Most software engineers are invisible. They write brilliant code behind closed doors, solve complex problems in silence, and wonder why opportunities pass them by.
Meanwhile, a smaller group of engineers—often no more skilled—attract recruiters, speaking opportunities, and career-changing connections simply because they show their work.
This is your unfair advantage: building in public.
What is “building in public”?
Building in public means sharing your development process, not just your finished products. It’s tweeting about debugging sessions, writing about architecture decisions, live-streaming coding sessions, and documenting your learning journey.
It’s the opposite of the traditional “ship when perfect” mentality that keeps most developers hidden.
Why this creates unfair advantages for job seekers
1. You become discoverable
Recruiters and hiring managers can’t hire someone they don’t know exists. When you build in public, you create a searchable trail of your skills and interests.
That Twitter thread about implementing a Redis caching solution? A CTO might find it while researching the same problem. Your GitHub README explaining your side project’s architecture? It shows up in search results when companies look for specific technologies.
2. You demonstrate real skills
Anyone can claim proficiency in React or Python on their resume. But when you share your actual code, explain your decision-making process, and show how you debug problems, you provide evidence of your abilities.
Hiring managers can see:
- How you think through problems
- Your code quality and style
- How you communicate technical concepts
- Your curiosity and learning mindset
3. You build credibility and authority
When you consistently share valuable insights, you develop a reputation as someone worth following. This transforms how people perceive you in interviews and networking situations.
Instead of being “another React developer,” you become “that developer who wrote the insightful post about state management patterns” or “the person who live-codes solutions to algorithm problems.”
4. You attract opportunities instead of chasing them
Building in public reverses the job search dynamic. Instead of cold-applying to hundreds of positions, opportunities come to you:
- Founders reach out about joining their startup
- Colleagues recommend you for roles at their companies
- Conference organizers invite you to speak
- Companies create positions specifically for you
How to start building in public
Share your learning process
- Tweet about concepts you’re learning
- Write blog posts explaining problems you solved
- Document your journey learning new technologies
Make your projects visible
- Write detailed README files
- Create demo videos or screenshots
- Explain your technical choices in commit messages
Engage with the community
- Answer questions on Stack Overflow or Reddit
- Participate in technical Twitter discussions
- Comment thoughtfully on other developers’ posts
Show your problem-solving process
- Share debugging stories
- Explain how you approached complex features
- Document trade-offs in technical decisions
Start small, stay consistent
You don’t need to become a tech influencer overnight. Start with one small habit:
- Tweet one thing you learned each day
- Write a short blog post each week
- Share one project update each month
The key is consistency over perfection. Your future self—and career—will thank you for starting today.
Building in public isn’t about self-promotion. It’s about contributing to the community while creating opportunities for yourself. In a field where talent is abundant but visibility is rare, showing your work becomes your unfair advantage.
What will you share today?