Should I apply for google winter internship?
I am currently a rising senior at an accredited liberal arts college. I started my computer science major in the past year, which is relatively late compared to many other students. I have been taking online courses and summer courses to catch up because computer science really fascinates me. I really wish to work for big companies like google but I am afraid that I would not be qualified for the entry-level job (software engineer) in the coming recruiting season. Should I apply for google winter internship first to gain some experiences? (I heard it will be less competitive) but that means I will miss my graduation with my friends, which is something I would prefer to avoid if possible. #software-engineering #internship #google
4 answers
Toshiro K. Ohsumi
Toshiro K.’s Answer
Dear Drew,
There are no easy answers to this one, I'm afraid. I can tell you a few things that may inform your decision:
- I do not know much about how easy or hard it is to get in an internship or exactly what they are looking. I do know that it is very competitive.
- A successful internship at Google does not necessarily get you a job at Google, though it may increase your chance. (And, you probably still need to go through the usual interview process.)
- Before you get too far, please note that potential interns do go through some form of Google interview, so you should be able to code on a whiteboard, for example. You should be very familiar with at least one major languages, such as C++ or Java, as well as the usual data structures and algorithms.
- One possible factor in getting a job is if you can demonstrate you've done some successful project. That works in your favor. Thus, if there is some programming work you've done outside of class, it is important to put that on your resume. You need something to make you stand out from the pack. Obviously, an internship project counts.
- Having excellent references helps, particularly if one or more of the references are current employees at the place you want to work who can attest to your work.
- Saying the obvious, grades are looked at.
- I'm not sure how companies look at winter internships on a resume. I really don't know if this is a good thing or not. You might want to ask around on this site.
I hope this helps. Best wishes!
Mostly agree, some clarifications:
<ol>
<li>Yes, internships are competitive. I don't actually know anything about winter interns (have only hosted in the summer)</li>
<li>You go through conversion interviews from intern->fulltime, which is not quite the same as a normal hiring loop. For one, you don't have 5+ interviewers, only like 2. It's much less stressful...
And yes, to get an internship in the first place, you have to do a technical interview which involves coding (usually over a google doc or something, not a whiteboard)</li>
</ol>
Daniel Moy
Ian’s Answer
I think that it is worth applying if not just for the interview experience. Even if you get the internship but aren't offered a job at the end (as Toshiro mentioned), an internship at Google will look great on your resume and will very likely drastically improve your chances of getting a job somewhere else. I personally found that having internship experience on my resume greatly improved my chances of getting noticed by recruiters and employers.
Ashley’s Answer
Hello! I also went to a liberal arts college and got a degree in a subject that was not computer science. I ended up getting a masters to help with the transition to software, but looking back I do not think that was necessary. For example, my current company has hired many self taught programmers.
You should apply for both the entry-level job and the internship. I also encourage you to look at companies besides the large ones such as Google and Microsoft. There are a lot of great companies out there that need engineers. I currently work for a mid-size company and really enjoy it.
Best of luck and do apply for multiple jobs/internships.
Adriana Rincon
Adriana’s Answer
Yes and yes. If you don't apply you are denying yourself the opportunity. If you apply you will gain something event if they don't accept. You will improve your interview skills, you will get a better sense of what big companies want. I they hire you it is a big step to open doors to the industry. Don't think twice. Apply for it and do your best to get it.