Putting projects from books on resume

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I've been reading a book called "Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". In this book, you create projects under the guidance of the author such as:




GeoQuiz: In your first app, you will explore the fundamentals of Android projects,activities, layouts, and explicit intents.



CriminalIntent The largest app in the book, CriminalIntent lets you keep a record of your colleagues’ lapses around the office. You will learn to use fragments, master-detail interfaces, list-backed interfaces, menus, the camera, implicit intents,and more.



BeatBox: Intimidate your foes with this app while you learn more about fragments, media playback, MVVM architecture, data binding, testing, themes, and drawables.




And more.



According to this thread, the general consensus is that you should not put books in your resume, rather put projects that showcase your experience.



However, would it be a good idea to put list projects such as those showcased above that one has made under the guidance of a book on one's resume?







share|improve this question
















  • 1




    Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
    – Wesley Long
    Aug 10 at 2:54










  • To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
    – Fattie
    Aug 10 at 7:22
















up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1












I've been reading a book called "Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". In this book, you create projects under the guidance of the author such as:




GeoQuiz: In your first app, you will explore the fundamentals of Android projects,activities, layouts, and explicit intents.



CriminalIntent The largest app in the book, CriminalIntent lets you keep a record of your colleagues’ lapses around the office. You will learn to use fragments, master-detail interfaces, list-backed interfaces, menus, the camera, implicit intents,and more.



BeatBox: Intimidate your foes with this app while you learn more about fragments, media playback, MVVM architecture, data binding, testing, themes, and drawables.




And more.



According to this thread, the general consensus is that you should not put books in your resume, rather put projects that showcase your experience.



However, would it be a good idea to put list projects such as those showcased above that one has made under the guidance of a book on one's resume?







share|improve this question
















  • 1




    Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
    – Wesley Long
    Aug 10 at 2:54










  • To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
    – Fattie
    Aug 10 at 7:22












up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1









up vote
1
down vote

favorite
1






1





I've been reading a book called "Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". In this book, you create projects under the guidance of the author such as:




GeoQuiz: In your first app, you will explore the fundamentals of Android projects,activities, layouts, and explicit intents.



CriminalIntent The largest app in the book, CriminalIntent lets you keep a record of your colleagues’ lapses around the office. You will learn to use fragments, master-detail interfaces, list-backed interfaces, menus, the camera, implicit intents,and more.



BeatBox: Intimidate your foes with this app while you learn more about fragments, media playback, MVVM architecture, data binding, testing, themes, and drawables.




And more.



According to this thread, the general consensus is that you should not put books in your resume, rather put projects that showcase your experience.



However, would it be a good idea to put list projects such as those showcased above that one has made under the guidance of a book on one's resume?







share|improve this question












I've been reading a book called "Android Programming: The Big Nerd Ranch Guide". In this book, you create projects under the guidance of the author such as:




GeoQuiz: In your first app, you will explore the fundamentals of Android projects,activities, layouts, and explicit intents.



CriminalIntent The largest app in the book, CriminalIntent lets you keep a record of your colleagues’ lapses around the office. You will learn to use fragments, master-detail interfaces, list-backed interfaces, menus, the camera, implicit intents,and more.



BeatBox: Intimidate your foes with this app while you learn more about fragments, media playback, MVVM architecture, data binding, testing, themes, and drawables.




And more.



According to this thread, the general consensus is that you should not put books in your resume, rather put projects that showcase your experience.



However, would it be a good idea to put list projects such as those showcased above that one has made under the guidance of a book on one's resume?









share|improve this question











share|improve this question




share|improve this question










asked Aug 10 at 2:21









user5628617

112




112







  • 1




    Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
    – Wesley Long
    Aug 10 at 2:54










  • To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
    – Fattie
    Aug 10 at 7:22












  • 1




    Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
    – Wesley Long
    Aug 10 at 2:54










  • To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
    – Fattie
    Aug 10 at 7:22







1




1




Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
– Wesley Long
Aug 10 at 2:54




Only if you were the author of the example and contributed it to the book.
– Wesley Long
Aug 10 at 2:54












To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
– Fattie
Aug 10 at 7:22




To be honest, this won't help you at all. Programming is such a difficult field. If you have MUCH experience and MUCH skill, you can easily get any job making a fortune. But if you do not have much experience, it's very hard to get started. Things like this honestly won't help.
– Fattie
Aug 10 at 7:22










2 Answers
2






active

oldest

votes

















up vote
6
down vote



accepted










No, these projects do not show your ability to take on a professional role.



The key thing projects try to demonstrate, in lieu of employement experience, is that you have experience of working on real-life problems and dealing with issues that arise during regular development.



Working from a book means you haven't:



  • Had to develop a solution from requirements, the solution was given to you.


  • Had to work in an unknown problem space, the book told you it would work ahead of time.


  • Had to solve unexpected issues that came from assumptions you made in the design. The book gives you an architecture, you knew it would work.


  • Had to experience and made decisions through the entire development cycle, from design to release. You made no real decisions with the book-projects.


  • Had to verify your solution works, against your own metrics. You knew the expected output from the book, and were able to check if your solution matched.


It may possibly show you have a basic grasp of that language's syntax (although it's likely the book will give you enough of that, so I wouldn't count on this).



But the real thing a project shows isn't your grasp of a language, but your ability to create a solution to a problem from scratch and implement a successful solution. These book-projects, do not demonstrate this.



I should add, that including these projects in amongst other "real" projects would still be a bad idea. The inclusion of these suggests you don't have experience, but also don't understand enough of development to know that you're even lacking that experience.






share|improve this answer



























    up vote
    4
    down vote













    No.



    Showing own projects on a resume has a single reason: Increasing the chance to get a job.



    Usually because an employer can see there if your code is good and clean, what libs you're familiar with, how you design your programs architecture, how you use CVS, etc.etc. - in short anything that gives them a (positive) image of how you work.

    Other than that, for some it's already positive if there are (non-commercial) projects, meaning the person doesn't do programming only for money, but because he/she likes it.

    And if some of your projects are somewhat known, and used by other people, it's of course great too.



    Listing such a book project (where you have book specifically guiding you through it, as well as the downloadable full solution, and the whole purpose often is plain silly ("Intimidate your foes" lol)) instead shows that you are not able to make bigger and more complicated things, that you have no serious projects that might be useful for at least one person, that you're a bit desperate to get a job, that you don't understand something about what employers want from you, etc.



    In short, all bad, so just don't do it.






    share|improve this answer






















    • Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
      – Mawg
      Aug 10 at 6:45






    • 2




      @Mawg Of course he could.
      – deviantfan
      Aug 10 at 6:49










    • I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
      – Mawg
      Aug 10 at 6:51










    Your Answer







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    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes








    2 Answers
    2






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes








    up vote
    6
    down vote



    accepted










    No, these projects do not show your ability to take on a professional role.



    The key thing projects try to demonstrate, in lieu of employement experience, is that you have experience of working on real-life problems and dealing with issues that arise during regular development.



    Working from a book means you haven't:



    • Had to develop a solution from requirements, the solution was given to you.


    • Had to work in an unknown problem space, the book told you it would work ahead of time.


    • Had to solve unexpected issues that came from assumptions you made in the design. The book gives you an architecture, you knew it would work.


    • Had to experience and made decisions through the entire development cycle, from design to release. You made no real decisions with the book-projects.


    • Had to verify your solution works, against your own metrics. You knew the expected output from the book, and were able to check if your solution matched.


    It may possibly show you have a basic grasp of that language's syntax (although it's likely the book will give you enough of that, so I wouldn't count on this).



    But the real thing a project shows isn't your grasp of a language, but your ability to create a solution to a problem from scratch and implement a successful solution. These book-projects, do not demonstrate this.



    I should add, that including these projects in amongst other "real" projects would still be a bad idea. The inclusion of these suggests you don't have experience, but also don't understand enough of development to know that you're even lacking that experience.






    share|improve this answer
























      up vote
      6
      down vote



      accepted










      No, these projects do not show your ability to take on a professional role.



      The key thing projects try to demonstrate, in lieu of employement experience, is that you have experience of working on real-life problems and dealing with issues that arise during regular development.



      Working from a book means you haven't:



      • Had to develop a solution from requirements, the solution was given to you.


      • Had to work in an unknown problem space, the book told you it would work ahead of time.


      • Had to solve unexpected issues that came from assumptions you made in the design. The book gives you an architecture, you knew it would work.


      • Had to experience and made decisions through the entire development cycle, from design to release. You made no real decisions with the book-projects.


      • Had to verify your solution works, against your own metrics. You knew the expected output from the book, and were able to check if your solution matched.


      It may possibly show you have a basic grasp of that language's syntax (although it's likely the book will give you enough of that, so I wouldn't count on this).



      But the real thing a project shows isn't your grasp of a language, but your ability to create a solution to a problem from scratch and implement a successful solution. These book-projects, do not demonstrate this.



      I should add, that including these projects in amongst other "real" projects would still be a bad idea. The inclusion of these suggests you don't have experience, but also don't understand enough of development to know that you're even lacking that experience.






      share|improve this answer






















        up vote
        6
        down vote



        accepted







        up vote
        6
        down vote



        accepted






        No, these projects do not show your ability to take on a professional role.



        The key thing projects try to demonstrate, in lieu of employement experience, is that you have experience of working on real-life problems and dealing with issues that arise during regular development.



        Working from a book means you haven't:



        • Had to develop a solution from requirements, the solution was given to you.


        • Had to work in an unknown problem space, the book told you it would work ahead of time.


        • Had to solve unexpected issues that came from assumptions you made in the design. The book gives you an architecture, you knew it would work.


        • Had to experience and made decisions through the entire development cycle, from design to release. You made no real decisions with the book-projects.


        • Had to verify your solution works, against your own metrics. You knew the expected output from the book, and were able to check if your solution matched.


        It may possibly show you have a basic grasp of that language's syntax (although it's likely the book will give you enough of that, so I wouldn't count on this).



        But the real thing a project shows isn't your grasp of a language, but your ability to create a solution to a problem from scratch and implement a successful solution. These book-projects, do not demonstrate this.



        I should add, that including these projects in amongst other "real" projects would still be a bad idea. The inclusion of these suggests you don't have experience, but also don't understand enough of development to know that you're even lacking that experience.






        share|improve this answer












        No, these projects do not show your ability to take on a professional role.



        The key thing projects try to demonstrate, in lieu of employement experience, is that you have experience of working on real-life problems and dealing with issues that arise during regular development.



        Working from a book means you haven't:



        • Had to develop a solution from requirements, the solution was given to you.


        • Had to work in an unknown problem space, the book told you it would work ahead of time.


        • Had to solve unexpected issues that came from assumptions you made in the design. The book gives you an architecture, you knew it would work.


        • Had to experience and made decisions through the entire development cycle, from design to release. You made no real decisions with the book-projects.


        • Had to verify your solution works, against your own metrics. You knew the expected output from the book, and were able to check if your solution matched.


        It may possibly show you have a basic grasp of that language's syntax (although it's likely the book will give you enough of that, so I wouldn't count on this).



        But the real thing a project shows isn't your grasp of a language, but your ability to create a solution to a problem from scratch and implement a successful solution. These book-projects, do not demonstrate this.



        I should add, that including these projects in amongst other "real" projects would still be a bad idea. The inclusion of these suggests you don't have experience, but also don't understand enough of development to know that you're even lacking that experience.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Aug 10 at 15:44









        Bilkokuya

        9161311




        9161311






















            up vote
            4
            down vote













            No.



            Showing own projects on a resume has a single reason: Increasing the chance to get a job.



            Usually because an employer can see there if your code is good and clean, what libs you're familiar with, how you design your programs architecture, how you use CVS, etc.etc. - in short anything that gives them a (positive) image of how you work.

            Other than that, for some it's already positive if there are (non-commercial) projects, meaning the person doesn't do programming only for money, but because he/she likes it.

            And if some of your projects are somewhat known, and used by other people, it's of course great too.



            Listing such a book project (where you have book specifically guiding you through it, as well as the downloadable full solution, and the whole purpose often is plain silly ("Intimidate your foes" lol)) instead shows that you are not able to make bigger and more complicated things, that you have no serious projects that might be useful for at least one person, that you're a bit desperate to get a job, that you don't understand something about what employers want from you, etc.



            In short, all bad, so just don't do it.






            share|improve this answer






















            • Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:45






            • 2




              @Mawg Of course he could.
              – deviantfan
              Aug 10 at 6:49










            • I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:51














            up vote
            4
            down vote













            No.



            Showing own projects on a resume has a single reason: Increasing the chance to get a job.



            Usually because an employer can see there if your code is good and clean, what libs you're familiar with, how you design your programs architecture, how you use CVS, etc.etc. - in short anything that gives them a (positive) image of how you work.

            Other than that, for some it's already positive if there are (non-commercial) projects, meaning the person doesn't do programming only for money, but because he/she likes it.

            And if some of your projects are somewhat known, and used by other people, it's of course great too.



            Listing such a book project (where you have book specifically guiding you through it, as well as the downloadable full solution, and the whole purpose often is plain silly ("Intimidate your foes" lol)) instead shows that you are not able to make bigger and more complicated things, that you have no serious projects that might be useful for at least one person, that you're a bit desperate to get a job, that you don't understand something about what employers want from you, etc.



            In short, all bad, so just don't do it.






            share|improve this answer






















            • Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:45






            • 2




              @Mawg Of course he could.
              – deviantfan
              Aug 10 at 6:49










            • I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:51












            up vote
            4
            down vote










            up vote
            4
            down vote









            No.



            Showing own projects on a resume has a single reason: Increasing the chance to get a job.



            Usually because an employer can see there if your code is good and clean, what libs you're familiar with, how you design your programs architecture, how you use CVS, etc.etc. - in short anything that gives them a (positive) image of how you work.

            Other than that, for some it's already positive if there are (non-commercial) projects, meaning the person doesn't do programming only for money, but because he/she likes it.

            And if some of your projects are somewhat known, and used by other people, it's of course great too.



            Listing such a book project (where you have book specifically guiding you through it, as well as the downloadable full solution, and the whole purpose often is plain silly ("Intimidate your foes" lol)) instead shows that you are not able to make bigger and more complicated things, that you have no serious projects that might be useful for at least one person, that you're a bit desperate to get a job, that you don't understand something about what employers want from you, etc.



            In short, all bad, so just don't do it.






            share|improve this answer














            No.



            Showing own projects on a resume has a single reason: Increasing the chance to get a job.



            Usually because an employer can see there if your code is good and clean, what libs you're familiar with, how you design your programs architecture, how you use CVS, etc.etc. - in short anything that gives them a (positive) image of how you work.

            Other than that, for some it's already positive if there are (non-commercial) projects, meaning the person doesn't do programming only for money, but because he/she likes it.

            And if some of your projects are somewhat known, and used by other people, it's of course great too.



            Listing such a book project (where you have book specifically guiding you through it, as well as the downloadable full solution, and the whole purpose often is plain silly ("Intimidate your foes" lol)) instead shows that you are not able to make bigger and more complicated things, that you have no serious projects that might be useful for at least one person, that you're a bit desperate to get a job, that you don't understand something about what employers want from you, etc.



            In short, all bad, so just don't do it.







            share|improve this answer














            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer








            edited Aug 10 at 6:50

























            answered Aug 10 at 2:39









            deviantfan

            7351711




            7351711











            • Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:45






            • 2




              @Mawg Of course he could.
              – deviantfan
              Aug 10 at 6:49










            • I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:51
















            • Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:45






            • 2




              @Mawg Of course he could.
              – deviantfan
              Aug 10 at 6:49










            • I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
              – Mawg
              Aug 10 at 6:51















            Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
            – Mawg
            Aug 10 at 6:45




            Possibly the OP could create his own project and add it GiHub or the Android store?
            – Mawg
            Aug 10 at 6:45




            2




            2




            @Mawg Of course he could.
            – deviantfan
            Aug 10 at 6:49




            @Mawg Of course he could.
            – deviantfan
            Aug 10 at 6:49












            I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
            – Mawg
            Aug 10 at 6:51




            I am glad that you agree. I won't bother posting an answer to that effect, just hope that he reads this. There are many posts on various S.E sites discussing putting together a portfolio of your work for potential clients or employers.
            – Mawg
            Aug 10 at 6:51

















             

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