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How do people end up getting their first computer science internship without any experience?

What makes someone with no experience stand out from the other applicants?

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Shoop’s Answer

Getting your first computer science internship can be a daunting task, especially if you don't have any prior experience. However, there are several ways to increase your chances of landing an internship:

1. Apply to internships that don't require prior experience: Some companies offer internships that don't require prior experience. You can search for such internships on job portals like Indeed.

2. Leverage your network: Reach out to your professors, alumni, and other professionals in the field. They might be able to refer you to companies that offer internships to students with no prior experience.

3. Build your skills: Work on personal projects, participate in hackathons, and contribute to open-source projects. These activities can help you build your skills and make your resume stand out.

4. Attend career fairs and networking events: Attend career fairs and networking events to meet recruiters and professionals in the field. This can help you learn about different companies and opportunities.

5. Apply early: Start applying for internships early. Many companies start recruiting interns months before the internship begins.

Remember, getting your first internship might take time and effort, but don't give up. Keep building your skills and applying to internships, and you'll eventually land one. Good luck! 🍀
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Anish’s Answer

Many students may not have job experience immediately after graduation. To demonstrate your practical skills, consider creating a GitHub profile. You can showcase your abilities by uploading code you've created or a university project written in your preferred programming language. This approach makes your skills tangible and accessible to potential employers.

Anish recommends the following next steps:

set up a github profile
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John’s Answer



You should bear in mind that internships aren't about possessing every skill. They're about learning and adapting. As others have highlighted, there are numerous ways to demonstrate these abilities. Participating in a group project, for example, proves your ability to collaborate. Attending a job fair and asking questions demonstrates your genuine curiosity. Sending a thank-you email after a meeting indicates your commitment to seeing things through. These simple actions can help you shine.

In terms of technical prerequisites, if you're interested in a particular internship, make sure to check the skills they're seeking. Invest some time in doing your own research beforehand. Perhaps create a small proof of concept. Make it visible to them. This will attest to your ability to research and acquire new knowledge.

Displaying sincere interest in the company, the technology they use, and the people you interact with can also make a difference. In my view, these factors will help you stand out.
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Richard’s Answer

When your resume won't get you interviews on its own, embarking on your career journey starts with making your presence felt at career fairs. Don't be disheartened if you lack experience and your resume doesn't seem to be opening doors for interviews. Remember, your best shot lies in establishing personal connections. This can be achieved by showing genuine interest in the person you meet, asking them about their expectations, and seeking their guidance on securing an internship. The more you understand their needs and heed their advice, the stronger your connection will be. This could potentially lead them to become your advocate in your job hunt.

I fondly remember a young aspirant who visited my booth at a career fair. His keen interest was evident in the insightful questions he asked. He took my business card and later that day, sent me an appreciative email for my time. His gratitude made me feel invested in his journey, prompting me to help him find the right opportunities.

If you're keen on honing your skills in asking the right questions and building connections with hiring managers, I recommend a book titled "Finding Your Fit: A Foundation of Principles & Processes for Job Seekers" available on Amazon. This comprehensive guide offers valuable insights into establishing meaningful connections for job seekers.
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Mike’s Answer

In the UK, when I was hiring for intern (and to a lesser extent graduate) positions, I rarely made a decision based on relevant prior experience - I assume you don't have any. I look for things that show a drive to try, learn, and do; one of my favourite interviews was with someone who built a big shed over the summer because they could talk about it for days, what they learned, what they found difficult, why they wanted to do it.

Keep your CV easy to read - use bullet points, just give titles. I can ask more questions in an interview. I'm a big fan of "timeline" style interviews - they make it really easy to see how someone has progressed through school, extra-curricular activities, etc.

I would also not suggest doing opportunities purely for the purpose of building your CV - if I ask you about it in an interview and it comes across that you weren't actually that interested in it, then you won't do as well as someone who did something they were really passionate about. It's a bit of a cliche, I appreciate, but passion really comes across in an interview.
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Dexter’s Answer

Hey Gavin,

I feel that I can answer this question well given that I’ve interviewed dozens of students for internships in my old team. As the hiring manager, I was given a list of students that applied for the position and the first thing I looked for was a clean/easy to read resume that had no major spelling mistakes. Anything that made it easy for me to scan the resume was appreciated (basic is good, over-the-top designs can be harmful, etc). I then looked to see that the person met the requirements that was stated in the resume as experience with the programming languages that we used in our team (experience could be from personal projects).

After that, I looked for the following:
* GitHub link and their participation on it (more green squares the better)
* Any work that was completed with nonprofits or open-source projects
* School projects that looked interesting
* Any relevant or non-relevant work experience (I personally like candidates that worked with customers before)
* Any personal projects that looked interesting

I would then choose the top X percentage of the resumes I was given for the day/week and choose them for a phone interview. During the phone interview, I would try to suss out if the candidate had a value system that matched what we were looking for and if the candidate was truthful in their resume. I then brought in those candidates that did well for a final interview w/the whole team, where after the interview, we would sit together and offer the internship to the best candidate.

I hope a look behind the scene will help you in your career journey! If you have any other questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!

—
Dexter
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Kushita’s Answer

The best thing you can do is apply for as many internship openings as possible . For interning, generally you don't need to have tech experience but some knowledge is needed. You can have another option that I would recommend, volunteering at a hospital by checking with IT Manager Orr higher if you can volunteer in their departments or just make cold calls to companies and request to talk to IT director or similar position and let them know that you would like to work for free for couple hours in get some experience. I came to this country from India and since I did not have a work visa I volunteered at a hospital by calling up the hospital IT director and asking if I could work for free to gain experience. I got the needed experience as well recommendations when I started interviewing for jobs.
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Celeste’s Answer

I would recommend participating in FRC Robotics if possible (and still in high school) . This gives you a lot of experience , and it leads into a lot of scholarship and internship opportunities because the program is sponsored by incredibly eminent software and engineering businesses. Applying for awards in computer science also helps. For girls, there's a program called NCWIT: National Center for Women in Technology. They offer awards to girls for aspirations in technology. It's a great resume builder. As for college, start off taking a variety of classes. Find what kind of computer science interests you, and then hone in on it. I'm a backend developer, so in college I took every single systems class offered at the school. This allowed me to have a thorough understanding of system concepts, which helped me land an internship on a component of IBM's operating system development team.
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Caryn’s Answer

Gavin, you've been doing great so far with your responses. I just wanted to emphasize the importance of networking. It was through connections that I secured my two internships in the field of computer science.

During high school, a friend of my mother shared a problem they were facing with new software that their office had received from the corporate headquarters. They were at a loss because they didn't have the technical skills to handle it. And just like that, I landed a job! I was tasked with figuring out, installing, setting up the software, and training the staff. It was an exciting and fascinating experience, especially for a 16-year-old!

In college, one of my senior teammates from a group class project appreciated my work ethic and put in a good word for me with his boss as he was about to graduate. It was an exciting opportunity in a satellite office made up of students chosen from my school and another nearby institution. I even had the chance to visit the corporate office a few times to present our solutions!

Caryn recommends the following next steps:

Speak to a school counselor about your interests
Get to know your professors and speak to them about your interests
Look for opportunities to do a practical project (practicum) at school
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Shaoyu (Shawn)’s Answer

Securing a computer science internship without prior experience might seem daunting, but don't worry, there are numerous strategies to boost your chances. Consider engaging in programs like Guild and Break Through Tech AI. These platforms offer students the chance to acquire the experience and skills necessary to land internships.

Moreover, many universities provide a plethora of opportunities to help students hone their career skills. These include co-op programs, internships, Federal work programs, on-campus work, and more. Here are some tips to guide you:

Mastering Industry Tools and Creating a Portfolio
Industry insiders recommend that students familiarize themselves with industry tools, create a portfolio of their work, and prepare for tech interviews. Many successful students gain these skills outside the traditional university curriculum. They learn industry tools independently and devote their spare time to working on portfolio projects.

Using Online Portals and Career Counselors to Apply
Students can choose their preferred companies and apply via online portals, or initiate contact with companies through online searches. Co-op coordinators and career counselors can also provide invaluable assistance with the employer search. Universities often have a pre-approved list of employers, which can be a great starting point.

Remember, every step you take brings you closer to your goal. Keep going, you've got this!
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Charles’s Answer

One option is to apply to lesser known companies that don't care as much about your past experience. As you have noticed it takes experience to get a job, but it also takes having a job to get experience. If you lower your initial standards just to get your foot in the door, it will make it easier to get better opportunities in the future. So basically, you just want to start getting experience as early as possible, to give yourself advantages down the line.
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Sean’s Answer

Your experience is not limited to paid positions you've had, or school programming assignments. Any personal projects you've done can highlight your ability to figure things out for yourself, and. show your enthusiasm for computer science. Try challenging yourself with a programming project to create something that interests you. Try out some new technology like AI or quantum computing and see what you can accomplish.

The ability to work on a team is also important for many jobs. Highlight any team projects you've worked on in school or elsewhere (tech or non-tech related), and describe how you either demonstrated leadership, or how you contributed to the team in meaningful ways. As an intern you are not expected to be a leader (yet), but showing leadership qualities will make you stand out. Employers are always looking for new leaders.

Once you get the internship, it is a great way to learn what it is like to work in a real company, which is much different than school. Trying multiple internships is also helpful to learn how different companies work and which type is best for you. As long as you do well, many interns get offered full time positions.
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Krithika’s Answer

1. Discover a niche in Computer Science and a field that sparks your enthusiasm.
2. Create your own public Github account.
3. Craft a compact solution for the problem area that ignites your passion. Bring your project to life.
4. Showcase it on your resume.
5. Continually refine and improve your project. This will demonstrate your keen interest in computer science and prove your ability to tackle intricate problems by dividing them into manageable parts.
6. Emphasize this on your resume when applying, and elaborate on it in depth during your interviews.
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Jonathan’s Answer

While it may be hard to stand out without any prior experience, an internship doesn't necessarily have to be your first experience. Consider becoming a teaching assistant for previous courses, which demonstrates that you know a course well enough to help others learn the concept, showing communication. Join or participate in an technical extracurricular program, like a hackathon or development club where you'll show your passion. Work on personal projects that inspire you and maybe even independently launch a product on the app store, showing great initiative and creativity. Not to mention, all the aforementioned ideas will showcase your brilliant technical skills to a potential employer, making you stand out from the crowd!
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Jason’s Answer

Internships are your golden ticket to gather real-world experience in your chosen field. Just go ahead and apply for them, ensuring you meet all the necessary requirements, and you're all set. Think of this as your launchpad to a successful career. Beyond your quest for an internship, and even after securing one, strive to enhance your skills in your field. Dive into studies, delve into research, and acquire certifications in your area of interest. This will not only boost your confidence but also make you shine brightly in your field.
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Atul’s Answer

A few years back, my son secured a summer internship at a local software firm to code in Python. Despite not having prior knowledge of Python and being proficient in Java, he learned on the job.

Here's how he landed the internship:

1) His cumulative GPA was near perfect, reflecting his academic prowess.

2) He participated in an after-school Robotics program, demonstrating his interest and skills in technology.

3) He had mastery over Java Programming Language, showcasing his coding abilities.

4) He impressed during the interview, earning a probation period of 4 weeks to assess his skills further.

5) The company was experiencing an engineer shortage, so his skills were a valuable asset. They didn't have to shell out a six-figure salary for an engineer, which they were struggling to find.

By sharing this, I encourage you to enhance your skills, explore new areas of interest, and perform well in interviews. This can open doors to opportunities, even in areas you are not initially familiar with.
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Malcolm’s Answer

Three decades ago, I stepped into IBM as an intern, completed my college education, and returned. Internships are wonderful stepping stones to a career in computing, regardless of your prior experience. Among a group of 60 interns that year, only 5 or 6 of us were studying computer science.

The key trait IBM sought then, and we continue to seek now, is diversity in life experiences and we value individuals who are passionate and driven to make a difference. With technology evolving constantly, you need to be adept at learning new things and be ready to keep doing so throughout your life. Remember, it's impossible to know everything from the start.

As a leader who has overseen many interns, there's one quality that distinguishes the exceptional ones and makes me eager to be part of teams with them. It's the capacity to think deeply and differently about a problem. Demonstrate that you can dissect a complex issue, peel back its layers, avoid stating the obvious, and get to the crux of the problem. Then, take a step back and contemplate how to effectively solve it, and you've got my attention.

Numerous organizations have excellent intern selection programs that enable them to look beyond AI-generated resumes in the latest trendy formats and discover the real person behind them. They can then determine if the individual would be a good fit for their organization and vice versa. If I were on the hunt for an internship today, that's where I would begin.
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