP application and the POS software will handle the process of keeping track of what is sold.
Streamlining business processes and constantly improving business strategy is one key to a successful business. This is another great open source project to join if you want to demonstrate your expertise in developing software applications as well as show an understanding of how to streamline business processes to improve the bottom line.
3. Open Source Innovation: Project Management: Impress.js
Are you getting a little tired of those monotonous, always-rectangular slideshow presentations? If so, then Impress.js might just be what you’re looking for. This is basically an open source version of the Prezi package. Instead of creating a presentation with rectangles, you put all of your bullet points on a virtual canvas. The software rotates, scrolls, zooms, and moves to your points, one-by-one, as needed. This is a great project to join if you want to showcase your skills in developing high-quality user interfaces using a client-side language. It’s available under either MIT License or General Public License (GPL).
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