# Open-Source Portfolios ## Your Ticket to a Successful Career Presented at Zone01 Rouen, France December 18, 2023 Speaker: Manfred Touron (@moul) --- ## Disclaimer Today, I share a different path. A path of defying norms, of finding your niche, of harnessing open-source. A path that turns your portfolio into your power. This is my story. It might not be for everyone, but it could be yours. ---  --- ## Who am I - VP of Engineering at [gno.land](https://gno.land) - Founder of [berty.tech](https://berty.tech), [scaleway.com](https://scaleway.com) - Gopher since 2012, Open-Sourcerer since 2011 - Contributed to over 500 open-source projects - #oss, #blockchain, #p2p, #cryptography --- ## The Power of Open Source Open-source is more than code. It's a **boost for your skills**, a **spotlight on your niche**, a **toolbox for your projects**. It's a **job fair**. It's a **team sport**. > "Opportunity often looks like work." -- Thomas Edison --- ## The Power of an Open-Source Portfolio An open-source portfolio is your secret weapon. It makes you more hireable, more discoverable by recruiters. It turns you into a standout candidate. It can even let you bypass technical tests. In short, it's your ticket to a successful career in IT. --- ## Stand Out from the Crowd Don't be just another student. Don't be _'I do C and Go'_. That's common. Be unique. Be invaluable. Stand out. Want to be different? Specialize. Be 'medical + code'. Be 'security'. Be 'infrastructure'. Be 'blockchain'. Be 'AI'. Be 'P2P'. Be 'Math'. Be 'Music'. Be 'Gaming'. Be 'Data Science'. Be 'Machine Learning'. Be 'Quantum Computing'. Be 'VR/AR'. Be 'IoT'. Be 'Robotics'. Be 'Bioinformatics'. Be 'Astronomy'. Be 'Climate Change'. Be 'Education'. Be 'Healthcare'. Be 'Fintech'. Be 'E-commerce'. Be 'Social Impact'. Be 'Ethics'. Be 'Policy'. Be 'Art'. Be 'Fashion'. Be 'Travel'. Be 'Food'. Be 'Sports'. Be 'Sustainability'. Be 'Space'. Be 'Automotive'. Be 'Real Estate'. Be 'Agriculture'. Be 'Energy'. Be 'Non-profit'. Be 'Government'. Be 'Human Rights'. Be 'Diversity'. Be 'Accessibility'. Be 'Mental Health'. Be 'Community Building'. Be 'Storytelling'. Be 'Philosophy'. Be 'History'. Be 'Literature'. Be 'Science'. Be 'Journalism'. Be 'Film'. Be 'Photography'. Be 'Design'. Be 'Architecture'. Be 'Theatre'. Be 'Dance'. Be 'Comedy'. Be 'Magic'. Be 'Circus'. Be 'Cartography'. Be 'Genealogy'. Be 'Meteor'... --- ## Fear of Open-Source 1/2 Open-source can be scary. Building in public? Showing your flaws? It's daunting. But perfection isn't the goal here. Good intentions are. Whether it's your own repo or someone else's, as long as you follow the contributing guidelines, you'll be welcomed, not insulted. And who knows, you might even get merged. --- ## Fear of Open-Source 2/2 For more insights, check out my previous presentation on open-source communities here: https://v1.manfred.life/opensource-communities-presentation  --- ## The Balancing Act School projects. Personal growth. A tricky juggle. Time's tight, deadlines clash, focus wavers. But remember, nothing worth having comes easy. It's a challenge, not an impossibility. Take the leap. Release your school projects or side projects on GitHub. It's your stage to shine, to show what you're capable of. Don't just stop at your projects. Give back to the community. Found a flaw? Make a pull request. Even a small fix counts. Take that first step. --- ## Do You Enjoy IT? Maybe you love IT school, or maybe you're happy as a cog in a big IT machine. That's okay. But if you crave advanced IT and challenges, consider this: being the best student isn't always the best path. Your time is precious. Use it wisely. --- ## Test the Waters How can you tell if IT is right for you? Take it for a test drive. An internship is a great opportunity to try it out. Dive into open-source, attend meetups, engage in IT beyond school. It's the ideal way to discover if you're passionate about the work or just the learning process. --- ## Get Involved Join us at ["Web3 Normandy"](https://w3n.fr) or the upcoming ["Demo Seine"](https://demoseine.com). Check out the ["Ventres Mous"](https://www.ventresmous.fr) hackerspace. And remember, choose your internship carefully. It's your first step into the world of IT. Make it count. --- ## Conclusion Remember my disclaimer. This is my journey, and the journey of many I've worked with. You have a choice. Embrace the comfort of big groups and a straightforward professional life. Or dive deeper, strive to become a recognized developer. The beauty of open-source? It's a no-strings-attached deal. Give it a shot, and if it's not for you, you can always step back. Your journey, your rules. --- # Demo Let's open-source this talk.