I care that you care about your work - doing your best, taking constructive criticism (and knowing how to ignore non-constructive criticism), improving, etc
If you can show that to me with your "side projects" - cool
If you don't have any "side projects" - also: cool
You don't have to spend your entire professional and personal life in front of a screen to "stand out from the rest"
You have to be able to coherently communicate and tell me how you currently add value to your present position, or how you expect to add value to a position with my company
I care that you care about your work - doing your best, taking constructive criticism (and knowing how to ignore non-constructive criticism), improving, etc
If you can show that to me with your "side projects" - cool
If you don't have any "side projects" - also: cool
You don't have to spend your entire professional and personal life in front of a screen to "stand out from the rest"
You have to be able to coherently communicate and tell me how you currently add value to your present position, or how you expect to add value to a position with my company