The Ultimate Guide to Applying for an Internship

It’s that time of year again, when the days are longer and warmer, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and students have increased their intake of coffee as they wrap up their end of year projects and prepare for exams. 

It’s also that time of year when most students and young aspiring professionals start looking for fun internships to apply to. If you’re one of them, then you’ve come to the right place, because Tapptitude is kicking off another round of summer developer internships! And we’re not the only ones: summer is usually when internships take place, because that’s when students have some time off from school. 

So, if you’re looking to keep busy this summer and join a fun internship (preferably ours, but no pressure :D), then we think this guide will be very useful to you. 

If you’ve never applied for a summer job or an internship before, it can definitely seem like a daunting and intimidating process. So we’re going to help eliminate the anxiety and confusion around the application process, and offer some much-needed guidance. 

Who is this internship guide for?

First thing’s first – let’s find out if ours is the right internship for you. Let’s start with a quiz, shall we?

• Are you a computer science student looking to get some hands-on experience and become good at a programming language of your choice?
• Are you a self-taught beginner programmer looking to develop your skills even further?
• Are you passionate about mobile-first products and building apps that people love to use? 

If you’ve answered yes to any one of these questions, then you’re in the right place. We’re looking to add a few new members to our team for a three-month paid internship. Our openings are for iOS developers, Android developers, and full-stack developers, so there’s something in there for everyone. But you don’t need to have experience with these programming languages to apply – just a desire to learn!

You’ll get to learn all there is to know about building cool digital apps that people love to use, and see for yourself what it’s like to be part of a mobile development team. 

Why are we writing this guide?

You might be thinking, ok, that sounds pretty straightforward, why do I need to read this guide before applying? You might have asked all the right people for advice, and done this before. But we still think you should, and here’s why. 

We’ve all been there, preparing for an interview for a job or an internship, and fretting over how the process will go, what it will entail, and wondering if it’s going to work out or not. 

For young students and professionals, the application and interviewing process can seem daunting, and it can trigger a lot of anxiety. We’ve experienced this from both sides – as applicants and as employers (after all, this is not our first round of summer internships). 

Even if you get the job or internship you want, you’re still left wondering: what’s next? The anxiety can continue well into the first days of you actually working there – but it doesn’t have to be this way. 

So, that’s why we’re writing this, to make the internship process clearer and help reduce anxiety for applicants. We think this guide will also help you be better prepared for future interviews in your career, so be sure to bookmark it! 

Why even apply to an internship?

If summer internships have caught your eye but you’re still not sure whether it’s a good move, we get it. It’s not always clear what internships have to offer. But hear us out, an internship can be an awesome opportunity that can open many doors and pave the way for a great career in mobile development. 

Here are some reasons why applying to an internship like ours is a good idea:

• You get hands-on work experience that will help you further your skills and your career
• You get to see firsthand what it’s like to work in a professional environment and as part of a team
• You get to meet mentors and like-minded colleagues, and build a network of connections
• You get a new way of finding professional focus and figuring out what kinds of projects you enjoy working on

Start your journey with the #TappSquad!

What to expect when applying to an internship

If this is your first time applying for an internship or a job of any kind, you might be unsure of how the process works, exactly. But don’t worry, it’s really not rocket science. 

The internship or job description usually tells you all you need to know about the process – or so it should, in theory. A lot of times, these descriptions are unclear, which unfortunately can result in good applicants not getting a chance. 

Usually, applying for an internship involves sending out a CV or resume, containing all of your previous experience, skills, education, and contact details. Some recruiters also ask for a cover letter explaining why you want this internship and why you think you would be a good fit for the job. 

On some occasions, the company will ask you to take a test, as an additional screening method. This is usually the case for technical jobs or for creative positions where certain skills are required. For instance, if you’re applying for a copywriting internship, you might be asked to write something to showcase your writing skills. 

How it works at Tapptitude | Our process

Our internship screening process is quite straightforward, and similar to what we’ve described above:

1. Write down any fun/crazy ideas you might have for a mobile app that works with an e-scooter 
2. Tell us a little bit about why you think you’d be a good fit for the job and for Tapptitude
3. Put all of that in an email and send it over to join@tapptitude.com 
4. Attach your updated resume/CV in English (more on this later)
5. Hit that send button! 

Who you are

We’re looking for people who are passionate about and want to learn more about iOS, Android, or full-stack mobile app development. Some knowledge and experience around these technologies is obviously welcome – maybe you worked on some relevant projects at school, or tried creating an app on your own as a hobby. That’s great! 

But you don’t need to know your way around specific programming languages to apply – that’s what you’re here to learn! That being said, there are some skills and traits that we like to keep an eye out for, and you can find them in the list below. 

You should definitely apply for our internship if:

• You’re a student pursuing a Computer Science Degree (2nd year or above)
• You have an understanding of object-oriented programming concepts, data structures, and algorithm design
• You’d enjoy working on iOS (Swift), Android (Kotlin) or Full-Stack (Typescript) development projects, and are thinking about turning this hobby into a career 
• You’re curious, motivated, and eager to keep learning
• You have good written and verbal English communication skills
• You’re able to work both independently, as well as in a group

What could really boost your chances:

• Previous experience working on iOS / Android / Web / Backend or IoT mobile apps
• Any tech-oriented extracurricular activities
• Familiarity with third-party libraries 
• Knowledge of interface design 

What should your CV include?

So, now that we’ve gone over all the reasons why you definitely should apply to this internship, we’ve made sure that you check the job requirements, it’s time for the ‘digital bureaucracy,’ as we like to call it. 

We’ve already gone over what your email to the Tapptitude team should include. But we also mentioned that you should attach an updated resume, or CV, to go with your email. 

This is where a lot of applicants hit a roadblock., Why, you might ask yourself, do you even need a CV when you don’t really have much experience at all? Well, a CV is very useful, especially if you think of it as a great way to introduce yourself to potential recruiters and let them get to know you, your background, your skills, and your interests. It’s an essential part of the screening process, and unfortunately, many applicants fail to update their CVs or include crucial information. 

So, without further ado, here’s what you CV should include:

• Your contact details (email, phone number)
• Previous experience / projects you’ve worked on (this section can also include relevant school projects)
• Your skills (what you do, what you’re good at, all of that goes here)
• Education (your academic background can make you stand out from other applicants; for instance, a Computer Science degree or something relevant for the position you’re applying for can tip the scales in your favor)

What happens after you submit your application?

After you submit your application, along with your CV, cover letter, and anything else you might be required to submit, it’s time for the ‘dreaded’ interview. 

A lot of applicants can get anxious and concerned about their interview process, and that’s completely normal! If this is your first interview ever, it’s a new situation you’re putting yourself into.. However, we’re here to tell you that there’s nothing to be afraid of – at Tapptitude, we want to convince applicants that we’re fun to work with, not scare them away! (And we’ll tell you a secret: if a potential employer makes you uncomfortable at an interview, that’s probably a red flag.)

So, how does the interview process go? Depending on the position you’re applying to, you might be asked to come in for one or more rounds of interviews, as part of the company’s screening policy. Some companies might do the interview in stages, while others will only have one interview with each applicant. There’s no right way or wrong way here, just different approaches. 

Now, here’s how interviews unfold at Tapptitude: we ask each applicant to come in for a one-hour interview. We will spend half an hour discussing HR-related things, and half an hour talking about your technical skills and know-how. It’s as simple as that. 

Things that will help you stand out in an interview

Our interview process seems pretty straightforward, but you might now be wondering if one hour will be enough to make your case and convince us that you’re a good fit for the internship. 

Well, to boost your chances during the interview and make a great impression, there are some things you can do. Here are some insider tips on how to stand out in an interview:

• First impressions matter: show up on time, and be professional (don’t over- or under-dress, and make sure to blur your background if you’re doing an online interview, to keep interviewers focused on you)
• If you can’t make it on time or need to reschedule, be sure to let someone know; not showing up for an interview might hurt your chances with that company in the future
• Let the interviewer get to know you, and how you learn best, and work best (eg. do you prefer to work independently, or remotely, when are you most productive, what kind of explanations help you best, and so on)
• Dig into the technical aspects of your projects; a big part of being a developer is being able to explain the work you’ve done, in order to make it better, or to ask for help. So, don’t be superficial when you talk about your own work – feel free to go into details. 
• Don’t forget to ask your own questions. The interview is a selection process for you, as well, to figure out if the company is a good fit for you. Ask about how you’ll learn, who you’ll learn from, what kind of projects you’ll get to work on, and anything else you think is relevant. Don’t accept an internship position if you’re not sure it’s the right setup for you to learn and grow. 

Get your free CV template and send in your internship application!

Download & apply

Takeaways

Congratulations: if you made it to the end of this guide, then you just boosted your chances to join an internship for the summer! We hope that this guide has made the process a lot clearer, and has eliminated much of the anxiety surrounding the application and interview process. 

To sum things up, an internship is the first step in your professional career, and it can help you discover what you want from a job. 

An internship can help you figure out:

• What kinds of projects you like (and dislike) working on
• The kind of team you enjoy being part of
• How much structure you need in your daily tasks
• What professional growth really means to you (getting better, more skilled, or becoming in charge aka ‘climbing the career ladder’)

Why choose Tapptitude for your first developer internship?

At Tapptitude, our interns get to:

• Learn programming concepts step-by-step
• Work on a mobile product from start to finish
• Enjoy support from their mentors and their group (from coding and debugging to just having fun)

Even when you start out with us as an employee on a project, you get a buddy to show you the ropes on a client project, so you’re never on your own. You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself – that’s what being part of a team really means. 

We value team members who get hands-on in building products and enjoy taking ownership of their tasks, but we also know that the best work happens when you know someone’s always there to have your back.

If Tapptitude sounds like the kind of place you’d love to join, we look forward to seeing your application!

Get your free CV template and send in your internship application!

Download & apply