How to Land an IT Internship

Most students walk away from career fairs with free pens. I walked away with 2 internships. Here’s exactly how I did it — and how you can too. ⏳ Career Fair success starts before the fair. Not during. Not the night before. Weeks before. 🔍 Step 1: Research smart Pick 10–15 companies you’d actually want to work for. If you're an international student, check myvisajobs.com to find visa sponsors fast. I used this strategy to land an internship at American Airlines. They were working on predictive analytics to cut flight delays — so I pitched how my final project on time series forecasting could help. 🎓 One thing Dr. B.P.S. Murthi taught us stuck with me: Don’t act like a student. Act like a consultant. Know the company’s problems — and show how you can solve one. 💡 Use this ChatGPT prompt: “Summarize what [Company] does, who their customers are, and 3 challenges they’re likely solving. Then explain how a student or intern could help.” 🤝 Step 2: Connect early Search [Company] + University Recruiter on LinkedIn. ✅ Connect. ✅ Send a short message on LinkedIn/ cold email: “Hi [Name], I’m [Your Name], a [Major] student at [University]. Looking forward to meeting [Company] at the career fair — especially curious how your team handles [project/problem].” One recruiter replied: "Thanks for reaching out — excited to chat more about your project!" That message made the booth conversation effortless. 📊 Step 3: Walk in with a tracker Use a simple Excel sheet: | Company | Recruiter | Role | Notes | Example: | American Airlines | Sarah J. | Data Analyst Intern | Mention time series forecasting + automation | | Dell | Priya S. | Data Intern | Ask about GenAI + internal LLM use cases | 💬 Use this ChatGPT prompt: “Here’s their LinkedIn profile. Here’s mine. Give me 3 conversation starters I can use.” 📇 Step 4: Go digital + Print Business Cards Make business cards with a QR code to your LinkedIn or resume. → Canva: design your card → HiHello or Beaconstac: create a QR code → Vistaprint: get it printed 🧠 I added a tagline under my name: "Turning messy data into decisions." 🖼️ Add a small photo so they remember your face. ✍️ Write a quick note on the card after each chat: “Enjoyed talking about data automation!” Most students show up. Few stand out. So you better be that person. 📌 Next up → how to build a tracker + elevator pitch that actually gets remembered. #CareerFairSeason #InternshipTips #DataAnalytics #JobSearchStrategy #InternationalStudents #NetworkingTips #CareerDevelopment #LinkedInTips #StudentSuccess #CollegeToCareer

How I would go about finding a summer role as an international student First, you need to know it’s not too late to find a summer internship! I know how challenging it can be to find an internship as an international student, but with the right strategy and a proactive approach, you can still land a role. Here’s how I’d go about it: 1️⃣ 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Not all companies can or will sponsor visas, so start by targeting those that do. Use platforms like: ⭐ MyVisaJobs.com (for sponsorship trends) - https://lnkd.in/eC7W8Bsu ⭐ H1BGrader (to check past sponsorships) - https://h1bgrader.com/ ⭐ Simplify and Handshake (filter for visa-friendly employers) - https://lnkd.in/eveZBcg2 ⭐ FrogHire.ai (helps international students find companies open to sponsorship) - https://lnkd.in/eEubGzFR 2️⃣ 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 & 𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 Many roles have rolling deadlines, so apply ASAP! Don’t wait to mass apply. Apply within 7 days of the job posting going up. It’s not a hard rule, but it’s a good way to stay competitive. 3️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐬 & 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 Your friend group can be a great resource for job leads and company insights. Back in college, my friends and I would recommend each other to recruiters and share our knowledge of companies that sponsored international students. If you don’t know someone at the company yet, a warm referral can really help your application stand out. 4️⃣ 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 & 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⭐ Engage with company recruiters on LinkedIn. ⭐ Find professionals in your field (working for the company of interest) and ask for informational interviews. ⭐ Join community centered or professional networking groups like ColorStack for additional support. 5️⃣ 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 If traditional internships are limited, consider: ⭐ Research assistant roles at your university or other universities. ⭐ Micro-internships with Parker Dewey - https://lnkd.in/ekQxh6_E. ⭐ Summer research programs. See list here: https://lnkd.in/eJWieBN9 To get you started, here are some non-FAANG companies known to hire international students:  🌸 Salesforce 🌸 Bandwidth Inc. 🌸 Eli Lilly and Company 🌸 EBSCO Information Services 🌸 Cisco 🌸 EY 🌸 Deloitte 🌸 Dell Technologies 🌸 HubSpot 🌸 Duolingo 🌸 IBM 🌸 Slack 🌸 Amgen 🌸 The Home Depot 🌸 ServiceNow 🌸 DEKA Research & Development You can also follow Put Me On to see new roles that opened recently. 💬 If you know other companies open to hiring international students, drop them in the comments. You never know who you’ll be helping. If you’re an international student still searching, don’t get discouraged! Roles keep opening daily. Stay proactive and remember, I’m rooting for you 💙 #putmeon #internationalstudent #hiring #internships #college #studentsoflinkedin #jobs

Application season is here and I get a lot of questions from students and early-career folks about internships, particularly at companies building in complex domains. Sharing a few things I genuinely encourage when applying, based on what I’ve seen work. First, be proactive in your outreach. Don’t rely only on job portals. Reach out on LinkedIn, email, or both and thoughtfully. Second, customize everything. Your resume and opening message should clearly show that you’ve researched the company and the industry. Highlight projects, coursework, or experience that actually maps to what they do. Third, do something for the company before asking for something in return. Engage with their posts. If they have open source, fork it and contribute. Or build a small, relevant side project and share it, even a short video walkthrough helps. Fourth, understand the supply-demand gap. There’s a lot of inbound. The more time you spend on pre-work, the more you stand out. Fifth, think about the stage of the company. Early-stage teams and larger companies need different kinds of help. Reach out accordingly. And finally, meet people where you can - Events, meetups, warm introductions, those conversations still matter. The strongest internship applications show intent, curiosity, and effort. Not just a list of skills. Early stage companies need different resources at different times as they scale. Figure out what is the most pressing need for the company you want to get into and customize accordingly. All the best for your applications!

If your job search strategy is “apply and pray”, it’s time to wake up. You’ve got the polished résumé. Your tracker is even color-coded. But if nobody knows you, nobody hires you. Welcome to Part 2 of this no-fluff series on how to actually land that job/internship quickly, the smart way. Let’s talk networking, not the awkward, copy-paste DM kind. I’m talking warm, strategic, “this-person-stays-in-my-head” networking. Here’s how the ones getting callbacks are doing it: ➤ Go where the energy is. Stop hiding behind applications. → One event a week. That’s it. Virtual or physical just show up. Tech talks. Product meetups. Twitter Spaces. Anything. Because you can't get seen if you’re never in the room. ➤ Ask that question. You don’t need to be the loudest. Just be thoughtful. → “What’s one mistake interns make when starting out?” → “How can someone without traditional experience break in?” That question puts your name in lights. And opens doors for real convos after. ➤ Talk to speakers. Sponsors. Panelists. Not to beg(very important because they can see if you will be a liability or an asset) but to build. “Hey [Name], I loved your take on X. I’m working on Y and your insight helped me rethink Z. Mind glancing at my résumé for 2 mins?” (I should add that some of you are doing this to me already 😂) That 2-minute ask has started careers. And the follow-up? That’s where the relationship begins. ➤ Start showing up online. → Follow 5 people in your dream industry → Engage with their content (thoughtfully) → DM after a few days: “Been learning a lot from your posts. I’m hoping to break into [industry], could I ask a quick question?” That’s a warm DM. And warm gets answered. ➤ Make your name hard to forget. → Post weekly (your journey, insights, challenges) → Comment daily (meaningful, not spammy) → DM with purpose, not desperation → Attend events like it’s your part-time job You don’t need magic. You need memory. And memory comes from consistency. TL;DR: Stop job hunting like everyone else. Start job building — with strategy, visibility, and genuine connection. So before Friday ends and vibes take over, do one thing from this list today. → Drop a comment with your favorite tip. → Share this with someone who needs it. → Or better, go network smart. Because the job isn’t just on LinkedIn. It’s in the minds of the people you’re not talking to, YET.

8 years ago, I walked into my first lecture hall - new city, new dreams. No one prepares you for the real college journey: ⚠️ When to start building your resume ⚠️ How to find your first internship ⚠️ What really makes you job-ready So here’s a mini survival guide for freshers, built from my own mistakes (and a few small wins): ✅ 1. LinkedIn is goldmine Most freshers don’t touch LinkedIn until 3rd year and miss out on internships, referrals, and opportunities. 👉 Share one (atleast) weekly post about what you learned This is your silent resume builder. ✅ 2. DM Seniors Smartly You don’t need 10 mentors. You need 1 conversation. Message them: "Hey! I’m a fresher in [Branch], curious how you landed your first internship/project. Would love any advice!" You’ll be surprised how many are ready to help. Detailed guide : https://lnkd.in/gqhmkfFb ✅ 3. Use college free WiFi to complete 1 free course per semester. Fact: Students who do at least 3 online certifications by 2nd year increase their internship chances by 48%. Start with basic stuff : Excel + Canva Git + SQL ChatGPT basics ✅ 4. Join Hackathons Early You don’t need to be a coding expert. 📊 Fact: 62% of beginners who participated in their first hackathon just contributed to idea building and presentation and still won prizes. Be the one who speaks, writes, organizes, presents. Hackathons reward initiative. ✅ 5. Don’t Wait for Assignments. Build Projects Now. You don’t need permission to build. Create a simple UI on Figma Build a Notion tracker Make an AI playlist recommender Put it on GitHub or LinkedIn. Your initiative becomes your portfolio. ✅ 6. Create Your Own Learning System Top students don’t just study more they organize better. Create a weekly log: ✔️ 3 things I learned ❌ 1 thing I struggled with 🔜 1 thing I want to learn next This is your learning library. Free. Powerful. Yours. 🎯 Final Advice Your college won’t hand you a job. But it will give you time, internet, and people. Use them right and your degree won’t just be a certificate, it’ll be a launchpad. #career #success #growth #interview #job #internship

Didn’t get an internship this summer? Read this. I never had one. Still made to Google. But If I could go back, I would do this... First off, forget the noise. You’re not cooked. You don’t need to change majors. You’re fine. The internship path is just one way. It’s not the only way. 1️⃣ 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 Stop sending cold DMs asking for referrals. Actually read their posts. Find common ground. Ask real questions. Share insights. The goal isn’t just to get one random referral. It’s to build relationships that last. Because when you know someone well, they’re more likely to:  • Refer you confidently (can turn a referral from a maybe to a very high chance of an interview)  • Share new roles as they move to new companies  • Remember your name when opportunities come up One good connection can open doors for years. 2️⃣ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 Forget “To-Do” lists and cookie-cutter clones. Build things that matter. Here’s a framework: - List your hobbies - Write down what frustrates you about them - Find a pain point - Build a project to solve it; even if you don't finish the project, try When you’re actually excited about the problem, you learn faster, dig deeper. 3️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗺𝗲, 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀 I didn’t follow the traditional path. No CS degree. No shiny internships. But I had two things locked down:  • I knew exactly where I was starting from  • I knew exactly where I wanted to go Most people just throw themselves into the grind without knowing the game. You can’t break the rules if you don’t know what they are. 4️⃣ 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 (𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂) I don’t care if it’s:  • Wake up at 11 AM  • Play games from 2–4 PM  • Code from 11 PM–2 AM Just pick your schedule and stick to it. Consistency is worth more than perfection. 5️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗖𝗼𝗱𝗲... 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗡𝗼𝘄. I’m a fan of the slow burn of LeetCode  • 1 - 2 problems a day.  • Study by topic, not # completed  • No cramming three weeks before interviews You don’t have to grind 8 hours a day, you just have to keep moving forward. 6️⃣ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝘁 Tech internships are catching up to banking, you’re applying more than a year out.  • Set Google Alerts for deadlines. Don't miss them.  • If you can get a referral, do it. If not, still apply.  • It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency. If you didn’t land an internship, it’s not game over. It’s game on. 💡 Save, repost, and share with someone who needs this.Because missing out on an internship doesn’t mean missing out on your future. You’ve got three months. Build. Learn. Connect. If you need accountability, comment "Locked In" below and I’ll reach out weekly to check in. Or shoot me a DM if you want to keep it private, I get it. That was me back then, which is exactly why I’m sharing this. Let’s make the next three months count.

If I did not have an internship, here's what I would do to increase my chances for next time. Multiple students have asked me in mentorship calls, "What to do if they don't have an internship?" Sharing a few options: (I followed #4 and #2) 𝟭. 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: - Pick one technology (e.g., React, Python, AWS) and build a comprehensive project around it. - Example: If you're interested in AI, build a sentiment analyzer and deploy it on Hugging Face or Streamlit. 𝟮. 𝗢𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗼 (focus on AI usage in every domain): - Clearly document your projects on GitHub using professional READMEs. - Add detailed explanations, architecture diagrams, and deployment links. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲: - Even small contributions count. Use sites like goodfirstissue.dev or explore GitHub repositories in your domain. - Document your contributions clearly on LinkedIn or your resume. 𝟰. 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀: - Engage in academic research projects or summer schools offered by universities or organizations. - This provides experience, mentorship, and networking opportunities. - Explore options like Stanford University Summer Session, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Summer Research Program, or the Amgen Scholars Program. Many universities globally offer virtual or on-campus summer research and learning programs -> check their official sites for deadlines and details. Ex: https://oge.mit.edu/msrp/ | https://lnkd.in/gPXEqgxn - 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦? In my freshman year, I joined the Stanford Summer School and Research Program. At the same time, I built my web portfolios to increase my chances of securing interviews with big tech companies. 𝟱. 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: - Post weekly or bi-weekly updates on LinkedIn explaining what you're learning or building. - This boosts visibility and demonstrates initiative to recruiters. 𝟲. 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘀 & 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: - Leverage high-quality online resources like Coursera, Udemy, or FreeCodeCamp. - Example: Deep Learning Specialization or AWS Cloud Practitioner. https://lnkd.in/ggPDt7qV Internships are beneficial, but your career growth isn’t limited by not having one. Strategic skill-building and visibility can position you strongly for future opportunities.

Students are asking me: “𝐀𝐦 𝐈 𝐂𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐟 𝐈 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫?” ❌ No, of course not. Industry experience is one of the most valuable things you can put on your resume but you can get creative with how you get that experience. Some of the best opportunities aren’t posted — they’re shared. Here’s how to make real progress without a formal internship: ⸻ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐔𝐩 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 ⭐️ Check Eventbrite + Meetup — connect with local professionals, even for funzies ⭐️ Big names recruit heavily at SWE, SHPE, NSBE — I got my Apple internship through SWE ⭐️ Niche events: SF Tech Week, Afrotech, Latinx in Tech, Grace Hopper, MLH Hackathons, etc. Not-so-secret tip: These events let you upload your resume to conference-specific databases, and many secure next-day interviews/offers from this. ⸻ 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 ⭐️ Look into Capital One’s Early ID, Google STEP, Goldman Sachs Insights, Facebook University, etc ⭐️ Campus ambassadorships — Microsoft, Notion, Adobe, etc → These often lead to referrals, experience, and paid gigs ⸻ 𝐒𝐚𝐲 𝐘𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 — 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐬 ⭐️ Research with a professor (just ask!) ⭐️ Helping a startup on a short-term project ⭐️ Freelance or launch your own product ⸻ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭-𝐃𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 — warm connections ⭐️ Professors: Many are ex-industry professionals — they have connections to companies or even graduated students in the workplace ⭐️ Alumni: Find grads from your school, ask about their path — then ask about opportunities ⭐️ Local companies & startups: Easier access, faster timelines ⸻ 5️⃣ 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐬 — 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐟 If you’re not learning 𝘰𝘯 the job, treat learning 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 a job. ⭐️ Courses: Coursera, edX, AWS (Google IT, IBM Data Science, Meta Front-End) ⭐️ Certs: CAPM, Lean Six Sigma, Scrum Master ⭐️ Projects: Scrimba, Frontend Mentor, GitHub -> show, don’t just tell Highlight “Projects” section on your resume + “Featured Posts” on LinkedIn ⸻ 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 — 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞 ⭐️ LinkedIn | WayUp | Handshake | Jobright AI | Simplify New roles drop daily. Don’t count yourself out early. ⸻ 6️⃣ 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝. ⭐️ Read: 𝘕𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘈𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘴, 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘰 𝘞𝘪𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 — soft skills get you hired. ⭐️ Rest: Take that trip. You’ll never have this kind of freedom once PTO kicks in. Protect your energy — it’s a long game. I never liked reading myself, but committing to 1 book this year, small wins :) === 🔁: Repost to your network if you found this useful or tag a friend ➕ Follow me: Anna Chen for weekly career tips and job postings #NoInternshipNoProblem #EarlyCareer #NetworkingTips #UndergradOpportunities #TipsIWishIKnewEarlier

“You’re great… but we want someone with more experience.” Don’t wait for summer internships to fix this. Here’s how I’d do it without relying on anyone to offer me an internship. 1. Identify target skills Know exactly what your target job requires. How to do it: - Scan 15 job ads on SEEK and Prosple for technical skills and tools. - Study LinkedIn profiles of people in your target roles. - Explore LinkedIn Economic Graph to find in-demand skills. This becomes your skills blueprint so every project you do matches what employers want. 2. Do work integrated learning early Get real industry exposure through your degree. How to do it: - Pick courses that offer work integrated learning or industry projects. - If your program doesn’t include this, speak with your university about switching. - Choose courses with company projects, not just academic research. This is one of the fastest ways to build relevant local experience while studying. 3. Create project opportunities in your current job Your “irrelevant” part time job can be your first source of relevant experience. How to do it: - Research what someone in your target role at this company would work on. - Identify processes, apps or tools that could be improved using your target skills. - Build a mini project that solves that problem, even if it’s outside your usual tasks. - Document what you did, how you did it and the impact. This is far more powerful to share when networking than a cold “Can I get a referral?” message. 4. Create new opportunities through SMBs If the opportunities you want don’t exist, build them. How to do it: - Look locally at cafés, barbershops, builders, recruitment agencies and tech businesses. - Spot gaps you could solve: outdated websites, inefficient systems, poor visibility, messy data. - Pitch a small, low risk project the owner can say yes to easily. Even if they don’t respond, you can still do it. - Execute, document and showcase the results. Pick something you can build independently without relying on them for input or resources. 5. Find real projects through academia and industry networks Universities and professional associations are full of real projects. How to do it: - Reach out to professors and PhD students. Many are working on initiatives that need extra hands, from building tools to improving systems. - Volunteer with associations like ACS, PMI or CPA Australia to work on industry projects, events or initiatives. This gives you structured local experience and builds your network while you’re still a student. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you like actionable recommendations like these, you should read my Newsletter. It'll help you land your First Australian Offer. Link in comments.

IT Graduates in South Africa: Internships for 2026 – Read This! Every year I speak to brilliant IT graduates who want to start their careers — but simply don’t know where to look, how to apply, or what to send. So here’s a practical breakdown to help you (or someone you know) navigate IT internships in South Africa for 2026 Where to apply: SETA & public-sector programmes (Services SETA, LGSETA, MQA – across all provinces) Corporate graduate & IT internships (software houses, consulting firms, fintech, managed services) Job platforms like LinkedIn, PNet, Careers24, Indeed Company career pages (often overlooked!) How to find them: Set LinkedIn job alerts for “IT Internship” or “IT Graduate Programme” Follow companies you’d like to work for Check SETA websites regularly (they open and close applications fast) Use university career offices and alumni networks How to apply: Read the advert carefully. Follow instructions exactly. Some roles require email applications, others online portals — missing this step often means instant rejection. What to send: A clear, well-structured CV (1–2 pages max) A short, tailored motivation/cover letter Certified copies of ID, qualifications & transcripts GitHub / portfolio links (especially for dev, data, or engineering roles) Important tip: Internships are not just about marks — employers look for curiosity, effort, basic technical skills, and attitude. Projects, labs, and self-learning matter. If you’re an IT graduate, start early, apply widely, and don’t self-reject. And if you’re an employer offering internships — thank you. You’re building South Africa’s future tech talent Please share this post — it might change someone’s career trajectory. #ITGraduates #Internships2026 #TechCareers #GraduateOpportunities #SouthAfricaJobs #ITCareers #FutureTalent #EarlyCareers #DigitalSkills