Everything I did to get an Internship as SE

Job search is an exhausting process, even more, so when the market is like it is now.

I took 8 months of preparation, cold emails, applications, and rejections to get an internship in 2022.

Here's everything I did in those 8 months. (updated to 2024)

1/ Making my resume parsable

It took me some time and applications to realize that my resume is not filtered by humans, at least for the first round. Recruiters use ATS for the first round of filtering.

For many applications, I was not getting any callbacks or straight rejects after applying, i.e., my resume was not parsable. The positioning and the frequency of keywords related to the job description were not right.

I used Jobscan's ATS software to get my resume reviewed and optimized (paid).

Alternatively, you can also use LinkedIn's resume builder for premium members but I liked Jobscan more.

2/ Being picky on my applications.

During the first few months, I applied to every position I could find (which I call mass applying) but It didn't seem to work.

And I realized I was not spending enough time on each application.

So, I applied for only 3-5 jobs a week. I spent the first 6 days on research and networking. like preparing resumes, cold DMs, getting referrals, preparing to answer the questions in the application optimally, etc., and only then on the weekend I applied.

This helped me stand out from others and get a few calls.

3/ Creating content online

I've noticed that all the companies asked for my socials (LinkedIn, Github, etc) when I applied.

So, I started creating content. I published a few articles, updated my Github, and started posting anything I know or am learning on Linkedin.

4/ Using Chrome extensions to simplify the application process.

These extensions have made my life so easy in those 8 months.

i. Simplify Co-pilot: auto-fill your information and resume on your application.

ii. Jobalytics: Will analyze your resume and job description to match them. it is not required if you have a Jobscan subscription.

iii. email hunter: Will find emails of recruiters so you can cold email them.

iv. Teal: save and track your jobs directly from the job site.

v. Ultimate H1B sponsor checker: this will tell you how many H1-B sponsorships the company filed for in the previous year.

vi. Grammarly: To make sure that your emails don't have any grammatical errors.

PS: Recently, a few new websites have been offering job application automation using AI, but the error margin is too high right now. I wouldn't suggest using them yet.

5/ Getting referrals from strangers on Linkedin.

Nowadays, you can reach anyone from anywhere in a matter of minutes with DMs. Everyone is one DM/ email away from being a friend.

When I wanted to apply for a company, I went through the people section of the company's LinkedIn page and searched for employees who had something in common with me.

It can be the same alma mater, country, state, spoken language, favorite team, player... anything.

And I used to start a conversation with them and then

first, get feedback on the company.

second, ask for a referral.

90% of the time people agreed to refer me.

6/ Following creators

Many experienced creators make content on Linkedin, Instagram, and X but my favorite is @gaurav ashisha. His content stands out with the quality.

And you have many other creators who will be suggested to you once you follow Gaurav.

That's it right? It's been some time since I did a job search. If you have any other questions please feel free to ask them in comments. Thank you.