How to Start a Side Project That Actually Gets You Hired

By Amna Bakr

If you want to make a mark in engineering, it helps to go beyond just focusing on your grades and coursework. The engineering industry is a vast, competitive field filled with ambitious students just like you, each striving to stand out, whether through top grades or campus involvement.

But something that truly sets students apart is creativity and a clear sense of purpose. The candidates who capture recruiters’ attention are those who have found their voice and are driven by a mission they believe in and have the courage to pursue it.

Find the issue you want to fix

Remember, the only passion projects that truly become successful are the ones that you care about and are motivated enough to finish.

So, ask yourself these three questions:

Is there something annoying me at school or work?

Is there a tool I wish to create?

Can I improve any tool that I’m currently using?

Some ideas of real-life issues that can be transformed into tools include:

Mobile app to track people’s sleeping

Transit app to help track buses accurately

Mobile apps that are designed to take notes to assist students with disabilities during lectures

Dedicate time to working on this project

During the school year, you might find it harder to spend tons of time working on your side hustle. You can start slow, even as much as promising yourself at least 20 minutes to an hour each week to work on your own passion project.

Take it easy and always keep track of your progress!

Take notes of what has changed every week of your project

Plan, set a goal you want to achieve each month

Share your progress with friends and family

Find partners to include in your project

Whether it’s a large or small project, finding friends or classmates to work with you can help introduce ideas and new creative functions into the hustle. It can also enlarge the project when each person is assigned a specific role to work on.

To keep the group work organized, try:

Dividing roles equally among all members

Have group meetings to discuss new ideas for the project

Sharing project goals and celebrating achievements with the team

Market and share your project with Professionals:

When the final project is done, share it with some of your favourite professors. They can help you advertise your project to people in the industry. When you’re applying for engineering jobs, make sure to include this project on your resume to stand out to recruiters!

No matter if you're just starting your first year or preparing to graduate, now is a great time to take that passion project you've been dreaming about to the next level. You never know where it might lead.