Looking to land a software engineering internship? Here are some thoughts to help you

Landing a software engineering internship is an excellent way to gain real-world experience, build your professional network, and set yourself up for a successful career in tech. But with increasing competition for limited spots, securing an internship can feel like a daunting task, especially if you don‘t have insider knowledge or connections to give you a leg up.

As someone who has been through the software engineering internship process and mentored others going through it, I‘m here to share my knowledge and advice to help you maximize your chances of getting an offer from your dream company. Whether you‘re a freshman just starting to think about internships or a senior looking for a last-minute opportunity, this guide will walk you through the key steps to take and strategies to employ.

Start early

One of the biggest mistakes I see students make is waiting until the last minute to start thinking about and applying for internships. Many students assume that internship recruiting happens in the spring, in tandem with their school‘s career fair and peak job search season. But the reality is, most of the big tech companies fill their internship classes in the fall, sometimes as early as August or September.

Companies like Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon have huge internship programs and recruit thousands of interns, which means they have to start the process early to assess all the candidates and make offers before the competition. If you wait until the spring to start your search, you may find that many coveted positions have already been filled.

My advice is to start thinking about your internship search the summer before you‘d like to intern. Make a list of companies you‘re interested in and research their internship programs and timelines. Prepare your resume and online profiles. Reach out to people in your network who might have connections or advice.

Then once the school year starts, kick your search into high gear. Apply online to the positions that interest you. Attend career fairs and info sessions. Get your resume in front of as many people as possible. The earlier you start, the more opportunities you‘ll have.

Leverage your network

It‘s a cliché, but it‘s true: it‘s not what you know, it‘s who you know. While you can certainly land an internship without any personal connections by applying online and impressing in the interview, having an "in" at a company you‘re interested in can dramatically improve your chances of getting your foot in the door.

Start by mining your existing network. Look for alumni from your school who work at your target companies, using tools like LinkedIn and your school‘s alumni database. As a student, you‘d be surprised how willing alumni often are to help you out, even if you‘ve never met – you already share a valuable connection.

Reach out with a personalized message asking if they‘d be willing to chat with you for 15-20 minutes about their experience at the company and any advice they have for applicants. This is called an informational interview. The purpose isn‘t to ask for a job directly, but rather to build a relationship and gain valuable intel that could help your candidacy.

If they‘re willing to pass along your resume to a recruiter or put in a good word, that‘s great, but don‘t ask for or expect this upfront. Focus on the conversation and gathering information, and trust that if the conversation goes well, they‘ll often offer to help you out without you needing to ask.

Beyond alumni, look for other potential connections you may have overlooked. Professors who have industry experience, family friends who work in tech, classmates who have interned at your target companies, friends of friends, etc. Don‘t be afraid to do a bit of LinkedIn stalking and send cold messages to people who work at companies you‘re interested in. The worst they can say is no, and you never know who might be willing to help you out.

Prepare for technical interviews

Technical interviews are an unavoidable rite of passage for aspiring software engineering interns. While they can be stressful and intimidating, with focused practice and preparation, you can ace them and impress your interviewers.

Start by familiarizing yourself with the types of questions asked in technical interviews, which typically fall into a few main categories: data structures and algorithms, coding challenges, system design, and behavioral questions.

For data structures and algorithms, make sure you have a solid grasp of key concepts like arrays, linked lists, stacks, queues, trees, graphs, sorting algorithms, Big O notation, etc. Practice implementing and manipulating these structures in your language of choice.

Sites like LeetCode and HackerRank are great resources for practicing coding challenges that mimic the types of questions you might encounter in a real interview. Start with easy problems and work your way up in difficulty. Focus on understanding the underlying concepts and developing a logical problem-solving approach, rather than just memorizing solutions.

For system design questions, practice thinking through how you would architect a complex system like a social network or ride-sharing app. Consider factors like scalability, reliability, and security. Learn about key system design concepts like load balancing, caching, database sharding, etc.

Finally, don‘t overlook the importance of behavioral questions, which assess your past experience, work style, and culture fit. Have specific examples prepared that highlight your leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills. Practice telling concise stories using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).

Build impressive side projects

When it comes to standing out in a sea of talented applicants, one of the best things you can do is build an impressive portfolio of side projects. While your coursework provides a foundation, side projects demonstrate your passion, creativity, and initiative.

Start by brainstorming project ideas that genuinely interest you and will help you learn new skills. Consider contributing to open source projects, which looks great on a resume and allows you to build experience collaborating with other developers. Participate in hackathons and coding competitions. Take on freelance projects for local businesses or campus organizations.

The key is to build projects that showcase your ability to take an idea from concept to completion. Focus on creating a clean, well-documented codebase and a polished final product, not just a bare minimum prototype. Share your projects on GitHub, write blog posts explaining your process and key learnings, and add them prominently to your resume.

Side projects are also a great way to explore areas of software engineering that interest you and differentiate yourself. If you‘re passionate about a particular domain like artificial intelligence or cybersecurity, build projects that demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in that area.

Apply widely and strategically

While it‘s important to have target companies in mind, one of the keys to landing an internship is not putting all your eggs in one basket. Instead, apply widely to increase your odds of getting offers.

In addition to the big tech companies that everyone knows, do your research and find smaller companies and startups doing exciting work in areas that interest you. These companies may have less competition and be more willing to take a chance on an eager learner.

That said, be strategic in your search. Don‘t just blindly apply to every company you come across. Instead, focus on positions that genuinely interest you and companies whose mission and values align with yours. Tailor your resume and cover letter to each specific position, highlighting the skills and experiences that make you a strong fit.

Attend career fairs and info sessions to get face time with recruiters and learn more about companies. Don‘t be afraid to follow up after applying or meeting someone to reiterate your interest.

Finally, if you‘re having trouble landing an interview, consider diversifying your search even further. Look for internships in related fields like data science, UI/UX design, or product management that could still provide valuable tech experience. Consider alternative summer plans like research with a professor, teaching at a coding bootcamp, or even founding your own startup.

The Road Ahead

Landing a software engineering internship is rarely a straight line. There will likely be rejections, interviews that don‘t go as planned, and moments of doubt. But by starting early, leveraging your network, preparing for technical interviews, building impressive projects, and applying widely, you‘ll dramatically increase your odds of success.

Remember that an internship is a learning experience, not just an extended interview. Focus on finding opportunities that will challenge you, expose you to new technologies and ideas, and help you grow as an engineer and professional.

Lastly, don‘t get discouraged if you don‘t land your dream internship on the first try. The skills and experience you gain from any tech internship are highly valuable and transferrable. Every application and interview is a chance to learn and get better.

With persistence, dedication, and a bit of luck, you‘ll be able to look back on your internship as a pivotal step in your journey to becoming a successful software engineer. Now go out there and make it happen!