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I'm polling to see what choices can I make during my spare time, while I'm looking for a job. I'm a recent graduate, so I no longer am in school.
I feel like I need to brush up on some of the stuffs taught in class, but another part of me felt like finishing up on the open-source project that I'm working on. What to choose?
If anyone have a better choice for me to do something else more productive, which also benefits me while job seeking, please specify, so I can take a look.
Bringing your open source project to at least a minimum viable product stage with a reasonable level of polish would go a long way in convincing an employer that you're able to actually finish a project and have it working. Even if there is more to add or room to expand it, consider aiming to get your project to a point where it is easy to use and does its primary job well. Doesn't need to be perfect, doesn't need to be 'finished' with nothing at all left for you to consider, but if I'm looking at some new potential hires and have a bunch of coders who have 'I solved all the problems in my textbook', and then I have "I have this project 'finished' after I completely university", well I personally am going to be far more interested in hearing more about the project I've never seen before rather than the textbook problem I've come across dozens of times.
Consider applying for an internship in a good company, then prove yourself worthy and they will give you a job. That's a theory that I haven't personally tried though.
Finish the project. Plus build up some portfolio site (some blogspot like thing would suffice), if you have things to put in it. You could even make some small and simple games with reasonable level of polish (I guess you want to be a game developer). I got a few offers because of my medicore portfolio.
Enter a contest, or Ludum Dare.
Consider applying for an internship in a good company, then prove yourself worthy and they will give you a job. That's a theory that I haven't personally tried though.
Problem is, I get turned down for internships because they are mostly looking for undergraduates who are still in school, instead of me who is in the transitioning phase from Masters to Doctorate.
