Summary
- Pursue Short-Term Internships (Even After Graduation)
- What to look for:
- How to find them:
- Level Up with a Bootcamp or Certification
- High-value options:
- Freelance to Gain Real-World Experience (and Income)
- Where to start:
- Freelancing helps you:
- Volunteer Your Skills for a Cause
- Ideas for where to help:
- Conclusion
Graduation season is here… and with it, the pressure to land that all-important first job in tech. But if mid-summer comes and you’re still searching for a full-time role, take a breath. You’re not behind. You haven’t failed. In fact, you might be standing at the start of a less traditional, but equally valuable, path.
In today’s competitive job market, plenty of new grads are finding themselves without an offer post-graduation. The good news? You don’t have to hit pause on your career. There are powerful “Plan B” options that can build your skills, expand your network, and keep you moving forward.
Here’s how to stay productive, keep your finances in check, and come out stronger on the other side.
Pursue Short-Term Internships (Even After Graduation)
Internships aren’t just for juniors in college. Plenty of companies offer internships or apprenticeships to recent grads—sometimes even year-round.
What to look for:
Post-grad internships: Focus on companies that offer 3–6 month programs with the possibility of full-time conversion.
- Contract-to-hire roles: These may not offer benefits upfront, but they often lead to permanent positions.
- Startup opportunities: Smaller firms may not post formal internships, but may welcome help if you reach out directly.
How to find them:
Set alerts on Dice and other platforms “intern,” “apprentice,” or “junior developer” roles.
- Search your college’s alumni job board or reach out to professors with industry contacts.
- If you have trouble landing an internship, consider useful alternatives for building experience.
Level Up with a Bootcamp or Certification
If you’re struggling to land interviews, it might be time to sharpen or reframe your skills. A focused bootcamp or industry certification can show initiative and boost your resume in just a few months.
High-value options:
Coding bootcamps: Look for those offering career support, portfolio development, and employer partnerships.
- Certifications: Consider CompTIA+, AWS Certified Developer, Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure credentials depending on your focus.
- MOOCs: Massive open online courses (via Coursera, edX, or Udacity) let you build specific skills like machine learning or front-end design.
Tip: Highlight completed projects and certifications in your portfolio and LinkedIn headline. Employers value continued learning.
Freelance to Gain Real-World Experience (and Income)
Freelancing might not have the structure of a 9-to-5 job, but it gives you a powerful mix of hands-on experience, income, and client collaboration.
Where to start:
Freelance platforms: Upwork, Toptal, Fiverr, and Freelancer are places to find short-term gigs.
- Tech-specific platforms: Try Gigster or Gun.io for developer-centric work.
- Personal network: Offer to build a portfolio site for a local business or automate spreadsheets for a friend’s company.
Freelancing helps you:
Build client communication skills.
- Work across a variety of tech stacks.
- Generate income while job hunting.
Volunteer Your Skills for a Cause
Volunteer work can fill resume gaps, keep your skills fresh, and show future employers that you’re proactive and mission-driven.
Ideas for where to help:
Nonprofits: Many small orgs need help with websites, databases, or IT troubleshooting.
- Open-source contributions: Check GitHub issues marked “good first issue” or explore CodeTriage to get started.
- Hackathons for social good: These events often welcome remote contributors and offer great networking opportunities.
There's a bit of a bonus here: you can often showcase these projects in your portfolio just like paid work.
Conclusion
You’re not behind if your first job doesn’t happen on someone else’s timeline. Many tech pros took a roundabout route to success—and those who kept learning, building, and connecting came out ahead.
