Tips to Land an Internship
Written by Beverly Liu
A Guide to Landing an Internship
It’s stressful to scroll through the numerous Linkedin posts on people getting a fancy internship for the summer, but here are a few tips to help you so that you will also write a Linkedin update soon!
Start Small
Don’t feel like you need to work at a big well-known company to learn and increase your experience. There are many small companies and start-ups as well as jobs affiliated with your school to bolster your resume especially if you have no prior work experience. If you are new to internships, there are programs specifically for freshman and sophomores at companies like Google, Facebook, Uber, etc. Another great website is Angel.co to explore the millions of tech and startup job opportunities they have. Additionally, don’t categorize companies as “reach” or “dream companies” while going through this process. You have an equal chance of receiving an offer at any location. Be confident in your abilities and have a positive mindset! This is also an opportunity to explore your interests and choose a path in computer science that you will love!
Network
Finding an internship is where all the heavy lifting begins. Networking is important to find better opportunities and grow your connections! Talk to your favorite professors, a family friend, or academic advisor. Reaching out to friends, family, colleagues, professors and alumni helps with getting a personal recommendation. Referrals are very helpful in this process and speeds up your internship search and help you get noticed. Attend GEECS events for points to get invited to company mixers. The Grace Hopper Celebration is a great event that connects you to many people, and many people get an internship and full-time roles at this event. You can also email and reach out to people on Linkedin, especially University of Michigan alumni, as you never know what opportunities might lead to!
Side Projects
Side projects are a great way to stand out to employers and show that you are passionate about computer science! These are great ways to create real applications and apply practical skills. If you have free time, build a mobile app, web app, or any software. There are many tutorials on YouTube and searching up online to find ideas for side projects. Make sure to add a clickable link on your resume to your side projects!
Research
Do research on the company, and learn about the work being done at the company. This will help with seeing what companies will be looking for in a new employee and show that you are a passionate candidate that wants to work for the company. Know why you’re applying to the company/internship! It is important to understand your long-term goals and show recruiters how these goals align with what the company is working on.
Interviews
Make sure to review your algorithms, data structures, and important concepts! It’s crucial to practice problems and show that you understand the material. There are many resources available to help with this process. When practicing problems, it is important to understand the concepts and solution. Instead of going through hundreds of problems found online or on Leetcode, write down the answer and concepts for each problem. It is a great idea to review the techniques for each solution before interviews!
Another tip is to practice whiteboarding and solving problems out loud to others. It is great to have friends/family watch while you solve some practice questions on a whiteboard. Conducting mock interviews with friends is a great way to support one another. GEECS members and the e-board are always down to help with interview tips.
Go into every interview with a strong and positive mindset! Remember that interviews are a learning experience, and there is nothing to lose. You will gain exposure to learning to communicate with interviewers, new problems and concepts, pacing yourself, and more! Every interview is a chance to increase your experience.
Communication is key
Take your time and breathe when answering questions! Gather your thoughts and ask clarifying questions if needed. Make sure to walk through your thought process and talk about what your mind is thinking. Interviewers will be able to see what you are thinking and can guide you in the right direction if needed. Show that you are engaged in the process and ask for clarification!
Coding Tips
It’s difficult to gather your thoughts when prompted with a technical question. One main tip is to start by hardcoding and getting a brute-force solution as soon as possible. Even though your answer may look simple and obvious at first, it is a great stepping stone. Other candidates may not even see this solution at first. Next, introduce more code and optimize your solution. Make sure to walk through your code, provide examples, and test your solution. Remember to communicate and talk through your thought process!
Good luck!
Start searching early and prepare over the summer! This is a great time to work on side projects, talk to friends and family, and practice coding. Learn and grow from rejections, and there will always be more opportunities ahead!
Resources
Cracking the Coding Interview by Gayle Laakmann McDowell
Glassdoor
Special thanks to GEECS e-board for many helpful tips in this blog.