When the fall semester begins, so does the hunt for a summer internship. From talking to recruiters to prepping for interviews, there’s a lot going on during these few months. Here’s a few things I’ve learned about landing your next internship at an up and coming tech company!
Like most people will say, it’s never too early. You can start studying for technical interviews even before you’ve talked to any recruiters! Remember to review concepts you’ve learned in class and to brush up on those programming languages you might have forgotten about. Cracking the Coding Interview is one of a computer science major’s staple resources during the internship search and was one of my smartest investments.
Talking to recruiters can be scary, but just be calm and be yourself! Tech recruiters are always excited to talk to students who are interested in their companies and will be your guide throughout an interview process. Practice your one-minute pitch about yourself so that you can start chatting with recruiters about internship opportunities with them!
Once you have interviews lined up, the next obstacle to tackle is your technical interview. Don’t panic! Interviewers don’t expect you to know everything. Just remember to talk through your thought process, let them know if you’re stuck, and explain your ideas! Interviewers are usually more interested in seeing how you approach a problem and how you overcome roadblocks.
Finally, keep in mind that this is a long process, so just keep trying! Last year, I began interviewing with companies in September, and didn’t receive an offer until late November. I’ve experienced my own fair share of rejections from some top tech companies, and I know it’s easy to be disappointed. Just take your time to find the company that’s the best fit for you, and know that there are always new opportunities around the corner!
These are just a few points to keep in mind, but feel free to reach out if you have any other concerns! As always, you have plenty of resources here at USC if you ever have any questions or would like to do practice interviews!
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