flâneur

College students: it’s time to bet on yourselves.

neo.substack.com · 797 words · saved by 1 readers

Picking an internship or new grad role is essentially betting on yourself. It can feel terrifying to wager on a decision shrouded in uncertainty. I’ve worked with thousands of CS students over my career, and I see many fall into the same traps. Here’s my main piece of advice: rather than trying to evaluate offers from 4+ companies, narrow your decision down to your top 2 offers. Focus that time on self-reflection and gathering the information you need to make your decision. You’ll gain a lot more clarity and conviction this way. Here are a few tips to help you make an empowered decision: Look both backward and forward. Consider your past internships: which experiences energized and drained you? Then, think about what you want for yourself over the next few years. At this stage in your career, you should optimize for voracious learning. Ask yourself, “Which company will help me do that? Which company is going to nudge me toward my edge, and which people will help me get there?” After th

Picking an internship or new grad role is essentially betting on yourself. It can feel terrifying to wager on a decision shrouded in uncertainty. I’ve worked with thousands of CS students over my career, and I see many fall into the same traps. Here’s my main piece of advice: rather than trying to evaluate offers from 4+ companies, narrow your decision down to your top 2 offers. Focus that time on self-reflection and gathering the information you need to make your decision. You’ll gain a lot more clarity and conviction this way. Here are a few tips to help you make an empowered decision:…

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