As a hobbyist developer, what are the odds of getting hired as a pro?

Question

I've created some OSS projects, one of them being Monica [1], an open source CRM which pops up sometimes on HN. The project has more than 20k+ stars and a lot of contributors. I've also created other projects (OfficeLife [2], Bivouac [3]).However, all these are passion projects, worked on at nights and weekends. My day job is about project management (currently a very senior position) at various big corps.I would like to switch careers and become a professional full stack developer. I can't choose between backend and frontend since I've done everything on my projects. I only know Laravel, Vue 3, HTMX. I have to deploy my projects myself, maintain them myself, and design everything myself.I'm not an expert in anything, but I know a bit of everything that is required to ship something that works.That being said, what are the chances of being hired as a professional developer? Will I be taken seriously?[1]: https://github.com/monicahq/monica [2]: https://github.com/officelifehq/officelife [3]: https://github.com/djaiss/bivouac

heldrida · Accepted Answer

If that's what you want to do for a living, apply for PHP roles. 20k+ starts project, that's a very good story to share during an interview. If you know how to communicate, which I believe as a Senior PM you are, then you can look into leading a project, as long you are clear and frank about what your limitations are you are fine! Good luck ;)

kosasbest · Answer

> I'm not an expert in anything, but I know a bit of everything that is required to ship something that worksThe landscape is always changing, potential employers change their requirements, so you need to know $framework or $language of the month. My advice is be agile and adapt. Don't get set in your ways with a strategy that only works for you.

PaulHoule · Answer

Excellent. Today you might have to work a little (ok a lot) harder to get a job than a year ago but a developer who has a portfolio has a chance, I think the project management experience is worth something too, particularly in a startup. You might take a pay cut though.

t-3 · Answer

The only reason I can see you not being taken seriously is that you might seem too expensive or that "stepping down" into more of an individual-contributor role may be seen as incomprehensible and scare people away.

houseatrielah · Answer

Depends on what salary you are looking for. If you want the coveted FANG jobs, as I understand it, you'll have to grind leetcode. There's a bit of a downturn right now, so don't let that dampen your efforts.

gjvc · Answer

quickest way to hate your hobby, if you're not careful what company you fall into