Okay, so look—landing a tech internship in 2025 is kinda like trying to get on the Q58 at rush hour. Everybody wants in, the line makes no sense, and when the bus finally shows up, forty-three people magically appear out of thin air to get ahead of you.
You think I’m exaggerating? Bro. I once watched a woman get on the bus while yelling at her phone and somehow also cutting the line while also holding a cat. In a baby stroller. Queens is wild.
But anyway—tech internships.
People treat them like this mythical golden ticket to adulthood or whatever. And yeah, they’re important. I’ve done the whole chaotic journey myself (twice), and I’ve helped like… I wanna say 40? 60? Something-ish… students and friends figure it out too. Some listened. Some ghosted me. One kid actually fell asleep on Zoom while I was giving him advice. Still got a job though. Life is unfair.
So let me give you the real deal. No corporate jargon. No LinkedIn guru speak like “your network is your net worth” (every time I hear that, I lose one month of life expectancy). Just honest stuff I wish someone would’ve told me before I panicked my way through applications at 2 a.m. while eating leftover momos from Jackson Heights.
Step 1 — Accept the Chaos (Yes, You Will Feel Lost)
You know how everyone online looks like they’ve got their life together?
Yeah, they’re lying.
Or at least exaggerating.
When I applied for my first tech internship, my resume looked like the front page of a community newspaper—cluttered, slightly embarrassing, and weirdly obsessed with small accomplishments like “built a calculator app that sometimes crashes but only when you divide by zero.”
You ever look at something you made and think: Wow… this is terrible, but I’m also proud?
That’s the energy you need.
Your work doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to prove you’re trying.
Step 2 — Build a Portfolio That Doesn’t Put People to Sleep
Okay, listen. If you want a tech internship 2025-style, the rules have changed.
Companies don’t care if you took CS101 and got an A+.
They wanna see:
- Projects
- Curiosity
- Personality
- Effort
- Something—anything—that shows what you actually do
And please, for the love of Wi-Fi, don’t name your GitHub repo “finalproject2fixedfixed_v3”.
Recruiters can see that.
H3: What Should Be In Your Portfolio?
Let me overshare for a second.
My first “project” was a weather app that only worked in New York because I hard-coded the coordinates. Someone in California tried it and texted me, “It’s telling me it’s raining but I’m literally in the desert.”
Did I fix it?
Yup.
Did I add that story in my README as a joke?
Also yup.
People loved it.
So don’t be afraid to show your human side.
Your portfolio should include:
- A couple of small but working projects
- Screenshots
- Quick explanations in simple English
- Short notes about what broke (and how you fixed it)
- A little personality
Put this stuff on GitHub or a personal site (I used Carrd, because I was broke).
Step 3 — Write a Resume That Shows the Real You (But Not Too Real)
Look, resumes are annoying. There’s no way around it.
It’s basically a brag sheet, and most of us hate bragging.
But here’s the trick:
Write your resume like you’re explaining what you did to a cousin who doesn’t care about tech but will nod politely.
EXAMPLE (real conversation I had with my cousin):
Me: “I built an API that connects to a database—”
Her: “So like… an app?”
Me: “Yeah, kinda.”
Her: “Does it work on Android?”
Me: “It’s not… okay whatever, yes.”
Recruiters are basically my cousin.
H3: Resume Tips That Actually Matter
- Use simple words
- Use numbers (“Improved load time by 40%” hits different)
- Keep it to one page
- Add your GitHub and portfolio link
- Don’t list 29 programming languages you “kinda sorta know”
Also:
If you’re adding “Team Player” or “Hard Worker,” I need you to remove it right now. Seriously. Nobody believes that.
Step 4 — Networking Without Being Weird
Ah yes, the dreaded “networking.”
I used to hate it. Felt fake or forced. Felt like trying to flirt with opportunity and failing miserably.
But here’s the secret:
Networking isn’t about asking for a job. It’s about being a real human and talking to other real humans.
Wild concept, I know.
And you don’t have to be perfect at it.
Once, I met a Google engineer at a meetup in Manhattan. I tried to say “Nice to meet you,” but instead, I said:
“Nice to meat— meet? Meet meat? I mean—sorry—hi.”
We’re still friends.
How to Network Like a Normal Person
- Go to meetups
- Ask people what they’re working on, not where they work
- Tell a small story about what you’re building
- Follow up with a simple “Yo, good talking with you” DM
People appreciate chill energy.
Step 5 — Applying: Prepare to Be Rejected (Like… a Lot)
You’re going to apply to dozens of internships.
Maybe hundreds.
You’ll get rejected by companies you didn’t even remember applying to.
One company emailed me “We regret to inform you,”
followed by another email 20 minutes later saying,
“Wait, wrong person.”
Then another email saying,
“No, actually the first email was correct.”
Pain.
But rejection is normal.
It’s not personal.
Sometimes they want juniors or they want seniors. Sometimes the recruiter spilled coffee on their keyboard and mass-rejected everyone. Who knows.
Just keep applying.
Step 6 — Interviews: Tell the Story, Not the Script
Tech interviews in 2025 aren’t like the old days where you have to solve a math problem from 1847.
Companies want to know:
- Can you explain your projects?
- Do you think clearly?
- Can you break down problems?
- Are you fun to work with for 8 hours without making people cry?
When someone asks, “Tell me about yourself,” don’t launch into a TED Talk.
Say something like:
“So I’m from Queens, I love building random apps that solve tiny problems nobody else has, like the time I made a bot that tells me when the laundromat downstairs is empty because I kept beefing with this one guy who always took all the dryers.”
See? Human. Quirky. Memorable.
Interview Prep Tips That Worked for Me
- Practice explaining your projects out loud
- Be honest when you don’t know something
- Walk them through your thinking
- Don’t fake confidence—own your learning process
And ALWAYS ask questions.
If you don’t, you look like a robot.
Step 7 — Follow Up (But Don’t Be Clingy)
There’s a thin line between “professional follow-up” and “why are you texting me like we’re dating.”
Your follow-up should be simple:
“Hey, thanks again for chatting earlier. Loved hearing about the team. Let me know if you need anything else from my end.”
Done.
No desperation, no pressure.
H2: Bonus Tips Nobody Told Me
1. Apply Early — Like, October Kind of Early
Tech internship 2025 roles open FAST.
Don’t wait.
2. LinkedIn Is Actually Useful (Ugh, I Know)
Just don’t become a “thought leader.”
I’m begging you.
3. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
Some people get lucky or some people know someone.
Some people cheat.
Stay in your own lane.
4. Celebrate Small Wins
Finished a project?
Fixed a bug that made you cry?
Got a recruiter to view your profile?
Celebrate that stuff.
💬 Outbound Links Suggestions
- Funny, relatable tech stories: https://theoatmeal.com
- Personal blog with internship advice: https://dev.to
Final Thought (Not a Conclusion, because conclusions are boring)
Landing a tech internship in 2025 isn’t about being the smartest person in the room.
It’s about being the person who keeps showing up, keeps building, keeps learning—even when your code won’t compile and your Wi-Fi randomly disconnects because your neighbor is running 14 devices off a 1998 router.
You got this.
And if you ever feel lost, just remember:
At least you didn’t wear two different shoes to school like I did.
