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My side project landed me a job! I went from 8 months with 1 interview to 5 interviews in the later stages and 2 offers all in a 3 week span
r/SideProject
6/28/2025
SAAS TOOLS
| SaaS | URL | Category | Features/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chunk | https://www.chunkapp.net | Unknown | Built by author; launched on Product Hunt; real users; iterated based on feedback |
| WhoHasJobs | https://whohasjobs.com | Job Search Aggregator | Created for Bolt hackathon; aggregates company job boards; sends email alerts |
| ToneIQ | https://toneiqai.com | AI Writing Assistant | Landing page praised; AI-powered tone analysis |
USER NEEDS
Pain Points:
- Job application process is broken, especially for junior developers
- Automated rejection emails; applications often not seen by humans
- Difficulty competing with experienced applicants
- AI-generated CVs/cover letters create unfair competition
- Simple portfolio projects don't stand out
- Lack of professional dev experience makes job hunting difficult
Problems to Solve:
- How to stand out in job applications without professional experience
- How to gain practical experience independently
- How to build confidence for technical interviews
- How to validate and improve personal projects
Potential Solutions:
- Build and launch a real product (not just a project) with actual users
- Iterate based on user feedback like a founder
- Launch on platforms like Product Hunt for visibility
- Highlight product-building experience on CV
- Target startups rather than large corporations
GROWTH FACTORS
Effective Strategies:
- Building end-to-end products instead of simple projects
- Launching on platforms like Product Hunt for visibility
- Relaunching after significant improvements
- Prioritizing user feedback for iterative development
Marketing & Acquisition:
- Organic promotion through Reddit communities
- Product Hunt launches without paid marketing/hunters
- Sharing progress in relevant forums (e.g., r/SideProject)
- Word-of-mouth through user engagement
Monetization & Product:
- Freemium model implied (free trial users with 10% conversion)
- Focus on solving real user pain points (e.g., job search difficulties)
- Merit-based pricing/promotions mentioned in job context
- Importance of product-market fit validation through user feedback
User Engagement:
- Actively soliciting and implementing user feedback (even brutal criticism)
- Community building by encouraging others to share projects
- Direct user communication for iteration
- Creating platforms for user interaction (e.g., job board aggregator)