SDE Internship Process Overview

I recently got a lot of messages regarding on-campus/off-campus internship processes, so instead of replying to each of them individually, I thought I would compile all the things I know in a single post. All the stuff I have mentioned are related to software engineering / IT Internships.

First, it is relatively easy to get an internship offer from the companies that come to your college (on-campus) compared to off-campus. So, try to get an offer on-campus, and even if you don’t like it, you always have an option to apply off-campus. Having a backup always boosts your confidence.

Second, to apply off-campus try to use a referral than to apply directly, it will surely make your application stand out. A lot of people apply for off-campus internships/placements, therefore having a referral helps you through the early rounds of shortlisting. To get a referral, contact your college alumni working in that specific company, or find someone on LinkedIn (but for this, you should have a decent resume). It is essential to leverage your contacts when applying off-campus.

Third, regarding preparation,

1. Data structures and algorithms
2. Competitive coding
3. Object-Oriented concepts and design

The process generally includes an online round, which is like a coding contest with 2-3 programming problems, followed by 2-3 technical interview rounds, and a hiring manager round at last.

Theoretical knowledge of data structures and algorithms, combined with a decent amount of competitive coding practice, will help you ace your online coding round(s) as well most of the interviews.

The interviewer may directly ask object-oriented concepts or give a real-life problem to model in classes and objects, for this, study the object-oriented concepts thoroughly and practice some design problems.

I might create an independent post on preparation if required, and leave your queries in the comments. I hope this helps. :)