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I was reading these three WPSE links (1,2,3) about providing a GitHub profile when applying for software development jobs and what you should include, but can it hurt your chances if the job isn't software development related?

I'm currently searching for data entry, office/file clerk type positions and most of the job descriptions involve interacting with programs from excel/access to a sophisticated database to enter data.

I've created a few scripts and utility programs in my spare time to automate certain tasks related to my hobbies and they're freely available on my GitHub profile.

Could I be seen as not a good fit for the job? or be seen as someone trying to do too much outside the job description?

I'm not trying to compensate by providing a GitHub profile because I failed to meet the job requirements. If I didn't provide a GitHub link, I wouldn't mind, because I do have previous experience and references.

Edit: When I say provide a link, I mean only a link and nothing more, example, at the top of my resume, I have this:

first and last name
address
phone number
email address
GitHub link

I don't have a section on my resume talking about my projects on GitHub. If any hiring manager is interested they can click the link(most of my submissions are online), if not, they don't have to read through a section that they aren't interested in or see as irrelevant.

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3 Answers 3

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Go for it! If I were recruiting, you are exactly the sort of person I would want to hire.

You are obviously interested, possibly passionate, about something that relates to your work. That can only be of benefit to the company.

We all have to pay the rent, so we all have to apply for jobs. But it is people like you who who can make a difference to a company. In my mind, you could be worth two or three "just doing it for the rent", employees. I would expect you to produce a constant stream of new ideas, which could be of great benefit to the company, and would expect to promote you before long.

In fact, if you apply for a data entry post and provide such examples, I might consider hiring you for another post straight away.

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    This is what I was talking about, I'm a data entry or file clerk that likes to code, I don't see how that's a bad thing, especially if I can develop tools to benefit the company, a lot of what I learned is self-taught(Python) so it shows I have passion to do what I want.
    – user82797
    Feb 13, 2018 at 15:27
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    At the worst, you get the job, and tell your boss what interests you. You might get a transfer to programming, sooner or later. I would at least offer you the training, with the understanding that you can go back to data entry o it does not pan out
    – Mawg says reinstate Monica
    Feb 13, 2018 at 20:09
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but can it hurt your chances if the job isn't software development related?

If the job is not software development, or related, there is no point in including such information in your resume. It not only will take valuable space in your resume (which should be as concise as possible) but could lessen the impact of other skills more valuable for that role.

You should usually want to tailor your resume for the role(s) you are applying to, so in this case you may consider leaving such GitHub outside in favor of other more relevant information that could boost your application.

It's not that it will necessarily harm your application, but surely including such unrelated information won't help your chances. It could even indicate that you were just trying to "fill space" in your resume to make it look "better", and that is something that could affect your application.

Edit per update: If it is just the link, and it does not take valuable space from your resume then I see no problem in including it.

They may, or may not look at it (in case they do make sure you got some interesting projects at least), and in case they don't then at least it's a "Hey, this candidate has also programming skills", which could be the tie-breaker when there are other equally-skilled applicants hunting that job.

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  • I updated my question, I really like this answer, but I clarified what exactly I have on my resume.
    – user82797
    Feb 13, 2018 at 15:33
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    @SRosemond well, if you accepted the other answer I guess you already have what you need (or wanted to hear, perhaps). Updating my answer upon this relevant detail.
    – DarkCygnus ♦
    Feb 13, 2018 at 15:52
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    Consider that a github link can also show that you have no real interest in the position you're applying for, and are likely to flee as soon as you can transform that hobby programming into a real tech job
    – user90842
    May 30, 2019 at 0:28
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Now some companies begin to ask people to share their GitHub home page, in purpose of knowing if they keeps studying or not during his off time hour.

If you have some projects in GitHub, I recommend you to do it.

If you don't have a GitHub home page, then create one, push some projects and share to companies.

PS: Take care that you don't upload some sensitive source code like company source code.

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