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🚀 Pitch Yourself for Jobs: Build Your Developer Toolkit the Microsoft Way

#webdev #beginners #microsoft #programming

“Never miss a chance to showcase who you are — your skills, your story, your spark.”

Whether you're stepping into college life or gearing up for internships and job hunts, your developer presence is your digital handshake — and Microsoft’s developer tools give you the perfect ecosystem to make that handshake strong and confident.

From Visual Studio Code to GitHub, Overleaf, and Azure, you’re just a few clicks away from building a rock-solid personal brand with tools that scale with your career.

Let’s walk through how to set up your developer toolkit, one profile at a time.

💻 Step 1: Set Up Visual Studio Code – Your Developer Workspace

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is the go-to editor for students and professionals — especially if you're working with:

  • 🐍 Python
  • 🌐 JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS
  • ☁️ Azure Functions & REST APIs
  • 🤖 AI and ML projects

VS Code comes with:

  • 💡 IntelliSense (smart code suggestions)
  • 🧠 GitHub Copilot
  • 🔍 Built-in Git & GitHub integration
  • ⚡ Extensions for every language and framework

🛠 Extensions to Install:

  • Python
  • GitHub Copilot
  • Live Server
  • Prettier
  • Jupyter
  • Azure Tools
  • C# (for .NET developers)

🐙 Step 2: GitHub – Your Developer Portfolio

GitHub is your code portfolio — and recruiters do look at it.

✅ Use it to:

  • Host code publicly
  • Track project changes with Git
  • Write awesome README files
  • Deploy web apps with GitHub Pages
  • Collaborate with others using issues and pull requests

💡 Learn Git the fun way on Microsoft Learn

🎓 GitHub Student Developer Pack

Claim it here →

Get FREE access to:

  • GitHub Copilot Pro
  • Overleaf Pro
  • Canva Pro
  • Namecheap domain (.me)
  • MongoDB Atlas
  • Microsoft Azure credits
  • Replit Hacker Plan
  • Educative.io, JetBrains IDEs, and more!

🧠 Want to host a Flask app? Use Azure App Service or Replit with custom domains from this pack.

👩‍💼 Step 3: Set Up Your LinkedIn – Professional Branding

A strong LinkedIn profile shows you're developer-ready, even if you're still in college.

📌 Add:

  • Clear profile photo
  • About section mentioning your developer stack
  • Project links (GitHub, portfolio)
  • Skills: Python, VS Code, Azure, Git, HTML/CSS
  • Certifications (e.g., from Microsoft Learn)

💬 Mention your involvement in:

📄 Step 4: Use Overleaf + LaTeX for an ATS-Friendly Resume

Overleaf lets you build LaTeX resumes that are:

  • Clean
  • Professional
  • ATS-compliant

🎁 Activate Overleaf Pro using your GitHub Student Pack.

📝 Use templates like:

  • Deedy Resume
  • Awesome CV
  • One Column Minimal

Include:

  • GitHub & LinkedIn
  • Key projects with impact
  • Action verbs: “Built,” “Optimized,” “Automated”
  • Certifications (Microsoft Learn, Azure AI, etc.)

💼 Check out Microsoft’s Imagine Cup to see great student projects and how resumes & portfolios are part of pitching!

🌐 Step 5: Build Your Developer Portfolio Website

Your portfolio = your personal brand on the web.

Tools:

  • GitHub Pages + free domain via Namecheap
  • Python Flask or FastAPI projects with Azure App Service
  • Framer or Canva Sites (no-code options)
  • Astro, React, Svelte, or Next.js for modern devs

☁️ Want to show AI demos or REST APIs? Use Azure Functions or Azure Container Apps.

🧰 Bonus Tools and Tech to Explore

Microsoft Developer Ecosystem

Additional Tools

  • Dev.to for writing technical blogs
  • Obsidian or Notion for knowledge management
  • Figma or Canva for design
  • Replit and CodeSandbox for quick prototyping
  • Deta, Render, or Railway for backend hosting

🎯 Wrap-Up: You’re Ready to Pitch Yourself

With:

  • ✅ VS Code — your dev workspace
  • ✅ GitHub — your code portfolio
  • ✅ LinkedIn — your professional face
  • ✅ Overleaf — your clean resume
  • ✅ Azure — your cloud playground
  • ✅ Portfolio website — your personal brand

You're no longer just a student. You're a Microsoft-powered developer-in-progress.

✨ Start small. Be consistent. Build in public.

🎤 And never miss a chance to pitch yourself.

💬 Let’s Connect

Was this helpful? Share your GitHub or portfolio link in the comments!

✍️ Written by: Deepthi Balasubramanian

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