Simplifier

To get your first internship at a small company, the most important thing is to show that you can actually build things. Think of it like a carpenter showing a chair they made instead of just talking about tools. Startups love to see small projects you’ve worked on for fun, like a simple app or a basic website. It doesn't have to be perfect; it just needs to prove that you can take an idea and turn it into something real. Since startups are usually small teams, they care a lot about who you are as a person. Instead of just sending out a formal resume, try to talk to the people who work there. Send a friendly note to someone at the company and tell them why you like what they are making. It’s much like making a new friend—people are more likely to hire someone they’ve had a nice conversation with than a stranger on a list. Finally, show them that you are a "helper" who is ready to learn anything. In a startup, everyone does a little bit of everything. When you apply, explain how you can help them solve their specific problems. If you show that you are excited, hard-working, and easy to get along with, you’ll stand out much more than someone who only focuses on their school grades.

Junior Developer (Internship Experience)

From my experience, the biggest hurdle is realizing that your coursework only covers about 20% of what you’ll actually do on the job. Startups don't have time to teach you the basics of Git or how to set up a local environment. To get noticed, you need to bridge that gap yourself by building a project that uses a modern tech stack—think React, Node, or FastAPI—and actually deploying it. Having a live URL on your resume proves you can handle the "messy" parts of development that aren't in a textbook. Focus on showing that you can be productive from day one. Instead of just listing languages, highlight specific features you’ve implemented, like an authentication flow or a CRUD API. When I was applying, the turning point was when I stopped talking about my GPA and started talking about how I solved a specific bug in a side project. Startups value that practical troubleshooting mindset over theoretical knowledge every time. Finally, skip the generic job boards and go straight to the source. Reach out to engineers or founders at early-stage companies on LinkedIn or at local meetups. Tell them exactly what you’ve built and offer to help with their backlog. Most startups are overwhelmed with small tasks, and if you can demonstrate that you’re a self-starter who understands version control and basic documentation, you’re already ahead of most applicants.

Startup Founder (Exited)

Forget your GPA; I never looked at it once when I was building my team. In a startup, we don’t have time to train you on the basics. I need to see proof that you can actually ship code. Your GitHub shouldn't be a graveyard of half-finished class assignments. I want to see a side project that solves a real problem or a meaningful contribution to an open-source tool we actually use. If you can’t point to a live URL and say "I built this," you’re just another resume in the pile. Stop applying through "Careers" portals—that’s where resumes go to die. Find the founder or the engineering lead on LinkedIn or X and send a punchy, three-sentence DM. Tell them exactly why you like their product and mention one specific bug you found or a feature you’d build. This shows me you have product sense and initiative, which are more valuable in a fast-moving seed-stage company than any degree. Finally, ditch the "specialist" mindset. I didn't hire interns to be "Java Developers"; I hired them to be problem solvers. Show me you’re a generalist who can jump from frontend to backend and isn't afraid to touch the documentation or the devops pipeline. If you demonstrate that you can learn a new framework in a weekend and you’re obsessed with shipping, you’ll get the offer.