How to Land Your Dream Dev Job
As a software engineer working at a large Bay Area tech company, I’m often asked by aspiring developers: “How did you get there?” and “What do employers look for in potential job candidates?” To answer these questions, I reflected on my time as an Adobe intern and also attended some of our internal intern and new-hire events to meet some of our newest employees. Many of the employees I met reminded me of myself when I first joined Adobe in 2016. Yes, these candidates were all technically sound; and yes, they were definitely very hard-working people. But beyond these traits, they all had a positive mentality towards learning and working with others that really resonated with me.
So what does it take to actually stand out and land that awesome engineering job? How can you become one of those successful applicants? Here are five tips that can help you find your way to your dream dev role at Adobe:
- Work on projects you’re passionate about that address real issues
You don’t need to come up with a Nobel Prize-winning idea (although that would be pretty sweet), but you should work on side projects that show you’re a problem solver. Employers are stoked to hear about side projects that solve real-world issues, even the simplest ones. Plus, you’ll likely put more effort into what you’re working on if it’s something you care about. It also gives you a chance to showcase other passions and talents outside of technology that can help you stand out from other candidates.
P.S. Don’t worry about which programming language you’re using. Pick a language you’re comfortable with and focus more on building something usable that you’re excited to talk about.
2. Show off your collaboration skills
It’s great to demo a few independent projects that you’ve worked on; however, you should also find ways to display your teamwork skills. Working with other people is more indicative of the real work environment you’ll be a part of. It’s great to showcase projects that illustrate your flexibility and ability to work with a variety of people. It’s definitely important to be independent, but also showing you’re able to be a team player and learn and struggle alongside others will serve you well.
3. Mentorship is key
Having fantastic mentors at different stages in my career really made a huge difference for me. Mentorship can be anything from someone that you check in with every day to a more informal, periodic type of relationship. Regardless of what type of mentor you have, it’s important to value their time and use effective communication skills in all interactions. If you don’t have a mentor, you should reach out to people who might be open to mentoring (perhaps someone with more experience or someone whose work you admire). Remember, it could be an informal type of mentorship and doesn’t always have to be in person — email and phone calls work. You can be a mentor at any time, too. It’s always great to practice your leadership skills and give back!

4. It’s never too early to network
Networking, even as a student, is a powerful tool. It’s one tool I didn’t realize until long after I had graduated. Networking is much more than accepting friend requests on LinkedIn. It’s about connecting with people, sharing information and interests, and being more aware of what opportunities are out there. You could have the most amazing resume and be the most accomplished developer, but that won’t matter (when you’re job hunting) unless people know about all of the cool things you’re working on! So connect with people in and out of school. Start forming and maintaining these relationships sooner rather than later, so when it’s time to look for a job you’ll have people to reach out to.
5. Show your hunger for learning
This may be the most important and repeated piece of advice for engineers or professionals in any field. In school, you dedicate tons of time and energy into learning as much and as often as you can. It’s important to keep that enthusiasm for learning alive when you transition to the workforce. Whether you’re a senior engineer or someone just starting out, employers want to work with people who are motivated to keep growing and learning regardless of their seniority or years of experience. Show employers you’re someone who has a high enthusiasm for learning new things and is comfortable with stepping out of your comfort zone. With how fast technology changes, this will always be needed in software development.
Landing a software engineering gig is more than just having the technical requirements; it’s important to show you have strong soft skills and an eagerness to never stop learning. The more of these qualities you’re able to demonstrate, the easier time you’ll have getting your dream dev job. If you want to learn more about Adobe full-time hire or intern job openings and recruiting events for 2018, check out the links below!
Visit the Adobe Career website for more information about upcoming university recruiting dates and current openings.

