Just finished interviewing 5 programmers, all of them CS undergrads or grads, for my startup. (This might be a bit biased because CS majors were the ONLY ones we interviewed so far.) Two things occurred to me during the interview process: 1) CS majors have some formalized training in designing software, and 2) the most important part of their resumes was the experience/internships/projects section. Nothing can replace the work that is done outside of the classroom. Classes can't expect 40 hours/week of coding but real jobs can. So, initiate projects yourself or find internships that will actually utilize and grow your skills.
I am a sophomore in college, so take my advice for what it is. But, I wouldn't think I'm too far off from reality. Good luck
Good advice. I think I will wait until I finish learning Java and C++ before looking for internships. Your a sophomore in college and interviewing people for your startup? I think im behind :(
Yeah like Zev said know something before you get there, but expect to rapidly learn new technology at your internship...that is the best way to impress and push forward in a job. I was hired a couple years ago to work on a company's employee portal, which started as sort of a joke because it was so rudimentary, but I learned the insides and outs of the existing software and quickly learned how to hack it (without using any real programming language). Within weeks my boss had me doing complex work flows/applications on the portal and paid me a pretty penny for it! Every internship will be different, but just try to be flexible with what you're given. My guess is this is what will impress potential employers the most, especially web startups looking for individuals who can think outside the box.
The interviews were actually slightly intimidating because most of the applicants knew more programming than I did! Cool experience though :)
Its definitely a good idea to know something before applying for an internship. You don't want to go in there and sit around doing nothing for the duration. It looks bad on you.
I am a sophomore in college, so take my advice for what it is. But, I wouldn't think I'm too far off from reality. Good luck