One of the things that I've heard more and more over the last two years is that developers who have actually "done" something are worth hiring. With so many people worried about their jobs in this economy, having more skill, talent, and accomplishments should help you to feel more secure. Even if you don't feel secure, I would expect that the more skilled you are, the more likely you are to get a job.

These days it's easier than ever to build an application. Hardware is cheap and powerful, often costing $500 or less for a laptop that runs most tools. Hosting services are cheap, or even free. There are so many ways for someone to showcase their development talents that it does truly seem to be wise to pick and choose those developers who have shown some talent over those that are content to sit in a cube and allow someone else to manage their efforts.

Read the rest of "Learning for Profit" at SQLServerCentral.