I think the at-home project thing is perhaps a poor example. A person who does any number of things outside of work to refine their skills (which could be a pas

I think the at-home project thing is perhaps a poor example. A person who does any number of things outside of work to refine their skills (which could be a passion project), would be expected to advance their career faster than somebody who only put any effort into their skills 9-5. Only some employers will care about personal projects, but all of them will care about your marketable skills.