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Ask HN: Whats more important in regards to finding a new job?

3 points by kbrisso ↗ HN
Would you spend time on a side project hosted on GitHub or practicing algorithms? I'm finding myself chasing my tail at times. I do have a full time job but I want to find something else to do. I would like to get job using Electron/React or React native (don't hate - I find Electron fun to build desktop apps) so I'm building a project that uses Electron/React so I can get the experience.

4 comments

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hunglee2
I feel that your approach might be too instrumental to be effective.

I get it that you want to find and convert the best opportunity in the most optimal time, but sometimes the best idea is to lean into you want you enjoy to do, especially if that thing is professionally relevant.

It's a long way to say 'build a project using Electron/React but don't do it just to get a job'

kbrisso
I'm not learning it to get a job. I'm actually building a file manager/database for my wife's Cricut images. I found building desktop app/UI's was fun again. I hadn't built a desktop app in a long while, last one was Java Swing. After using it for a bit I figured it might be a nice niche tool set or skill to get good at to find a better place to work. It's a tough choice doing what you like (building an app) or learning algorithms - one is more enjoyable than the other.
Simp4Zuck
I don't get this question. Where do you want to work?

If it's faang then leetcode & grokking the system design interview will work for entry/mid level. Otherwise it seems to vary from startup to startup in terms of how they'll assess you.

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