Wow.. that indeed was a very very good advices. Thank you so much for your time to give a very detailed list in the areas that I must improve.
1) I did not understand about "most code on the initial commit". I have been updating the code basically every day. Is it because I have a dummy account? Like the accomplishment I wrote in the README, I recently put the dates I accomplish them.
2) About the repos, I think it has a lot because I recently cancelled the subscription. And I can't put them back to private. I will consider paying for the subscription and add back to private.
3) CalendarData is a repo where I can modify it with my app called: "MyAgenda" which is private since it contains a key to make HTTP requests via Basic Authorization.
Ahh, sorry, an initial commit is the first commit you do on a repository. In this case, I noticed that most of the code logic was on this commit (https://github.com/woguan/Legend-Wings/commit/0df03c7657cc13...). It's actually better to have multiple commits to show your progress and thought process.
Well, the nice thing about git is that you can just remove the repo from GitHub and then push it back later. I would definitely recommend removing things like tutorials. I personally would rather see your school work than tutorials. Referring to (https://github.com/woguan/FlappySwift/commits/master)
For CalendarData, it might be better to add a README and add some context to it. Better yet, it's probably better to just hide it altogether since I interpreted the repo as you learning how to use JSON 6 months ago. If you need to store the JSON somewhere, one suggestion is to use gists https://gist.github.com/.
To publish private code that requires a private key, look into ENV variables.
These links might be able to help you if you don't know about ENVs already.
1) I am thinking to create a web/blog to put those in. I thought that it might interested people to know what are the new features I am working on or will be working on. Beside the To-Dos, I do not know what else I can talk about the project
3) This is a good idea. Like I mentioned in (1), I will see if I can make a good looking blog and put the link on README
I really did not want to do it. But after some pressure from people who has a full-time job... they told me just because I am qualified for that job it does not guarantee me a job. And most recruiter would just toss my resume away within 5s for not having experience. Because of all the pressure, I decided to send multiple applications.
In addition to that, I was asked to even apply for jobs that I am not totally qualified for. Like... If I am qualified for 50% of what they ask, I should submit my application. But again, I used to only to apply for position that I met all qualifications
Since you have mentioned freelance, I do actually have an account at Upwork. But I did not complete my full application yet. I just keep thinking, I do not have an actual job, and I have not delivered a project. Summing up these two issues, how possibly people would "believe" me?
There are so many high profiles in there.. what are the chances I might be asked to do a job?
I am considering to be a freelancer after I get an actual jobs, and have a couple years of experience to proof I can do it.
In my case, freelance always was through a friend-of-a-friend. And those freelance jobs were nothing major.
For example, looking at your example project, thing that I did as a work for hire seemed to have been simpler.
There was an existing android app showing on 3 screens weather in Dubai or Abudabi (I don't really remember anymore) and I were to write the IOS port.
The reason why the guy chose me, even though I neither had an actual job, nor delivered a project was that he knew me personally for a really long time :-)
So, if I were in your shoes, I would literally be emailing classmates I liked working on projects during school and asking them for work, because that is what I did and it worked out well for me :-)
I used to send 1~2 application each week between the time when I was still a student and couple weeks after my graduation. But as times goes by, I started to increase the rate.
As others have pointed out, something doesn't seem right.
There is a red flag in your application and you need to find it.
Are you 50+ years old? A non-citizen (visa required etc)? Degree is from a foreign school?
If no to all of the above then you should be fine as soon as you had a few people review your resume.
If you answered yes to any of the above then the situation may be different.
Edit: ok I checked your profile - you are based in Dublin, and you are not 50 years old... Given your Chinese(?) background, do you have any problems working in Dublin (visas etc) that might scare an employer? Are you a citizen so you are free to find work anywhere in the EU? Would you want to move?
I am taking a short break to learn my mistakes. And your post is very interesting.
1) I have never spent over an hour writing a cover letter. I think the longest is 30 minutes, and in average I would say 10 minutes (Not including the time I spent looking their website)
2) I do include my phone number in both resume and cover letter. I have double checked it as well.
3) Yes, I need to work on this. I am quite inconsistent, some weeks I send only 5 where as others I send over 20.
4) I will definitely work on this
6) I have recently working on my LinkedIn profile to make it more professional.
Many people told me to go to meetups. I know I must do this, but what pushes me back is that I have lack of social skills. I am trying to overcome this and I am planning to join an iOS group that I just found online.
