This document provides guidelines for starting a first software project. It includes: 1. A list of common IT and CS careers and courses to help choose a project area and gain skills. 2. Suggestions for getting project experience through technical writing, localization, contributions, quality assurance, and training projects. 3. An overview of popular technologies like SEO, Ajax, web services, and frameworks to consider for a project. 4. Steps for choosing and starting a project, including operating systems, business ideas, reviews sites, analysis, coding, testing and deployment.