<p>Im currently a ECE student (emphasis in Computer engineering and Communication ) at Cal Poly. I think I did really bad for the last 2 years so right now I end up with a low GPA. A lot of my friends get internship off campus while I am just staying here to study.In fact, I did apply to a lot of companies but they never reply to me. I feel so troubled . What should I do to get an internship?Any there anyway for me to get an internship at top firms like Intel, Dell, Sun , Apple, Toshiba, HP,....................????Have anyone here had experiences about getting an internship from big firms?Please give me some advices.Thanksss</p>
<p>You’re not going to be getting the best jobs and with such a low GPA you will pretty much just have to take what you can get. Beggars can’t be choosers, as they say. I would look at a job in a more industrial setting as the GPA requirements for those are usually much lower.</p>
<p>Unpaid internship.</p>
<p>It’s pretty late in the year to be applying for internships in any case. Many have a hard time competing for internships at private firms this year as many have cut back their programs due to the economy, even with good GPAs, great ECs & recs. You may want to try to get a on-campus job from a prof who appreciates your hard work and wants to help give you some experience. You may also wish to volunteer at a company that you’d like to eventually work for.</p>
<p>2.7 is a tough sell. I’m assuming you don’t write it on your resume when you submit it, so that can’t be the initial problem. Have you had your resume peer reviewed? Sounds like very generic advice, but i went from being unemployed for over a year after graduation to working at at one of those “top firms” you listed after I got my resume fixed up.</p>
<p>An unpaid internship would definitely be the best way or you can do research for professors. Not sure what the research opportunities are at CSU, but I assume one as engineering-oriented as Cal Poly has some.</p>
<p>From what I’ve seen in the job market, there’s a lot of demand for CS knowledge, even if it’s a EE job. For example, even if you do hardware you still need to know Perl to automate tests, etc. So brush up on those programming skills and try to get your GPA up to 3.0</p>
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<p>He shouldn’t do research if his interest is in jobs. An unpaid internship at a small local firm may be the best opportunity he has.</p>
<p>A 2.7 GPA isn’t that bad. I’m sure it depends on the school, but at Georgia Tech, that’s around average.</p>
<p>You’ll have less interest in your resume because you’re below the magic 3.0 cutoff that many/most recruiters use, but you should still find some willing to accept your resume. Once they do, a well written resume and polished interview skills are all that you really need to land a position.</p>
<p>I generally advise students to include their GPA on the resume if it’s above 2.6 or so, but to also include a major GPA which is usually higher than the overall (I advise all students to do that). The problem with no including your GPA is that if you’re handing the resume out face-to-face, the first question you’ll get is about your GPA, which highlights the problem. If you’re not face-to-face, recruiters generally assume the worst unless your resume is otherwise outstanding (not just a good resume, but outstanding - many semesters of work experience, numerous prestigious awards, etc).</p>
<p>Look for a paid internship at smaller companies. The 2.7 GPA shouldn’t prevent you from getting one but some of the larger ‘typical’ companies CSE people think about interning at use the 3.0 cutoff. Sometimes the internship positions at smaller companies are actually better because you can do more ‘real’ work.</p>
<p>Assuming you’re at CalPoly SLO, one issue is that there isn’t much available in the way of local companies to intern at there. You might need to go to the bay area or LA area for the summer to find a place to intern. </p>
<p>If you were planning to intern this summer it’s a little late to still be looking.</p>
<p>If they don’t reply to you, you should follow back. I am in high school and a lot of people ignore me but if I call them up and ask them whether they have seen my resume, they see that I am serious and sometimes give me an interview.</p>
<p>I don’t know too much about college GPA’s, but I think that once work experience is established, GPA becomes more and more irrelevant. My father has conducted many interviews for software engineer position and he does not ask too much about GPA, focusing more on hands-on technical experience. But I would imagine the first job would be hard with a lower GPA.</p>
<p>I will try to boost my GPA to 3.0 but I think It gonna take me at least 2 to 3 quarters. That means Spring 2010.Then I have like 40 to 50 left ( doing minor, emphasis in my senior year). If I want to get an internship next summer, What do you think It the right time for me to look for one? ( I think I only have 2…9< 3.0 after Winter). I don’t have time in my senior year because at my school I have to do a senior project for a 3-straight quarter.</p>
<p>I would talk with the placement folks on your campus–they have the best idea of a timeline for folks hiring in your area. Start early and follow up. This summer, try to volunteer or do research related to your area of interest. See if you can take any summer school to lighten your school year load & boost your grades.</p>
<p>When my S was applying for internships, we was sending them in in January and earlier. He only got 2 offers as a rising senior, so the job market is tough out there. His job is somewhat related to the robotics work he did over three summers.</p>
<p>My friend’s son was a rising sophomore & he sent out TONS of applications for engineering & got 2 offers. He sent out apps even thru March/April, so there is considerable variability. It helps that he has been doing research on campus & his summer job is similar to his on-campus research.</p>
<p>Don’t focus on your GPA & you can mention (if it comes up) a rising trend in your grades (if its true), which may be appealing.</p>