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Open Source Helps New IT Grads Get Foot in the Door

Posted by timothy on from the ocasional-bright-spot dept.

Yes, some US IT jobs are disappearing, but Linux.com (which shares a corporate overlord with Slashdot) has a recent story emphasizing the job advantage that involvement in open source projects can give young programmers who aren't planning to ditch their dreams of making a living in the field. The article focuses on one programmer's experience with Google's Summer of Code, which led directly to her job working on the Drupal content-management system. But the underlying message (that involvement in open source projects provides a background of experience otherwise difficult to obtain because of the chicken-and-egg problem of "experience required" job opportunities) is generalizable to many other forms of open-source involvement. Do you have a job that you landed because of your unpaid open-source programming?

3 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. A little... by 19061969 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I got some small-level consultancy stuff through volunteer open source programming but nothing serious. Employers value non-volunteer experience far more than just about anything else (unless they are deliberately aiming to pick up new graduates). The consultancy helps a little in terms of experience, but except for the payment, none of it was particularly useful.

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  2. Re:But how does it help non programmers and PHB wh by poolmeister · · Score: 3, Informative

    I'm a senior HP-UX & Linux sysadmin now purely thanks to free software such as GNU/Linux, BSD, HTTPD & MySQL which enabled me to start learning the concepts of Unix style OSs, databases and their benefits without having to shell out for expensive software packages and courses.
    These skills then easily transferable to the other Unix OSs such as HP-UX, AIX, Solaris etc. which you're unlikely to ever touch unless you're paid to do so.

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  3. Re:Sounds like... by justhatched · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have not only employed developers based on their involvement in FOSS projects, but actually use it to cull the list of prospects - ie no visibilty in a FOSS project, application goes in the bin. The ease of getting involved has no bearing on what it takes to deliver valuable code. There are a few others doing this in Australia, and although it may be limited I believe it is a growing trend. The reason is not the demonstration of touchy-feely tree-hugging volunteering by the applicants, but that the best developers do not switch off at 5PM, and they are always looking for new ways to excercise their skills and increase their knowledge. The fruits of their journeys are also visible for like minded or simply pragmatic business people to leverage against competitors. Competitors that do not get that employing average gets you average results.