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.

The second and third PR followed on the 4th

• https://github.com/open-sauced/hot/pull/290
• https://github.com/open-sauced/hot/pull/292

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 😇😇😇. I got a warm welcome on my first contribution which resulted in me wanting to make more and more contributions to the same project 🔥🔥 (all thanks to @bdougieyo).

The AHA! moment

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

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 🍕🍕

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

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! 🍕🍕

_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

Comments

[Shaikh Bilal]

Thanks for sharing your experience

[Michael Leo]

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.

[Michael Leo]

If you are interested, send your resume to [e-mail]

[Zabihullah_Yaqubi]

Thanks a lot to sharing your experience and time to guide us to right way have a good time

[Zabihullah_Yaqubi]

Thanks for all things

[Efuetanu Collins]

Thanks for sharing it was quite very helpful

[Zishan Ahmad]

Hi there,

I am really inspired by the journey on how you started contributing to open source and got hired in OpenSauced

As a final year student eager to move into open source and pursue internship/full-time opportunities, I'm curious about which projects I should focus on. I understand not all open source companies actively hire, so how do I choose the right projects to maximize my chances of getting hired through open source contributions? If you have any guidance or insights to share, I'd greatly appreciate it.

[weatherInMay]

I shared this post of yours on 1024.
Securing a Job Through My Open Source Contributions

[Munaim Khan]

Many many thank you for sharing your open source project experience.
I also think that contributing to open source project is really helpful to get a job in tech fields.
I will try it must.
Great!

[Hassan Suhaib]

Awesome! I'm trying to take the same path because it's really difficult to stand out from the crowd with your resume but if you make your mark on GitHub by contributing then it's very certain that someone is going to reach out to you with an opportunity.

[Jason Shultz]

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.