If I Wanted a Software Engineering Internship in 2025, I’d Do This

Summary

This video offers an 8-week guide for landing a big tech software engineering internship in the summer of 2025. The host, a Georgia Tech computer science graduate, outlines steps including working on personal projects, crafting a strong resume, networking effectively on LinkedIn, and preparing for behavioral and technical interviews. The guide emphasizes project-based experience, the importance of referrals, and targeted interview preparation. Additionally, the host advises against salary negotiation without competing offers and recommends pre-internship preparation by connecting with your future manager.

Takeaways

• 😀 Start with simple projects like a calculator in Java or a to-do list in Python to build foundational coding skills.
• 💡 Move on to more advanced projects such as a full-stack web application or a machine learning project using datasets from Kaggle.
• 📄 Focus on resume formatting and tailor your resume by removing the start date of your education and highlighting technical experiences.
• 🔗 Networking is crucial; use LinkedIn to connect with professionals at your target companies and seek referrals.
• 💼 Apply for internships using resources like Notify, Levels.fyi, LinkedIn, and direct company searches for open positions.
• 🗣 Prepare for behavioral interviews by having stories ready for each experience listed on your resume and understanding leadership principles.
• 💻 Technical interview preparation involves mastering data structures, algorithms, and practicing coding problems on platforms like LeetCode.
• 📚 Use GeeksforGeeks for optimal solutions to coding problems and to learn from various coding languages and visual diagrams.
• 💼 Do not negotiate salary for internships unless you have a significant competing offer; focus on gaining experience.
• 🎉 After receiving an offer, celebrate your achievement and then proactively reach out to your manager to prepare for your upcoming internship.

Q & A

What is the recommended first step for a college student seeking a software engineering internship?

The first step is to work on projects, as they serve as experiences before getting formal work experience. For beginners, simple projects like a calculator in Java or a to-do list in Python are suggested.

What are the two advanced projects recommended for students with some coding experience?

The two advanced projects recommended are a full-stack web application, such as a Pomodoro timer for project management, and a machine learning project using a dataset from kaggle.com, like predicting COVID-19 deaths.

Why is it important to have good formatting on a resume when applying for internships?

Good formatting is crucial because it makes the resume visually appealing and easy to read, which can significantly impact the first impression on recruiters.

What is one tip for improving the chances of getting hired as a freshman or sophomore?

Removing the start date of education and only including the expected graduation date from the resume can help, as companies tend to avoid hiring freshmen and sophomores.

Why should high school experiences be excluded from a resume when applying for tech internships?

High school experiences should be excluded unless they are highly technical, as they do not add significant technical value to the application, which is what tech companies are primarily interested in.

How can including numbers on a resume help when applying for internships?

Including numbers can make a resume more impactful as it quantifies achievements and experiences, drawing the attention of recruiters.

What is the significance of networking in the process of landing an internship, and how should it be approached?

Networking is significant because it can lead to referrals, which are crucial in a competitive job market. It should be approached by making genuine connections and asking for informational interviews, which can potentially lead to referrals.

Why is it recommended not to apply for a job without a referral?

Applying without a referral can be disadvantageous as referrals can significantly increase the chances of getting noticed and selected in a competitive internship application process.

What are some resources mentioned for finding open internship positions?

Some resources mentioned include Notiv, Level.fy/internships, LinkedIn, and Google searches for specific company and role combinations.

How should one prepare for behavioral interviews when applying for internships?

One should prepare by having a good personality, knowing everything on their resume, and being familiar with leadership principles that align with the company's values, such as Amazon's 14 leadership principles.

What is the recommended approach for technical interview preparation?

The recommended approach is to first learn every data structure and algorithm, practice coding problems on platforms like LeetCode, and use resources like GeeksforGeeks for optimized solutions when stuck.

What advice is given regarding salary negotiations for internship offers?

It's advised not to negotiate salary unless there is a significant competing offer, as the risk of losing the internship offer may outweigh the potential salary increase.

What should a student do after receiving an internship offer but before starting the internship?

After receiving an offer, a student should relax and celebrate, and then reach out to their recruiter to connect with their future manager, allowing them to mentally prepare and possibly start learning about the technology they will be working with.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Kickstarting Your Tech Internship Journey

The speaker, a computer science Master's graduate from Georgia Tech, shares a comprehensive 8-week guide to secure a tech software engineering internship for the summer of 2025. Emphasizing the importance of starting early due to limited company slots, the speaker suggests beginning with simple coding projects like a calculator in Java or a to-do list in Python for beginners. As skills advance, more complex projects like a full-stack web application or a machine learning project using datasets from kaggle.com are recommended. The speaker also advises on improving resume formatting and content, suggesting the removal of high school experiences and the inclusion of citizenship status to fast-track recruitment.

05:02

🔗 Networking and Interview Preparation

The speaker stresses the importance of networking, particularly on LinkedIn, where one should connect and engage in meaningful conversations with professionals from desired companies. They recommend transforming cold outreach into warm outreach by requesting informational interviews, which can lead to referrals. The speaker also provides tips for behavioral interview preparation, suggesting that candidates should have a good personality, know their resume well, and be familiar with leadership principles like Amazon's 14 leadership principles. For technical interviews, the speaker advises learning data structures and algorithms, practicing on platforms like LeetCode, and using resources like GeeksforGeeks for optimized solutions. Finally, the speaker discusses post-offer activities, including celebrating the achievement, reaching out to the manager before the internship, and preparing for the upcoming role.

Keywords

💡Internship

An internship refers to a period of work experience offered by an organization for a limited duration. In the context of the video, the internship is a pivotal step for college students to gain practical experience in software engineering within big tech companies. The video outlines a strategy for securing such an opportunity, emphasizing the importance of internships as a gateway to full-time positions in the tech industry.

💡Software Engineering

Software Engineering is a field that involves the application of engineering principles to software design, development, and maintenance. The video is centered around preparing for internships in this domain, highlighting the need for technical skills and project experience as prerequisites for securing a position in big tech companies.

💡Projects

In the video, projects are mentioned as a way for students to demonstrate their practical skills and knowledge before securing formal work experience. Simple projects like a calculator in Java or a to-do list in Python are suggested for beginners, while more advanced students are encouraged to undertake full-stack web applications or machine learning projects. These projects serve as a showcase of one's abilities to potential employers.

💡Resume

A resume is a document used by individuals to present their skills, experiences, and education to potential employers. The video emphasizes the importance of a well-formatted resume and provides tips on what to include, such as removing the start date of education, highlighting citizenship status, and showcasing technical experiences and projects. The resume is portrayed as a critical tool in the job application process.

💡Networking

Networking is the process of building relationships with others in one's industry or area of interest. In the script, the speaker advises using LinkedIn to connect with professionals at target companies and emphasizes the importance of turning cold outreach into warm outreach through personalized messages and calls. Networking is presented as a crucial step in securing referrals, which can significantly improve one's chances of landing an internship.

💡Referral

A referral in the context of the video is a recommendation from a current employee of a company to the hiring team for a job candidate. The speaker stresses the importance of obtaining referrals before applying for internships, as it can provide a significant advantage in a competitive job market. Referrals are seen as a way to bypass the initial screening process and get direct consideration for an internship.

💡Behavioral Interview

A behavioral interview is a type of interview where the interviewer asks questions about past experiences and behaviors to predict how a candidate might perform in the future. The video provides tips on how to prepare for such interviews, including having a good personality, knowing everything on one's resume, and understanding leadership principles. The speaker also suggests using experiences from the resume to answer behavioral questions effectively.

💡Technical Interview

A technical interview is a process where candidates are assessed on their technical knowledge and problem-solving abilities. The video outlines the importance of preparing for technical interviews by mastering data structures, algorithms, and coding practices. It suggests using online platforms like LeetCode and GeeksforGeeks for practice and learning optimal solutions to coding problems.

💡Data Structures and Algorithms

Data structures and algorithms are foundational concepts in computer science that deal with organizing, storing, and retrieving data efficiently. The video emphasizes the need for candidates to have a strong grasp of these concepts as they are commonly tested in technical interviews for software engineering internships. Examples from the script include practicing on platforms like LeetCode to solidify understanding and application of these concepts.

💡Offer Negotiation

Offer negotiation refers to the process of discussing and potentially altering the terms of a job offer. The video advises against salary negotiation for internships unless the candidate has a competing offer, highlighting the importance of securing the opportunity over minor salary increases. It also suggests engaging in post-offer activities like reaching out to the manager and preparing for the role to ensure a successful internship experience.

Highlights

Beginner projects are crucial for building experience before formal work experience.

Simple projects like a calculator in Java or a to-do list in Python are good starting points.

For more advanced beginners, a full-stack web application or a machine learning project on Kaggle is recommended.

Resume formatting is often overlooked, but it's essential for making a good first impression.

Removing the start date of education and only listing the expected graduation date can be advantageous.

Including citizenship status can fast-track the recruitment process for some candidates.

High School experiences are generally not relevant unless they are highly technical.

Experiences and projects are more valuable on a resume than volunteering and extracurricular activities.

Including quantifiable metrics on a resume can make it more impactful.

Networking is crucial, and LinkedIn can be a powerful tool for making connections.

Turning cold outreach into warm outreach through personalized messages can be effective.

Referrals can significantly increase the chances of landing an internship.

Notify doc, Levels.fy, LinkedIn, and Google searches are useful resources for finding internships.

Behavioral interviews often focus on past experiences and how candidates handle situations.

Amazon's 14 leadership principles can be a guide for answering behavioral questions.

Technical interviews focus on data structures, algorithms, and coding skills.

Practicing coding problems on platforms like LeetCode is essential for technical interview preparation.

GeeksforGeeks is a valuable resource for optimized coding solutions and technical articles.

Do not negotiate salary unless there is a significant competing offer for internships.

Reach out to your manager before starting the internship to prepare and familiarize yourself with the role.

Transcripts

if I was in college and I wanted to land

my first big tech software engineering

internship for the summer of 2025 here

is everything that I would start on

right now if you're new here hi my name

is sad I'm a computer science Master's

graduate from Georgia Tech I landed my

first big tech software engineering job

at the age of 20 earning $220,000 every

single year I've worked at Big tech

companies such as Amazon and now every

single day I help hundreds of thousands

of students land their role in big Tech

and in this video I'm going to be giving

you a comprehensive 8we guide to land

your first internship and I'm so glad

you're watching this video right now

because companies just open up their

slots for next summer and once those

slots are filled they will not open them

again so let's get started right away so

in your 8we guide first we have week one

and two and you're going to work on

projects at this point you're not really

a pro nor do you have any experiences

under your belt but projects are your

experiences before you get formal work

experience but then begs a question hey

what projects do you actually do well if

you're a complete beginner that doesn't

know how to code start simple maybe like

a calculator in Java or to-do list in

Python those simple projects but once

you get a little more advanced try these

two projects one a full stack web

application take a Pomodoro for example

it's a timer that helps with project

management for this you're going to need

a clean front end that can display

timers sessions and projects to the user

but in the back end you're going to need

to create an elaborate structure that

can store timers within sessions and

sessions within projects I recommend

using reactjs for the front ENT and

python or Java for the back end two you

have a machine learning project pick a

data set on kaggle.com for example I did

a project one time predicting covid-19

debts so you take this data clean it

process it using pandis or numpy which

are python libraries then learn the

sklearn library and use the fit and

predict functions to train and test your

models bonus points if you can create

visualizations using matplot lib and get

performance metrics so after these two

weeks you have experiences and skills

under your belt now it's time for week

three your resume the biggest mistake

that I see a lot of people make on their

rumes is terrible terrible formatting I

mean y'all check yourselves out in the

mirror 50 times before you step a foot

out the door but you can't have a half

decent resume I don't get how this works

but lucky for you I have a free resumé

template Link in description so you can

get amazing amazing formatting now in

terms of what to actually put onto your

resume here are some quick fire five

tips one remove the start date of your

education and only put the expected

graduation date companies hate hiring

freshmen and sophomores so by taking off

the start date you remove them from the

idea of that in their minds and trust me

that's what landed may my first big tech

software engineering internship at

Amazon as a freshman in college two

include your citizenship status if you

are a citizen of course it'll FastTrack

recruitment for you because recruiters

ideally want to hire citizens it's just

cheaper how the companies work their

psychology not mine three no High School

experience on your resume whatsoever

unless it is super super technical for

example once I got to college I removed

Debate Club model1 Deca from my resume

but I kept a machine learning project I

did in high school four experiences and

projects are way way way more valuable

than volunteering and extracurriculars

these companies do not care how

altruistic you are even if you read

books to kids at a library for 4 years

do not put that on your rese because

they only care about what technical

value you bring to the company five

include numbers they Drive eyeballs to

your resume so after you have a perfect

resume do not apply for a job yet week

four is probably the most crucial and

that is networking oh but I have no idea

how to network none of my friends work

in big Tech well do you have a LinkedIn

yes you do okay perfect when I was

applying for internships back in the day

I used to go onto LinkedIn search up

software engineering at compy X now a

problem a lot of people do is like just

connect with people and think that's

networking but that's not really what it

is I personally would connect with 30 to

50 people from said company like

software engineer at Google I would

connect with them and then I would

actually shoot them a message I would

say hey my name is sad I'm a computer

science major here at Georgia Tech I

have this experience and I have this

interest would you be down to hop on a

15-minute call to talk about your

experiences at this company through this

you turn a cold Outreach to a warm

Outreach and then once you hop on a call

you establish your report and be like

hey would you be down to give me a

referral to this company for this

upcoming internship program do not do

not do not apply without a referral

trust me you will be shooting yourself

in the foot especially in this market

you need every single Advantage you can

get once you get the referrals now we

can head into week five and you can

start applying here are a few resources

you can use and not sponsored by the way

one notify doc careers every single day

they send you open job postings that are

tailor to your location and desired

salary two levels. fy/ internships you

can see exact compensation packages and

bonuses and apply to open positions now

you can actually Flex on your friends if

you make more money three LinkedIn

itself it's a great resource because you

can straight up apply to so many jobs

with your LinkedIn profile within the

matter of seconds four Google and search

up Google GitHub summer 2025 internship

you'll see many repositories that have

open positions just listed out there and

they typically update them pretty well

throughout the school year once you

apply to referrals to you typically will

be hearing back with an initial

behavioral screening so for week six we

got behavioral interview prep and for

this thing I got three things to say one

have a good personality learn from me

two know everything on your resume

typically when you come into an

interview they will ask you different

questions like tell me about a time when

you dealt with a conflict tell me about

a time in which you had to meet a tight

deadline the ideal situation would be

you answer these questions from

experiences that are on your resume so

for each experience you should have a

surrounding story on your resume don't

just say hey I worked at Google say

while I was at Google working on the new

API call for the maps team we dealt with

a conflict in implementations and we

deliberated upon design choices and we

went with the most cost-efficient option

deriving your answers to the questions

from your resume gives you that complete

holistic look three know your leadership

principles I stole this from Amazon

every single employee hired into Amazon

must adhere to 14 different leadership

principles it's their company values but

something that I realized that is so

cool about them is that they make for

great responses to behavioral interview

questions for example what's your

biggest strength well my biggest

strength is I am very customer obsessed

and oriented any project I'm

implementing and solving I put the

customer's interests and mindset first

and this is apparent through design

choices usability and product delivery

what is your biggest weakness well my

biggest weakness is that some times I

dive too deep into certain problems I

get lost in my work from time to time

and I fail to see the bigger picture you

see how these are just so much nicer

sounding than just the generic ones and

if you want a behavioral interview

question bank that has Target skills for

what they're looking for check out Link

in description absolutely for free once

again once you passed the initial

behavioral HR screens now it is time for

a technical interview prep in week s

technical interviews usually come in

three forms one always online online

assessments two online video interviews

three whiteboard interviews overall what

all these interviews Target is data

structures and algorithms and leite code

let me know if you guys like a full

length video on this and I'll probably

make one but in short it's important to

learn every single data structure in

algorithm first and for that I recommend

CSV tool.com and then after learning

that that's when you actually put it

into practice and for that I recommend

obviously going on to Elite code

starting off with easy questions the

important thing is is to practice based

on different structure types not just

like the difficulty meaning do a bunch

of different array questions until you

master it then a bunch of different

Stacks a bunch of different cues and

then as you're mastering each data

structure and algorithm you move on to

the next one so you have your

fundamentals extremely tight oh but what

happens if you get stuck when you're

doing a practice problem well that's

where I have your next source and that

is Geeks for geeks this is a site that

for leak code questions they provide

solutions that are root Force optimized

and optimal and many different coding

languages so it's perfect regardless of

your background they also have other

articles and visual diagrams so you can

learn more technical stuff okay so at

this point you have successfully passed

your technical interviews landed that

offer and for the final week week number

eight let's talk about offer

negotiations and post offer activities

rule number one for your internships do

not ever negotiate your salary unless

you have a competing offer and it's

something significant it's really hard

especially in this market to come buy

offers and if you try to negotiate

there's always a chance where they pull

the plug on you and trust me an extra $5

an hour will probably not change your

life but if companies pull your offer

away that'll probably significantly hurt

your life but in terms of other things

that you should do once you actually get

your offer well first of all chill relax

and celebrate because you worked really

hard but then one or two months before

your internship start date reach out to

your recruiter and ask if you could be

put in touch with your manager try to

set up a one-on-one with your manager

this way you can at least start mentally

preparing for your work this summer or

maybe if you're going to work on a

technology that you have no clue about

you can actually start maybe doing a

corser course on it it just gets you so

prepared so reach out one or two months

in advance well that's about all I have

for this video I really hope that you

guys liked it and if you did make sure

to hit the like button subscribe if you

haven't already and if you want a

complete indepth guide of what software

Engineers actually do on a day-to-day

basis you might like this video right

here