How FAANG Engineers Use Side Projects to Stand Out

Lucas and Luna explore how side projects actually tip the scales in FAANG engineering interviews — and not just the 'build an app' kind. They break down a real case: a developer who built a simple open-source tool that grew to 2,000 stars on GitHub and used it to pivot from a non-target school into a senior-level interview loop at Amazon. The hosts discuss what hiring managers look for beyond the resume bullet: maintainability, documentation, and evidence of systems thinking. They walk through the difference between a project that signals curiosity versus one that signals depth, and why a well-commented utility library can beat a flashy but half-finished front-end clone. Lucas shares a specific framework for evaluating your own project — the 'three signal test' — and Luna pushes back on the idea that side projects are only for junior engineers. The episode closes with practical advice on how to frame your project when the interviewer says 'tell me about something you built.' #SideProjects #FAANG #EngineeringInterviews #GitHub #OpenSource #Amazon #SeniorEngineer #CodingInterviews #TechCareers #SystemsThinking #Portfolio #HiringManager #LucasAndLuna #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast #Technology #TechCareerPodcast #InterviewStrategy Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo