Software Development Intern Interview - What are Software Teams looking for in an intern?

Understanding the motivation and goals of a Software Development Intern Interview.

Church Rock, Utah, USA

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Interviews are a fundamental step in the process of getting any job. Having a direct conversation allows both the interviewer and the interviewee to understand each other better and make an informed decision about the future prospect of working together. Interviewing in the Tech Industry has changed very little in the last couple of decades. However, the Tech Industry’s hiring practices are a bit unique, in the way it attracts candidates from a wide range of diverse backgrounds and skills. While hiring interns, a common practice in Big Tech is to look for “Growth Potential” of candidates through the interview process. Having the technical skills to qualify the interview is important. However, there have been countless examples when the Tech Industry gave a chance to a non-tech student for technical roles, and years later this person had a great and successful career. The key reason why this model succeeds, is because a lot of the learning and skill acquisition in Software Development roles happens on the job. As long as you have the motivation and the desire to learn, you will succeed and thrive in your career.

The first person that you probably interact with as a student is the recruiter. Recruiters reach out to students in a number of ways, Career Fairs, LinkedIn, etc. When you get that first email from a recruiter, make sure to do your research and respond promptly. This message could turn out to be the door of opportunity that life just opened for you.

Once a recruiter finds the right candidate, they work to set up an interview. Interviews for entry level Software Development Engineer roles consist of a group of interviewers, usually called a loop, who take turns to interview the candidate. Your recruiter would work closely with you to schedule a series of about three to five interviews with current employees of the company.

As a first interaction with the company, make sure you are respectful in your communication and ensure you meet your commitments. It is okay to ask for some time to prepare for your interviews, but avoid frequent or last minute re-schedules. It takes effort and time to get a bunch of people’s calendars lined up.

In my 5th semester at University of Toronto, it was a single email from a recruiter (let’s call her Nancy) from Microsoft that opened up the opportunities for me. Nancy wrote an email to me after coming across my resume that I had dropped off at the Career Fair on campus. As days and weeks went by, I realized what a crucial role a recruiter plays in the hiring process. Nancy helped demystify the whole process for me and made sure I understood what the expectations were at each stage of my hiring process. Recently, I found Nancy after 18 years on LinkedIn, and sent her a quick note of appreciation for the important role she played in giving me a chance to work for Microsoft.

Tip #1: Communicate respectfully and promptly to the initial communication from the Recruiter. When asked for an interview schedule, give firm dates and commit to the schedule once set.

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