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OGBONNA SUNDAY for OpenSauced

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How I Got Hired Contributing to open source projects

In the tech space, getting a job is not totally based on how good you are at the technical side of things, but rather your positioning. This means being able to put yourself out there and show employers how your skills and experience can benefit their company.

It is the goal of 90%-if not 100%-of geeks who are in tech to get hired, but without stepping out to the public that is nearly impossible.

As you read, I will share my journey on how I got into open source and secured my first international role as a software engineer at OpenSauced by contributing to their open source projects.*

My Background and Passion

My desire to know how the web works has always been my driving force. So from the day I was given my first mobile phone (Nokia s2) in the year 2010, I took it upon myself to explore this little gadget at my disposal.

In 2020, during the covid 19 pandemic, I started learning the basics of the web (HTML, CSS & Javascript) with a friend (a graphic designer) who also was trying to transition into UI/UX design. Luckily, I got my first job at Softkodesllc which didn’t last long due to my lack of experience. So I kept on learning until I got into open source.

How I got to know about open source

In a Twitter space by @ShawnBasquiat(The HUNT) was the first place I heard about open source and ways to contribute to open source. Then I ran into a video on YouTube talking about how to make your first contributions to open source projects.

The life-changing move I took that led to the AHA! moment

After listening to the talks and tips from the space, I decided to set a 30-days target for myself to make contributions to open source projects in the month of August 2022. I got my first PR up on the 3rd of the same month https://github.com/open-sauced/hot/pull/285.

My first PR in open source

The second and third PR followed on the 4th

At first, I was confused about how to start, but when I took up the courage to pick up my first issue, it all started making sense πŸ˜‡πŸ˜‡πŸ˜‡. I got a warm welcome on my first contribution which resulted in me wanting to make more and more contributions to the same project πŸ”₯πŸ”₯ (all thanks to @bdougieyo).

A message from brian douglas when I made my PR πŸ•

The AHA! moment

Shortly after my contributions, I got a message from the CEO of OpenSauced.

brian douglas messsage to me about a contract

It all seemed like magic to me at first 😊😊...but it was reality! My first step towards working in public earned me a Software Engineering role πŸ•πŸ•

That's my short story on how I got hired making open-source contributions πŸ’«πŸ’«

Tips

If you are looking to get started with open source, here are some tips to get started:

  • Choose a Project that Aligns with Your Interests: Start by identifying open-source projects that align with your passions and skills. Whether it's web development, machine learning, or design, finding a project that excites you will keep you motivated and engaged.

  • Start Small and Contribute: Begin by tackling small tasks or bugs within the project. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the codebase and workflow. Look for "good first issue" or "beginner-friendly" tags that indicate suitable tasks for newcomers.

  • Engage with the Community: Join the project's community forums, mailing lists, or chat channels. Introduce yourself, ask questions, and seek guidance from experienced contributors. Engaging with the community not only helps you learn but also opens doors to collaboration and mentorship opportunities.

  • Read Documentation and Code: Invest time in understanding the project's documentation and codebase. Familiarize yourself with the project's structure, coding conventions, and guidelines. This knowledge will help you navigate the code more efficiently and contribute effectively.

  • Embrace Feedback and Learn from Others: Open source is a collaborative environment, so be open to feedback from experienced contributors. Take constructive criticism positively and use it to improve your skills. Learning from others' code and approaches will also broaden your understanding of best practices.

With these few tips listed, you can kick-start your journey into open source.

If you find this article helpful, then click on the follow button to get more updates and helpful resources on JavaScript, Reactjs, and Next.js. You can also follow me on Twitter @OgDev-01 to get useful resources and tech trends or on OpenSauced to see what contributions I've been making and the ones I highlight! Stay saucy! πŸ•πŸ•

_This is not fiction. However, this piece does not guarantee the desired result you might need. It is designed to point you toward the right path. And as it was coined in Fiedler’s Contingency Theory _

There is no one best way to get things done.

Hence, there is a need for a contingency plan

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Top comments (83)

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eageringdev profile image
Eagering Dev β€’

Thank you for sharing your experience in contributing open source project.

Actually, I am now looking for a open-source project to which I can contribute.

I'd love to connect with you learn from your experience in this field.

Best.

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

Great!. Dms are openπŸ•πŸ•

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eageringdev profile image
Eagering Dev β€’

What is your telegram handle, or discord?

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

Discord .ogdev

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eageringdev profile image
Eagering Dev β€’

I sent FR to you.
My discord handle is golddy0611

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

Request accepted!

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lawrencev profile image
lawrence-V β€’

i sent you fr in discord

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lawrencev profile image
lawrence-V β€’

I like also interested to contribute id love also to connect

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lawrencev profile image
lawrence-V β€’

Discord renz

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olisb profile image
olisb β€’

If anyone here is looking for an open source project to contribute to check out murmurations.network - the decentralised data sharing project. We've built a bunch of open source tools and services to help make data open and interoperable between different websites and networks, and are now looking to roll out some Wordpress tools to make it easy for WP Admins to share data between Wordpress sites... we'd love more people to contribute and even become part of the core team :)

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geektousif profile image
geektousif β€’

hey, I am interested. How can I contact you ? I want to know more about the project.

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olisb profile image
olisb β€’
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michaeltharrington profile image
Michael Tharrington β€’

Best cover image I've seen all day, haha! πŸ•

Good content too! Congrats on getting the gig and awesome list of tips. πŸ™Œ

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

Thanks @michaeltharrington 😊😊

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elijahtrillionz profile image
Elijah Trillionz β€’

Great read.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I've been an Open source enthusiast for far too long now, I need to really dive in and make contributions for real now.

Open source is really a fun way of gathering experience as well

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’ β€’ Edited

You can start from here dev.to/opensauced/open-source-101-...

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elijahtrillionz profile image
Elijah Trillionz β€’

Thanks
Will do

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tharapearlly profile image
Thara Pearlly β€’

After reading this blog, I went on my quest to put myself out there. I checked out few repos that has beginner friendly, good for first time issues. But all of them are already assigned/ taken up by someone else.

How can I get the issue assigned to me / how do I get myself a issue to work on ?

Help me out here pls

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

Hey @tharapearlly, the best good first issues is the one you created yourself. Try going through the product and understand the project itself, and In the process of testing and understanding the product, you'll get your good first issue. Also remember to go through the projects contribution guide to understand how to assign issues to yourselfπŸ•

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tharapearlly profile image
Thara Pearlly β€’

Okay, that's a good advice. Let me try that.
Thanks 😊

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0vortex profile image
TED Vortex (Teodor Eugen DuΘ›ulescu) β€’

Remember that contribution, good times!

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og_dev profile image
OGBONNA SUNDAY β€’

You made the process easy for me @0vortex . Thanks πŸ• 😊

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0vortex profile image
TED Vortex (Teodor Eugen DuΘ›ulescu) β€’

Very happy to see you do the same for others! πŸ•

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danielasaboro profile image
danielAsaboro β€’

Dude, congratulations.

I've got two questions for you?

  1. How did you come about that cover design? It's hard...ngl
  2. Since attending Oscafest last month, I've been looking to contribute to OPen sauce, and my plan is to get a group of people (not more than 5) who will dedicate a minimum of 5hrs/week to it. Would you be willing to jump in from time to time to offer some tips and guidance? No problem if it doesn't fit your schedule...I understand.

thank you

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scooterland profile image
scotta β€’

Getting hired by contributing to open source projects can be a valuable way to showcase your skills, collaborate with a diverse community, and demonstrate your passion for software development. Here are some steps you can take to increase your chances of getting hired through open source contributions: Research and identify open source projects that align with your interests, skills like virtual assistant for lawyers , and the technologies you want to work with. Look for projects that have an active community and are welcoming to newcomers. Begin by tackling smaller tasks or issues within the project. This allows you to familiarize yourself with the codebase, understand the project's workflow, and gain credibility within the community. Join the project's communication channels, such as mailing lists, forums, or chat platforms, and introduce yourself. Ask questions, seek guidance, and contribute to discussions. Building relationships with the project's maintainers and other contributors can help you gain visibility and demonstrate your commitment.

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thehashrocket profile image
Jason Shultz β€’

Not only does contributing to open source projects get you exposure in the industry, but you’re also doing good by helping to improve these projects for others. So much of what we do for a living is built on open source software, it’s important to remember that we all play a part in helping that work to continue for future generations.

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mleo999 profile image
Michael Leo β€’

I'm looking for an engineer that can help support Apache HTTPD, Tomcat, TomEE, and ActiveMQ for customers that pay for such support. We help our customers with configuration and installation issues, and we notify them of CVEs, providing custom builds with mitigations as soon as possible. We often contribute the fixes back to open source. We also maintain custom versions that are no longer supported by the open source community, backporting CVEs to those.

This is not an entry level position, and would also include development work for our customers as the above is likely about 50%. This person needs to be a J2EE developer, Java developer, with the ability to build, patch, test, and have deep knowledge of "classic J2EE", not just Spring. There is a lot of "command line work". You need to be familiar with build tools including Maven and Ant (yes, Tomcat is built with Ant). Experience with bash and Linux is very useful.

We are looking for a US Citizen residing in the US (our government customer requires it). Founded in 2006, we have always worked remotely, so you don't need to move. Hours are generally US day time. We have a generous benefits package and compensation.

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mleo999 profile image
Michael Leo β€’

If you are interested, send your resume to hr@kettleriverconsulting.com

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