[automoton1]

I think side projects can make a difference if it's relevant to the business that your applying for. For example, in college I did a lot of Amateur Radio and was part of a club there. I did a lot of Amateur Radio related things, building circuits, programming microcontrollers, etc. This helped me get a job at a Radio company working on SDRs. However, I think a lot of my ability to get that job was because I networked a lot with the recruiters.

Side projects aren't the be all end all to gainful employment. You need to use your network to build relationships and engage with people you know that can help you get employed.