Ooooh, side projects. â¨
If done rightâthey can break you into tech with Kool-Aid-Man-through-the-wall like power. đĽ
The right project can take you from saying you have a skill to tangibly showing you do through the results of your project.
In this weekâs newsletter, we are going to reveal a 3-step framework to turn a side project into your dream role:
How to find the perfect project for your goals
How to get over the hurdles of starting
How to leverage it to land a role in tech
Letâs get started.
#1 Tailoring a project just for you
Not all side projects are created equal. â
The more your project directly translates to your desired position the better.
Here is an excellent strategy to accomplish this:
Determine what your desired position is
Read a bunch of job listings for it across companies
Take note of the top 3-5 skills that were listed the most
Strategize how to create an opportunity for yourself to obtain them âŹď¸
Examples:
Desired position: Product Manager
Needed skills: Leadership, task management, project scheduling
Side project ideas: Start a project in Figma, create a pitch deck for a product
Desired position: Copywriter
Needed skills: SEO, user experience, marketing awareness
Side project ideas: Starting a blog, newsletter, managing a social media account
#2 Perfectionism isnât the wayâitâs in the way
Youâve got your project idea. Now itâs time to get started. đ
Starting something new is already scary. But add on perfectionism and sky-high expectationsâfear of not measuring up can fuel your procrastination.
Itâs great to want to be excellent in what you doâbut realize that striving for perfection is chasing after an illusion. Perfect doesnât exist. And especially when youâre learning something new!
How to kill perfectionism: The 70% Rule
Donât aim for 100% đ aim for 70%
If one day you asked yourself:
Could I get up and create a podcast to rival The Joe Rogan Experience and The Daily?
The answer would likely be NO. And no action would be made.
But if you ask yourself instead:
Could I get up and create a slightly above-average podcast episode?
The answer will almost always be YES. â And you would have run out of excuses.
#3 How to leverage your project
Document the process of your project from beginning to finish so you can relay all the important details to a recruiter or hiring manager. đ
Provide credibility indicators: metrics, achievements, user counts, ratings, publication features, etc.
Post your process of making it on Medium or Linkedin: what you learned, what went well, the challenges you faced, etc.
So get out there and get started! And guess what?! Weâve already curated a list to help you do just that. đ
But firstâAn update on Tech Podâs secret project: đ¤Ť
Hey whales! Pull out your calendars, because this Monday weâre releasing a new thing just for youâthat we know youâre going to love. đ
I really canât say too much buuuut⌠đ
Weâve listened to your feedback.
And weâre bringing our whales together like never before.
See you soon, cheers!
Your Curated Side Project Resources:
Every single step to make a podcast đ
How to get started making and selling merch on the side đ§ś
How to launch a killer newsletter đŹ
How to start a blog: step by step âď¸
Ultimate guide to launching a Shopify store đ
Internships. You want âem, we got âem đ
PRODUCT
Product Marketing Analyst, TikTok
Product Development, SharkNinja
MARKETING
TikTok Content Creator, Every Man Jack
Marketing Analytics Manager, Lytx, Inc.
SALES & PARTNERSHIPS
Business Development Analyst Partnerships, Wish
COMMUNICATIONS
Internal Communications Manager, Facebook
Internal Communications, Houzz
Internal Content Editorial, Stripe
đ
Written by Jacqueline Mastrelli