Background: I have a decade of experience in the IT industry, starting as an engineer and working with a wide range of technologies and platforms, including Java, Python, AWS, and distributed systems. Recently, I transitioned into program management. Throughout my career, I’ve conducted over a hundred interviews for various technical roles, from DevOps to software development.
I don’t believe there’s a clear-cut threshold for what qualifies as a project worth adding to your resume. It really depends on several factors, including the role you're applying for and your level of experience. For instance, if you’re applying for a role that demands five years of Python experience, listing Python as a skill might not be appropriate if your only project is an attendance tracker.
As an interviewer, I’m particularly interested in projects that demonstrate how you’ve solved real-world problems or made
your life easier. I value practical applications that you can relate to everyday scenarios. What matters to me is understanding your thought process and the challenges you encountered during the project. I’m less concerned with whether you know every Python function, because in real-life situations, tools like Google and ChatGPT are available for that. What’s more important is how you approach problems, what your thought process is like, and how you behave when you're backed against a wall.
For UNIX, I look for a strong comfort level with the command line, your ability to navigate UNIX systems, and skills like shell scripting, networking, and managing permissions. For AWS, I’m interested in understanding which services you’re familiar with and how you’ve applied them, either in your personal projects or past corporate roles.
