How to Increase Your Chances of Getting an Internship at Red Hat
By Fiona Whittington
This past month, I’ve dedicated several hours each week to interviewing students about their experience interning at Red Hat. During these conversations, I noticed several common behaviors and practices that students felt had helped them in achieving a Red Hat internship. I’ve outlined these crucial actions below for anyone who also wants to proudly rock a Fedora one day.
1. Contribute to An Open Source Project
Since Red Hat prides itself on being world’s leading provider of open source solutions, their recruiters are looking for individuals who are passionate about building, promoting, or selling open source technologies.
To exhibit your enthusiasm and get your application noticed, I recommend contributing to an open source project prior to applying for an internship at Red Hat. This will show you are genuinely passionate about working for Red Hat and will make your resume stand out.
Don’t know how to contribute? Here is a guide on how to create and contribute to open source projects. If you are a beginner, here is a list of projects just for you. If you are non-coder, read this article and don’t fret. There are projects for you too!
Don’t think you’re capable of contributing? Or still confused as to where you should start? Try messaging your interviewer or a recruiter for recommendations on what projects you could contribute too. It is the effort that counts, not the results.
2. Exhibit Interest by Attending Recruiting Events
Attending Red Hat recruiting events on campus is critical because it allows you to create and build relationships with Red Hat recruiters and employees. Just sending in your resume isn’t enough to get hired; recruiters want to see that you’re the type of proactive and passionate individual that takes time out of their day to learn more about Red Hat
Attending events is also a great way for recruiters and yourself to see if you are a good culture fit for Red Hat. If your conversations with recruiters or Red Hat employees are boring and you find yourself falling asleep during the event — maybe Red Hat isn’t for you.
3. Ask a Friend or Alumni for a Referral
I am wary of the pervasive use of referrals because I think it fosters a culture of inclusivity and reduces workplace diversity; however, referrals can be a powerful tool for getting an internship.
This past year, four out of the five referrals I gave ended up with an offer.
There are two ways to increase your chances of getting a referral at Red Hat:
- Join a Club on Campus
One way I’ve gotten referrals in the past is by being involved in technology themed clubs on campus. This active participation helped me land referrals for internships at Microsoft, Twitter, Google, Adobe, and more.
Interns are rewarded for giving good referrals. Therefore, receiving a referral is more about finding the right person to refer you and then being amazing enough to make that person look good for recruiting you.
2. Attend Events Relevant to Red Hat
If you don’t have enough time to join a club, go to events that are relevant to Red Hat technologies in your area. Who knows — maybe you’ll meet a Red Hat employee there who would be willing to recommend you for an internship.
In general, just focus on building relationships with those you aspire to work with. I believe some people refer to this as networking.
4. Build a Portfolio of Side Projects
Most recruiters that I’ve spoken to look for potential, not success. Focus on building small projects in your class or in your spare time that will show recruiters you have the skills and characteristics to be successful at Red Hat with the proper resources and training.
If you’re applying to a technical position, all of your side projects should be on GitHub with descriptions of each project. For non-coders, build a portfolio website with Wix or Wordpress that showcases your work.
5. Just Apply.
If you think you are unqualified, apply anyway. If you get rejected, follow up with the Red Hat recruiter and ask how you can improve your application. Then, apply again and tell the recruiter you’ve re-submitted your application. By doing so, you have already shown the recruiter that you are passionate about the position, hardworking, and resilient.
It took me three applications and six emails before I landed an internship at Red Hat, not because I wasn’t qualified, but because I wasn’t applying to the right positions. If I hadn’t followed up, I wouldn’t be where I am right now — sipping some delicious coffee at my desk in the Seaport office, collaborating with all my friends I referred throughout the semester.
Want to learn more about internship opportunities at Red Hat? Check out my medium for a series of interviews with interns in design, product marketing, solution architecture, and more. You can also email me at fwhittin@redhat.com for more details. Emails that include jokes or memes are highly encouraged.
