Article written by Jane Hurst. Read the article here.
You have completed most of your coursework in college and are looking forward to starting your career as a software engineer. One thing that will help you gain your dream job is to have an internship while you are still in school. Here are six tips to land the tech internship that will lead to your software engineer career.
1. Start early
When you are looking for a tech internship you want to start early. Some schools will offer assistance finding internships but it is up to you to apply for them. Sometimes you have to do your own research and find your own tech internship. If this is the case you need to start even earlier. Either way, you will need to apply for your tech internship at least a year in advance, sometimes even longer. If you wait until the last minute, there may be no tech internships available or you may not have enough time to organize your own tech internship.
2. Resume
Make sure you look at your resume before you submit it. You may want to change the style of your resume to suit the tech internship you are applying for. You can find different resume samples online. You also want to make sure your resume is updated with any pertinent information such as classes you have taken and jobs you have held. Be sure to find a style you like and stick with it throughout the resume.
3. Coding challenges
You will most likely face a coding challenge. Coding challenges are usually timed for an hour. A good idea would be to practice for these challenges before you face your first one. You can find practice sites online that will help you prepare for the challenge.
4. Interview
Be ready for your interview before you walk through the door. Research the company where you are applying for a tech internship and be sure to know what they do. You want to highlight yourself in the interview, but you also want them to know you have done your research. There are articles and sites online that will help you prepare for your interview questions. Take advantage of these sites and be ready for whatever questions your future potential employer asks.
5. Personal web page
Creating a personal web page is another way to tell a potential employer about yourself. You can include pictures, videos, and show them your coding abilities along with a link to your internship resume. Think of a personal web page as an addition and enhancement of your resume. Make sure you highlight your favorite projects that show off things you have created.
6. Keep learning
You want to keep up with new codes that come along. While this may be hard to do, it will be easier when you have your internship. Let your interviewer know that you want to challenge yourself and ask for jobs that you are not familiar with. Learning new codes will help build you up for your career and will let your boss know that you are not afraid of new things and challenges.
7. Thank you
When you are done with your interview be sure to thank your interviewer. Wait a couple of days and send them a thank you email. With a thank you email you can include things that you forgot to mention in your interview that you think might be pertinent to the tech internship. Do not make this a long email. Thank them for their time and make sure you include up to date contact information where they can reach you. That way they will know where to find you when they offer you the tech internship.