Finding Computer Science Internships With No Experience

7 min readOct 18, 2023

Remember when ‘entry-level’ meant you had a chance without experience? I sure do. Twenty-five years ago, I faced the same uphill battle you’re likely facing now — proving my skills with no prior experience. I even failed a coding test that required fetching data from a database. But don’t worry, you won’t have to go through what I did. This post is your roadmap to navigating the tricky terrain of landing a computer science internship, even if your resume is as empty as a null variable.

Why Internships Are Important

Internships provide invaluable hands-on experience and are a great way to gain practical skills you can’t learn in a classroom. Here are some of the key benefits of doing an internship:

Learn new technologies and programming languages
Apply your academic knowledge to real-world projects
Understand how professional software teams operate
Expand your professional network
Gain experience for your resume and portfolio
Potentially receive a full-time job offer

Completing one or more internships can give you a significant advantage when applying for entry-level developer roles after graduation. Tech companies value candidates who have proven they can contribute in a professional environment.

Finding Opportunities

There are many ways to find open internship positions:

Your university’s career center — Many colleges maintain job boards specifically for students. Career counselors can also advise you on finding roles.
Company websites — Look for internship listings on the careers page of company sites. Filter by entry-level if possible.
Job boards — Sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and Internships.com allow you to search for tech internships.
Tech-specific boards — Try AngelList, Built In, and Vettery to find startup and tech company internships.
Networking — Talk to professors, alumni, and professionals to find unlisted opportunities.

Cast a wide net and don’t limit yourself only to large tech companies. Startups and lesser-known businesses can also provide great experience.

Tailoring Your Application

With no prior experience, you must emphasize your academic coursework, technical skills, and learning enthusiasm. Here are some tips:

Highlight relevant coursework — List specific classes like data structures, algorithms, software engineering, web development, and programming languages. These show your theoretical knowledge.
Talk about personal projects — Side projects, open source contributions, or coding bootcamp experience demonstrate your hands-on skills.
Focus on soft skills — Communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management are valued. Use examples to prove you have these abilities.
Show passion for tech — Genuine interest in the company’s work and eagerness to learn. Enthusiasm can help offset lack of experience.
Get resume feedback — Have professors or career counselors review your resume to highlight strengths and improve areas of weakness.

Acquiring Skills

While internships don’t always require experience, having some skills can help your candidacy. Here are ways to start gaining knowledge:

Take challenging coursework — Seek out classes in data structures, algorithms, machine learning, and other advanced CS topics. These develop in-demand skills.
Build personal projects — Create web apps, mobile apps, or programs that solve real-world problems. This demonstrates initiative.
Contribute to open source — Join open source projects on GitHub to work on production code and enhance collaboration abilities.
Learn new languages/frameworks — Expand your knowledge by taking online courses or tutorials on Python, JavaScript, React, Node.js etc.
Practice technical interviewing — Use sites like LeetCode and CodeSignal to improve coding interview skills.
Attend hackathons — Participate in coding events to problem-solve and create projects under time pressure.

Gaining proficiency in a few areas can significantly improve your candidacy for internships.

Applying Broadly

As a student with no experience, it’s important to apply widely to maximize your chances.

Leverage your school’s resources — Utilize campus recruiting events and career fairs to connect with companies.
Look beyond top tech firms — Consider startups, lesser-known tech companies, and non-tech corporations.
Broaden your search geography — Apply to positions in various locations, not just where you want to end up long-term.
Consider unpaid roles — While paid is ideal, unpaid internships can still provide valuable experience.
Be open-minded — Don’t limit yourself to specific teams or technologies. Consider positions across the organization.
Follow up after applying — Send emails to recruiters and hiring managers to check on the status of your application politely.
Reapply next season — If you don’t get a role, try again next semester or summer. Use the feedback to improve.

Persistence is key — with a broad search and some patience, you can eventually land that first opportunity.

Preparing for Interviews

The interview is your chance to prove you have what it takes to succeed in the internship. Here are some ways to prepare:

Research the company — Understand the company’s products, technologies, culture, and competitors. Show why you are interested.
Practice coding challenges — Use LeetCode, CodeSignal, Codility, or other sites to practice coding interview questions.
Prepare for behavioral questions — Review common questions and practice answering with relevant examples and stories.
Brush up on CS fundamentals — Review core computer science topics like data structures, algorithms, databases, and object-oriented design.
Do mock interviews — Ask a friend, professor, or career counselor to conduct practice interviews and provide feedback.
Prepare smart questions — Research the team and role to ask intelligent, engaging questions that show your interest.

With practice and preparation, you can show interviewers you have the abilities and potential to excel as an intern.

Making the Most of Your Internship

Once you secure an internship, be proactive to get the most out of it:

Ask questions — Don’t be afraid to ask for help when needed. Good questions show initiative.
Take notes — Document what you learn including key technical skills, industry best practices, and team processes.
Attend meetings — Join standups, design reviews, and other meetings to learn even if you don’t contribute.
Build relationships — Get to know your coworkers. They can provide mentorship and help grow your network.
Seek feedback — Ask your manager for regular input on your work. Be receptive and act on suggestions.
Find a mentor — See if a more senior employee can advise you during your internship. Learn from their experience.
Work on side projects — If allowed, tackle experimental projects or improvements to exercise creativity.
Contribute to team goals. Look for ways to help your team ship products and achieve results. Impact matters.
Have fun—internships should still be enjoyable experiences. Bond with other interns and make the most of social events.

These steps will ensure you maximize your learning and demonstrate you can work effectively on a real-world development team.

Turning an Internship into a Full-Time Job

The ultimate goal is to convert your internship into a full-time job offer. Here is how to improve your chances:

Network internally — Meet people across the organization, not just your team. Broaden visibility into your work.
Showcase your work — Document your accomplishments in a portfolio. Share demos and code samples with colleagues.
Go above and beyond — Take on extra tasks, stay late when needed, and say yes to additional projects.
Express interest — Tell your manager you enjoy the work and company and are interested in full-time opportunities.
Get feedback — Ask your manager for advice on improving and position yourself for a full-time role.
Ace the intern project — Knock your internship project out of the park. Make it something they want to put into production.
Interview prep — Even if you interned there, you still need to interview. Start prepping early.

Converting your internship is not guaranteed, but following these tips will give you the best chance of securing that full-time offer.

Final Tips for Landing an Internship

Here are some final pieces of advice for students striving to land their first computer science internship:

Start early — Search for and apply for roles at least one semester before you want to intern.
Cast a wide net — Leverage all resources and apply to multiple companies to increase odds.
Highlight coursework — Emphasize classes that provide relevant skills for the role.
Tout soft skills — Communication, teamwork and enthusiasm can offset lack of experience.
Practice interviewing — Prepare technically and behaviorally through mock interviews and practice questions.
Build a portfolio — Document coding projects and contributions to showcase skills.
Use connections — Network with alumni, professors, recruiters, and professionals to uncover opportunities.
Persist through rejections — Don’t get discouraged. Reapply next season and keep improving your profile.

You can land a computer science internship without prior experience with hard work and perseverance. The key is to stay proactive in your search, develop in-demand skills, and effectively convey your passion for technology. Getting that first internship can set you on the path for a successful and rewarding career.

Conclusion

Internships provide the hands-on experience and professional development that is invaluable for launching a career in computer science. While it may seem challenging to get an internship without prior experience, there are ample opportunities if you cast a wide net, showcase your academic coursework and skills, and demonstrate enthusiasm. You can land that critical first internship with preparation, persistence, and a proactive approach. Approach the search strategically, make the most of the experience, and you will gain the competencies and connections to propel your technology career.