Getting my first internship was one of the most exciting and challenging experiences of my university life. It was not just about attending an interview. The journey started with a bidding process, followed by preparation, technical interviews, nervous waiting, and finally an unexpected result that gave me two internship offers.
In this blog, I want to share my first internship interview experience, what I learned from the interviews, and why I believe that hard work never disappoints us.
The Internship Bidding Process
In our department, students are given bidding points based on their academic performance and extracurricular activities. Achievements such as participating in competitions and other activities can also contribute to these points.
After receiving my bidding points, I was able to select three companies from around 62 companies that were available through the university internship process. Each student could select only three companies for interviews, so choosing those three companies was an important decision.
If a student is not selected by any of the companies they bid for, they have to continue searching for internship opportunities independently. Therefore, the bidding process was a very valuable opportunity for me.
Using my bidding points, I selected three companies. Fortunately, I was called for interviews by the companies I selected.
My First Internship Interview
My first interview was conducted through Google Meet, and it lasted around one hour and thirty minutes. Since this was my first internship interview, I was naturally nervous before it started.
The interview covered many technical areas. The interviewers asked practical and challenging technical questions rather than only asking theoretical questions. They also asked me to explain one of the projects mentioned in my CV.
Some of the questions were quite difficult, and I could not answer every question perfectly. However, I tried my best to explain what I knew and approach each question logically.
Even though I was not completely satisfied with all of my answers, the interview itself was a very valuable learning experience. After the interview, the interviewers also gave me useful feedback that helped me understand the areas I needed to improve.
The Waiting Period
At the end of the interview, they told me that the HR team would contact me later with the result. At that point, I was not very confident that I would be selected.
I was a little nervous because this was my first internship interview, and I kept thinking about the questions I had answered and the questions I could not answer.
However, a few days later, I received a call from the company. Surprisingly, they told me that I had been selected!
That moment gave me an incredible feeling. All the preparation, nervousness, and uncertainty suddenly felt worthwhile.
My Second Interview
Around the same time, I also attended an interview with another company. This interview lasted around one hour and also focused heavily on technical knowledge and practical concepts.
The questions were again challenging, but this interview felt more friendly and comfortable. The interview panel gave me the opportunity to explain my answers and discuss technical concepts in detail.
By the end of the interview, I felt more confident than I had after my first interview. The interviewers also mentioned that they were satisfied with my answers, which gave me hope that I might be selected.
The Most Difficult Part: Choosing Between Two Offers
Then something unexpected happened.
Before I received the result from the second company, the first company gave me an internship offer. They gave me only two days to decide whether I wanted to accept or reject the offer.
During those two days, I was still waiting for the result from the second company. I did not know whether I would be selected there or not. Therefore, those two days were quite stressful because I had to make an important decision without knowing the outcome of the second interview.
Finally, around 12.00 p.m. on the deadline, I decided to accept the first company's offer.
Then, at around 5.00 p.m. on the same day, I received another call. Surprisingly, the second company also told me that I had been selected and offered me an internship!
At that point, I had already accepted the first offer, so I could not simply reject it and accept the second one. I felt that doing so would not be the right thing after already accepting the first company's offer.
Therefore, I respectfully rejected the second offer.
A Difficult Decision, But a Happy Moment
Although it was difficult to reject the second offer, I was genuinely happy because both companies were great opportunities. Being selected by both companies gave me a lot of confidence and made me realize that my preparation had actually paid off.
Someone told me, "You got two internship offers!" But for me, the most important part was not simply getting two offers. It was the journey behind those offers.
Hard Work Never Disappoints Us
The preparation for these interviews included many sleepless nights, technical study, project revision, stress, and a lot of self-doubt. There were many moments when I wondered whether I was preparing enough.
I had to revise technical concepts, understand my projects deeply, practice explaining my work, and prepare myself for practical questions. Not everything went perfectly during the interviews, but I always tried my best.
Finally, the result showed me something important: hard work never disappoints us.
We may not always get the result we expect immediately, and sometimes we may even doubt ourselves. But the effort we put into learning and improving ourselves always becomes valuable in the long run.
What I Learned From This Experience
This experience taught me several important lessons:
- Prepare your projects well: Interviewers may ask detailed questions about anything mentioned in your CV, so you should understand your projects deeply.
- Do not be afraid of difficult questions: You may not know every answer. It is better to stay calm, think logically, and explain what you know.
- Learn from feedback: Feedback from interviewers can help you identify areas that need improvement.
- Do not lose confidence: Even when you feel that an interview did not go perfectly, the final result can still surprise you.
- Hard work matters: The preparation may be stressful, but the knowledge and experience you gain from it are valuable.
The Beginning of a New Journey
My internship will begin in November and will continue for six months. This will be another important step in my journey as a software engineering student.
I know that an internship is not the end of the learning process. It is actually the beginning of a new stage where I can apply what I have learned at university, work with experienced professionals, face real software engineering problems, and improve my technical and professional skills.
Thank You ❤️
Finally, I would like to thank everyone who supported me throughout this journey.
There were stressful days, sleepless nights, difficult questions, and moments of doubt. But looking back now, I feel that every part of the journey was worth it.
This is only the beginning, and I am excited to see what comes next.
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