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Ask HN: How to deal with not being accepted for internships?

6 points by highschooler ↗ HN
I'm a junior in high school (DC area) and I've been applying to a bunch of different summer internships. So far I've been rejected from 2/3 of the internship programs I've applied to (haven't heard back about the 3rd).

I thought I was qualified for them since I program a lot along with contribute to a number of different open source projects. But then I keep on getting rejected. Any advice?

15 comments

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tixocloud
It's important to not take it too personally. There may be many reasons why you were not accepted.

Either way, keep working hard, keep programming and stay humble and positive. Eventually, you'll land something.

Rejection is only a door to a different opportunity.

highschooler
Any advice on how to improve my application (for the future)? Up until now I've been making sure to be active on Github and contribute to open source projects thinking that it would be impressive. But maybe not?
tixocloud
Without knowing what went on in the interviews you've had, I would say to reflect on them and see what you feel went wrong. Was it technical? Was it communication? Was it how you presented yourself?

Contributing to open-source projects is a great way to get noticed. But there's more to interviewing than just the technical part. Companies also need to make sure that you would fit the culture and your work will help them further advance. If you can find, communicate and convince them that you can help them advance their mission, I am certain they will give you a look

All in all, continue to pursue and don't be afraid to show your passion and enthusiasm.

jeffmould
You are young and many companies that offer internships are most likely prioritizing acceptance to college students that are fulfilling requirements for degrees.

With that said, don't give up though and keep pressing. I grew up outside of DC and was lucky enough to land an internship while still in high school. You may want to focus on the government sector (I found one working for a contractor at Goddard Space Flight Center doing network cabling. Learned a lot about infrastructure and also got to see some really cool stuff).

You may also want to check out the Washington Post job section. Do a search for volunteer or non-profit. Although many offer non-paying or low-paying positions, there are some good ones in there. A lot of non-profits look for people to help with their websites, intranets, or other IT related projects. The bigger non-profits sometimes have budgets that you can get a stipend from, but it is the experience you really want.

Good luck, you have plenty of years ahead of you so don't get overly bummed out if you can't find something for this summer. Just keep doing what you are doing.

boredOSHacker
thanks for the advice! the internship program at Goddard is the one I'm waiting to hear back about. one of the ones that turned me down was the SEAP program . the fact that I was turned down for that is what worries me since it makes me question my qualifications since other high schoolers got in.
highschooler
Well there some competition is! How many have you applied for?
boredOSHacker
4 different internships and all said no except goddard which is replying soon i think.
jeffmould
I wouldn't put to much into worrying about being turned down. The DC area sees a lot of people apply, and not just from the area, just because it is DC and students that are interested in the government sector specifically all are trying to get their foot in the door. Just keep pressing at it and eventually you will land one.

Also, go to as many networking events as you possibly can. I know some are going to be 21 and over events, but try to go different meetups that you can attend. Make connections. Even if you don't land an internship for this summer, by making connections early on during the "off season" you can gain an advantage for next summer.

gamechangr
Honestly, keep applying.

Being rejected 2/3 of the time for a first step is actually quite good! I have one friend who was turned down 42 times in a row and still landed a sweet job. He even uses that as part of his story for Meetup presentations about never giving up.

Keep applying!

boredOSHacker
Yeah, I'm in the same position as you except I'm in pretty much the same position (in maryland). so far i've gotten a no from everyone. too many smart kids in this area....
highschooler
PM me your email, let's chat sometime.
boredOSHacker
I don't think hacker news has a PM function, just shoot me an email: boredOSHacker@gmail.com