In my last post, I shared 10 lessons from 10 years of contributing to WordPress Core. If you’re new to open source, I encourage you to review those insights. But today, I want to talk about something different: Even though you hopefully contribute out of passion and goodwill, giving back to an open source project can also give something significant back to you. Some of it my previous post may hint at, but in this post I’d like to look at it more broadly.
As I mentioned in my previous post, contributing to WordPress Core has changed my career, and indirectly even many other aspects of my life, for the better in so many ways. And while my experience is rooted in WordPress Core, the benefits that OSS contributions can have for your professional development largely apply to almost any sizable open source project.
One of the most profound advantages of contributing to a popular open source project is the unparalleled experience of working on software with a massive and diverse user base. Imagine a project used by hundreds of thousands, or in WordPress’s case, millions of sites globally. This kind of scale exposes you to a multitude of edge cases, performance considerations, and accessibility challenges that are rarely encountered in smaller, internal projects. Outside of open source projects, this hands-on experience is often only accessible through roles at large tech corporations or highly successful startups with popular products, with complex eligibility requirements. That barrier of entry is wildly different for open source: Established project contributors are typically more welcoming to contributors, as support is almost always needed and appreciated.
An open source project doesn’t demand five years of professional experience, a specific degree, or a list of impressive previous projects. You can simply show up and demonstrate your capabilities through initiative, passion, dedication, understanding, and persistence. As long as you are interested in supporting the project and maintain a curious and kind mindset, you can learn and grow simply by contributing to the project itself.
The experience you gain from working on something large that impacts countless people globally, while distinct from a corporate product, can be immensely beneficial for your general professional development. This experience can even be a significant asset in landing a job at one of those larger tech companies, if that’s something you’re interested in.
The more involved you become in an open source project, especially one relevant to the broader tech industry, the more you start to build a reputation. This reputation could be for being a reliable, efficient, nuanced, or benevolent contributor, or a combination of these traits. You’ll find people who appreciate your work, potentially even individuals you’ve long looked up to. While there might occasionally be disagreements or condescending voices, the positive feedback and support will almost certainly be the majority.
As you consistently show up to contribute and do the work, it can also significantly help you build relationships with peers from whom you can learn, and perhaps even forge lasting friendships. For contractors, it can lead to more interesting gigs, and in some cases, companies might even reach out to you directly rather than you having to pursue them. And, with time, dedication, and a bit of luck, even those bigger job opportunities may find you.
My Personal Journey: From Imposter Syndrome to Google
Let me share a bit of my own story and how contributing to WordPress has shaped my career. When I first started contributing to WordPress Core in 2015, I battled a strong case of imposter syndrome. It took several months for me to truly grasp that I, too, could make substantial contributions, just like others, all while continuing to learn – after all, everyone has their unique strengths. Eventually, I found myself leading the development of new features that would land directly in WordPress Core, something I couldn’t have imagined when I started. A special shoutout goes to Jeremy Felt, who welcomed me into the WordPress Multisite team and empowered me as a contributor. I also want to thank Sven Wagener for trusting me early on with exciting open source freelancing work.
The contributions I made, coupled with actively participating in community events like WordCamps, meeting new people, and nurturing my curiosity are a huge part of where I am today. Sometimes, I want to say that being a little bold also helped – but then again, as I’m writing this I wonder whether I only thought of some of my actions as bold because I was feeling like an imposter, and maybe those were just little moments where I overcame it.
During my time as a freelancer, I saw a significant increase in interesting contracts as my reputation as a contributor grew and I became more recognized within the WordPress community. I ended up contracting for some of the largest companies in the ecosystem, and often, these collaborations simply arose from casual conversations at events.
I always loved being a freelancer. Something that only some friends know about me is that I used to say, “I’m never going to quit freelancing, except maybe for Google.” To be clear, I mostly said that to emphasize how much I enjoyed freelancing. While I always thought working for Google would be incredible, I never in my wildest dreams believed it would become a realistic option for me.
However, what transpired in 2018 completely blew me away. At that time, I had read a blog post by a Googler named Alberto Medina, announcing that Google was hiring for a new team focused on the WordPress ecosystem. Even though I had already achieved certain things as a contributor that made me proud, I found myself battling imposter syndrome again. “Sure, things are going well, but Google? Don’t these companies hire the most talented engineers in the world? That’s not me.” This was early 2018. Fast forward to WordCamp Europe 2018, I was exploring the Google booth when my friend Weston Ruter introduced me to Alberto Medina – yes, the same Alberto who worked at Google and wrote the post I mentioned earlier. One of the first things that emerged in our conversation was that Alberto already knew who I was. OMG! I kept my cool externally, but I was completely taken aback! Over the course of the WordCamp, we continued our conversations about the opportunity at Google. Eventually, I applied for a role on the new team. With Alberto’s continued support throughout the application process and a lot of preparation on my part, I went through the interviews and ultimately received a job offer. And to make the deal even sweeter, I learned I would be working alongside a few other WordPress folks whom I already considered friends. This is how I started working for Google, and I’m still here today.
Please forgive the detour, but this is my personal prime example of how contributing to open source, specifically WordPress, significantly propelled my professional career. Selfishly, I also love to reminisce about this exciting time – it completely turned my life upside down, in so many positive ways.
Explore Open Source – It Might Be a Game Changer for Your Career
Contributing to open source can be a huge lever for your career. If you haven’t yet worked on the massively impactful projects that many job openings seem to demand, or if you’re fresh out of college, I strongly encourage you to explore open source. Heck, take some time to look into it even if you’re in college. For me, that was a time where I had less financial responsibility, which allowed me to put in several hours contributing to WordPress Core each week, alongside the freelancing I was doing at the same time.
But at the end of the day, don’t contribute to OSS solely for professional gain, but do it for your passion. Find an open source project that genuinely interests you and that you can get excited about. That could be any relatively popular open source project – or it could be WordPress. I would certainly love to welcome you as a WordPress Core contributor.
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