Top tier companies hire people who shine in and out of academics, and your courses by themselves won’t teach you most things relevant in industry today. Although they’ll give you a great foundation, undergraduate studies are a pipeline for future graduate researchers. If you just want a job, then focus on things outside of class. Your professors probably haven’t coded in decades, since academia rewards very different skills and traits than industry.
We detail this more on the main careers page, so we encourage you to look at that for more information. Something important to note is that clubs provide an amazing environment to form genuine friendships and connections. These can be super helpful for finding a community in CS as well as a network of individuals you can mutually reach out to for advice, resources, and maybe even just a shoulder to lean on.
That being said, make sure you aren’t participating in clubs and activities with the intention of “networking”. Forming a network of connections happens organically, as a result of fostering genuine relationships with people. Don’t try to make it a 3-step formula for success.
Engage yourself in communities outside of Rutgers
Here are some ideas:
- Get engaged with civic hacking since tech can be used for a ton of social good! For example, in my hackNY summer, we worked with the Human Trafficking Response Unit of NYC to build systems to help their analysts track down traffickers.
- Apply to fellowships like hackNY and work on building your network of like-minded friends.
- Contribute to open source projects. Many modern engineering teams rely heavily on open source software, and contributing to real repositories helps you learn how large codebases work, collaborate with other engineers, and build a public track record of your work.
- Build and ship projects with people you meet. Some of the most valuable experience comes from simply finding others who want to build things and working together on side projects, startups, or hackathon ideas. This not only improves your technical skills but also helps you build lasting friendships and professional connections.
Career Fair
Career fairs can be one of the easiest ways to directly connect with recruiters and engineers from companies. Before attending, prepare a short elevator pitch that explains who you are, what you study, and what kind of opportunities you are looking for. Many students try to hand out as many resumes as possible, but this approach is often hit or miss. Instead, focus on quality over quantity by having real conversations with a few companies you are interested in, asking thoughtful questions, and trying to build a genuine connection. Getting a recruiter’s LinkedIn or contact information can often be more valuable than just handing them a resume.
Cold Emailing/Messaging on LinkedIn
Cold emailing recruiters, hiring managers, or engineers can also open doors to opportunities that you may not find through traditional applications. Keep messages short, polite, and clear about why you are reaching out. Mention who you are, how you found them, and what you are hoping to learn or ask about. Then, ask to speak with them for a quick coffee chat. Having simple templates prepared can make this process much easier, and many students find success by reaching out to alumni who previously attended Rutgers or worked at companies they are interested in.
Coffee Chats
Coffee chats are informal conversations where you can learn more about someone’s career path, company, or technical work. The key to a good coffee chat is going in with a goal in mind. Prepare a few thoughtful questions beforehand, such as asking about the person’s experience in their role, how they prepared for interviews, or what advice they have for someone entering the field. The goal is not to immediately ask for a job, but to learn, build a relationship, and leave a positive impression. Keep it short, it’s a coffee chat, not a college class.
Online Presence (website and community involvement)
It's good to have a solid personal site that has your resume and is basically your own section of the internet. Also super awesome to be a community leader because that sets you apart from everyone else and is the best testament to your contributions (and networking is important).
Turn your ability to compartmentalize and keep a tight schedule into habits. Having these habits will help you find time to explore your own curiosities by building projects. Some of our favorite college memories involve making crazy stuff with strangers at hackathons. But keep in mind this isn’t a replacement for good grades; you should already have a good academic record as a foundation before you think about extra stuff like this.
Please let us know if anything is broken, needs to be updated, or if you have any feedback here.