<p>I'm a computer engineer and I've had 3 different internships with well-known high tech companies. I want to apply to another one next summer (preferably Apple).</p>
<p>All of my previous internships were in different areas (hardware testing, validation, and software development). Do employers think students with too many internships can't stay loyal to one, do a bad job, etc.?</p>
<p>All three companies have asked me to return by the way. I just want to experience all areas before I finally settle down with one when I work full time. </p>
<p>If they do look down on it, I am thinking about leaving out the hardware testing position on my resume because I know that's not what I want to do.</p>
<p>Are you kidding me? No, having this many internships is not an issue at all. This is the time to go and explore all sorts of companies and environments with very few strings attached, and no one will look down on you for it.</p>
<p>No. They won’t look down at that. Especially since computer engineers are in high demand. It is normal for someone to have several different internships with different companies (summer or work-study, I presume) by the time they graduate.</p>
<p>Also: They can fire you at any time, they really don’t have any loyalty to you. Why should you necessarily feel loyal to them?</p>
<p>This applies to things beyond just internships. Let’s use as an example: working at Google. So you’re working at Google and you get recruitment invitations from Facebook. Don’t feel like “Google is not going to like your disloyalty.” Get an offer from Facebook (it should be higher than what you’re currently making, and tell them that), then when you go to your boss at Google, they will almost always match Facebook’s offer. (In fact, many senior engineers at Google were known for doing this, and after getting offers from Facebook and going to their bosses with the offer in hand, they got million dollar bonuses from Google to persuade them to stay).</p>
<p>I don’t believe it is bad to have too many internships with one caveat. </p>
<p>Many companies use internships as a long interview for potential future employment. Make sure that you leave each internship in good standing. That includes informing them early if you are not returning and they asked you to. Tell them that you want more varied experience and, if it’s true, that you would like to be considered for permanent employment when you graduate. </p>
<p>In other words, don’t burn the bridges before you get to them.</p>