side projects are just seen as simple toys from employers.
I instead started a software dev side-company that specializes in minimum viable products for very early-stage entrepreneurs. I fish around Linkedin for clients who pay me anywhere between $1000 and $3000 (i honestly just eyeball the amount). For the most part, I pick the stack or look for clients who want a specific technology so i can learn it. This counts as professional experience since I got paid for it.
I instead started a software dev side-company that specializes in minimum viable products for very early-stage entrepreneurs. I fish around Linkedin for clients who pay me anywhere between $1000 and $3000 (i honestly just eyeball the amount). For the most part, I pick the stack or look for clients who want a specific technology so i can learn it. This counts as professional experience since I got paid for it.