1 YEAR BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Let’s Get Started!
It’s never too early to start thinking about internship interviews in the tech industry. Even as a student, you should start building on your skill set, networks and experiences to give you a strong foundation as a candidate. Here are some suggested areas to focus on:
Building an Online Portfolio
Consider creating an online portfolio where you can display your work and skills. This will providenew connections and employers with an opportunity to quickly view samples of your work. It’s important to keep the site organized and updated so that others view you as an accomplished professional who is serious about your work.
Recommended resources: Creating the Perfect Portfolio, 10 Steps to the Perfect Portfolio Website
Start Working on Independent Projects
There are several ways to gain programming and coding experience in your spare time. One way is by taking solo and/or open source projects online. Employers expect to see project-based work on candidate resumes, so it’s good to have some under your belt by the time you start applying. Since projects can take time, it’s best to begin now. Be sure to check out Codeanywhere, GitHub, and Ideone to help get you started!
Recommended resources: How to Start a Coding Project, Starting an Open Source Project
Networking
If you haven’t yet, you should start building your network! Focus on finding student groups that center around technical subjects. Build rapport with faculty members and classmates. Keep an eye out for opportunities to hear and meet with leaders in the industry. Lastly, build a social media presence and start following leaders and companies to stay connected and keep up with the current trends and news in tech.
Recommended resources: How to Make the Most Out of College Networking Events, Using Social Media as a Networking Tool
Educate Yourself Outside of the Classroom
When applying for a software development internship it's no surprise that you've got to be able to code. However, it' s not just the ability to program that companies are looking for -- it's the languages you are proficient in, the algorithms you know, how clean your code is, and more. What you've learned in school may or may not be enough.
Luckily, our friends at Codecademy have put together a collection of courses (a “track”) just for CODE2040. Here you can see courses that will train you or test your knowledge in some of the skills tech companies most commonly seek in their interns.
Codecademy: CODE2040 Track
Early Interview Prep
You may be over a year out from interviewing with companies, but you should always keep the interview in the back of your mind. At this stage, it’s good to research what types of questions interviewers typically ask. This will be key in guiding you to the right types of projects you should be working on to create a rich and diverse skill set and background for yourself.
Recommended resources: Three Types of Interview Questions Software Developers Should Expect, Interview Questions for Tech Jobs
It’s never too early to start thinking about internship interviews in the tech industry. Even as a student, you should start building on your skill set, networks and experiences to give you a strong foundation as a candidate. Here are some suggested areas to focus on:
Building an Online Portfolio
Consider creating an online portfolio where you can display your work and skills. This will providenew connections and employers with an opportunity to quickly view samples of your work. It’s important to keep the site organized and updated so that others view you as an accomplished professional who is serious about your work.
Recommended resources: Creating the Perfect Portfolio, 10 Steps to the Perfect Portfolio Website
Start Working on Independent Projects
There are several ways to gain programming and coding experience in your spare time. One way is by taking solo and/or open source projects online. Employers expect to see project-based work on candidate resumes, so it’s good to have some under your belt by the time you start applying. Since projects can take time, it’s best to begin now. Be sure to check out Codeanywhere, GitHub, and Ideone to help get you started!
Recommended resources: How to Start a Coding Project, Starting an Open Source Project
Networking
If you haven’t yet, you should start building your network! Focus on finding student groups that center around technical subjects. Build rapport with faculty members and classmates. Keep an eye out for opportunities to hear and meet with leaders in the industry. Lastly, build a social media presence and start following leaders and companies to stay connected and keep up with the current trends and news in tech.
Recommended resources: How to Make the Most Out of College Networking Events, Using Social Media as a Networking Tool
Educate Yourself Outside of the Classroom
When applying for a software development internship it's no surprise that you've got to be able to code. However, it' s not just the ability to program that companies are looking for -- it's the languages you are proficient in, the algorithms you know, how clean your code is, and more. What you've learned in school may or may not be enough.
Luckily, our friends at Codecademy have put together a collection of courses (a “track”) just for CODE2040. Here you can see courses that will train you or test your knowledge in some of the skills tech companies most commonly seek in their interns.
Codecademy: CODE2040 Track
Early Interview Prep
You may be over a year out from interviewing with companies, but you should always keep the interview in the back of your mind. At this stage, it’s good to research what types of questions interviewers typically ask. This will be key in guiding you to the right types of projects you should be working on to create a rich and diverse skill set and background for yourself.
Recommended resources: Three Types of Interview Questions Software Developers Should Expect, Interview Questions for Tech Jobs
