Quick discussion post.
If you were starting from scratch in 2026 and could build only one thing to help you get hired, what would you build first?
I’m not asking for “the perfect project”. I’m curious what signals matter most right now.
Quick poll (pick one)
- [ ] A clone (Netflix/Twitter/Spotify style)
- [ ] A small real product (one problem, solved well)
- [ ] A technical demo (one skill, shown deeply)
- [ ] Open-source contributions (PRs + collaboration)
Why that choice?
When someone says “build a project”, it can mean different goals:
- “Can you ship something end-to-end?”
- “Do you have depth in one area?”
- “Can you collaborate with others?”
Which one matters most to you in 2026?
What matters more than the idea?
If you review junior portfolios (or you’ve been hired recently), what’s the #1 thing you pay attention to?
- A live demo (deployed)
- A clear README (setup + decisions)
- UI/UX polish
- Tests
- Performance details
- Security basics
- Code quality
Your turn
1) What would you build first to get hired? (1–2 sentences)
2) What’s the #1 thing you look for in a junior portfolio?
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