In August, while Silicon Valley is still basking in the summer heat, computer science departments at universities are already buzzing with activity. Google typically opens its fall recruitment portal around mid-August, which often catches students still on summer break by surprise. Last year, one of the students in our department had prepared all her application materials three months in advance. She submitted her application the day Google’s system opened and ended up being the first one in our class to land an offer.
By the time September rolls around, the atmosphere on campus becomes more intense. The night before career fairs, you can often spot students rehearsing their introductions in the hallways. At the Stanford Career Fair, Amazon’s booth had a line that stretched across the entire hall. One student cleverly printed a QR code on his resume, which led to a demo of an app he had developed when scanned. This unique touch helped him stand out from the crowd.
In October, the online assessments become the main challenge. Microsoft’s programming tests last year were much harder, and after completing them, many students gathered in the lounge to discuss their approaches. Those who regularly participated in programming competitions had an obvious advantage. One student, a Russian exchange student who competed on Codeforces, finished all the questions in half the allotted time.
By November, technical interviews reach their peak. I faced an unexpected challenge during my final interview with Facebook, where a network issue forced me to switch to a phone interview and explain my code verbally. Interestingly, my ability to handle this situation became one of the aspects the interviewer appreciated most. Meanwhile, another student at Google encountered a system design question that was beyond the scope of his studies. He took a methodical approach, first outlining the known details and then working through the problem step by step, which ultimately impressed the interviewer.
December is always full of drama when offer decisions come in. One of our classmates turned down a lucrative fintech offer to join a self-driving startup. Six months later, the company received industry recognition for its groundbreaking technology, validating his decision. Another student, who had received five offers, chose the one that provided the most growth potential, even though it wasn’t the highest paying.
By January, with the fall recruitment process wrapping up, a few familiar faces were no longer in the lab. Our professor commented on the vacant desks, “This is the pace of talent movement in Silicon Valley.” All those late nights spent coding, revising resumes, and preparing for interviews became the foundation of their careers. And soon enough, the spring recruitment season would begin.
Release time:2025-04-30
