3 Assets Every CS Student Should Start Building
If I could back to the college days, I would certainly do somethings differently. So, now as a professional, I want to share three assets that every undergraduate Computer Science student should start developing during their college years. By doing this, you will set up your path to land a job once you graduate.
LinkedIn Profile
I can’t stress this one enough. LinkedIn has turned into the social network for professionals. Most likely the professionals you may encounter in meetups and conferences will probably have a LinkedIn profile. So, my advice to all CS students is to start building your LinkedIn profile while you are completing your degree. Do not wait until you graduate to start connecting with fellow developers, recruiters, and classmates. Time goes fast, you will be graduating before know it. So, LinkedIn is a great way to stay in touch with the people you meet during and after your college years. Heck, you can get a job by making long-lasting relationships with people through LinkedIn. Also, you can search for jobs and study the market to learn the skills you are lacking to land your first job fresh out of college.
It is simple to create an account. But even better, it’s free. Just head on to their website and start building your profile.
GitHub Account
This one is tied at number one with the LinkedIn profile. Having a GitHub account will help you showcase to potential employers that you know how to code. Also, if you keep working on it constantly through time, you will build a timeline that will demonstrate how far you have come as a software developer. This is a great conversation topic for interviews and potential employers can see how much you have grown. Furthermore, it will build confidence and on the employer to hire you.
Like the LinkedIn profile, it’s also free to create your GitHub account. Just head over to GitHub.com. Additionally, check their free student pack. It has some great software development tools and benefits for any CS student. Just sign up with your .edu email address. It’s as simple as that.
Personal Portfolio Website
A personal portfolio website is a great way to market yourself as a software developer. By building a portfolio you can share with others on the Internet the projects you have worked on, your skills and accomplishments. This website does not have to be anything fancy, just a simple HTML, CSS website that will have sections such as an about, projects and contact page. It is up to you what content to display on this website.
Using the portfolio and marketing it properly, it can open doors to your career and totally change your professional career. You never know who comes across your portfolio and thinks you are a great fit for their team. If you would like to check out an example, feel free to check out mine. Sure, for this one you should invest some money, just as hosting. But no worries, there are ton of affordable hosting solutions on the Internet. However, the return on this investment may be 4 times or more on what you can achieve with having an excellent portfolio.
In hindsight, every Computer Science student should start working on developing their professional assets while they are in school. It is easy, and mostly free. So, what are you waiting for? Start working!
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Originally published at yadielcabrera.com on May 25, 2018.
