The festival is organized by ITMO University and Digital Banana, an educational project that allows students to participate in courses and events related to the digital technology market.
This time the participants enjoyed over 20 workshops on different IT and digital professions. All the activities were divided into five main sections. In the “Games” section students and novice developers learned more about game design and creating 3D game in Unity. In the “Development” section experts from top IT companies talked about how to create an application on Android or a chat-bot for VKontakte, while in the “Hard” section there were six masterclasses for those interested in hardware.
The “Marketing” section was the place for those aspiring to start their own project. In this section the experts discussed the main trends of 2018, talked about design, working with consumers and building an effective marketing strategy. And, finally, the “Startups” section was the place where one could get practical advice from the representatives of MTS, BeSmart, VKontakte and HeadHunter.
The participants also had an opportunity to attend lectures organized in collaboration with the 15Х4 project, and listen to experts talking about the evolution of interfaces, modern trends in urban development and problems of the current educational system, as well as get some advice on their educational path.
What Should You Do to Become a Successful IT Professional?
Did you think about your career during school and university time? Did you know what to do with your life when you were 17? Many students in high school have no idea of how to use their time effectively, and when they finally graduate from the university they simply don’t know what kind of job opportunities are available, says Anton Volkov, DSX Technologies specialist and Digital Banana coach.
Meanwhile, high school is a good time to start thinking about your future career, learn to make the best use of your time, start your own project and establish useful connections, the expert says.
What are the main lessons you should learn as a high school student? You have to understand what your interests are, make good friends and start your first project together. But remember that it is better to make friends with intelligent people, so you can take cue from them. Anton himself started making flash cartoons while studying at school and created a resource where he shared his first games. Even if your first project fails, it will be a good starting point for your future career, says the expert.
Parents also play a very important role. They should teach their children to think independently and not to be afraid to show initiative. One can start with simple things, like letting one’s children plan a budget for a month or a family trip. The sooner you begin drafting plans for your career, the better off you’ll be once you’re on the road.
You can start making your portfolio at school and it will serve you well when you graduate because it is what your potential employers are looking for, says Anton Volkov. While studying at the university, you can study the market you want to work in, get an internship at a big company or go abroad on an exchange program. Don’t forget about extracurricular activities, though, says Anton. Because IT is not only about coding, but also teamwork and communication.
What Kind of Specialists Do Employers Need?
Even a young specialist without work experience can get the job, says Svetlana Konkova, senior executive at HeadHunter North-West. The research shows that more and more companies (about 67%) are employing young professionals without experience.
“There is no such thing as the right age for a job. Some people think they’re too young and inexperienced, while others think that only young people can get a job. I strongly recommend doing something right now, because the situation is much better than you think. According to our survey, only 7 % of employers say they wouldn’t hire a young professional, which I believe is very unwise”, says Svetlana Konkova.
How to Get an Internship at Google?
An internship in a foreign company is a unique experience which will be a good starting point for your future career. Ruslan Thakohov, a fourth-year student at ITMO University and Vkontakte backend developer managed to get two internships at Google. The first one was at Google Play, and during the second one he worked on the Android file manager. So he knows firsthand how to send a resumé and what to expect from the interview.
Getting a job at Google is hard, especially if you apply via their website. There are so many people wanting to work there that your application can easily get lost, says Ruslan. That’s why he recommends sending your resumé to a friend who already works there. Ruslan didn’t have friends from the Silicon Valley, so he talked to Larisa Agarkova, a Google programmer in California and author of a popular blog about working at Google. Ruslan notes that sending your resumé "through friends" doesn’t guarantee that you get the job, but it’s the best way to make sure your letter won’t get lost.
What Does Google Expect From You?
1) You must be a student currently pursuing a degree in a technical field;
2) you must have programming experience, and know the basic algorithms and data structures;
3) you must have your own projects you can show;
4) work experience is welcomed.
What Does the Candidate Selection Process Look Like?
It all begins with your application. Basically it is your resumé in English. It has to be short (one page maximum) and precise, as you only have 20 minutes to grab the recruiter’s attention. As practice shows, it is at this point that most applicants are rejected.
If you do well on this stage, you will be offered to attend two 45 minutes interviews. You will be asked three blocks of questions: about your projects and work experience, some theoretical questions on basic Computer Science and some practical tasks that you have to solve and comment on.
How to Prepare for the Interview?
Given that the application process starts in the fall, it is high time to begin preparing for the interview. It is best to draw up a plan first. Don’t forget to mention the following points:
1) if you are not familiar with Java, C ++ or Python, try to pull up your knowledge;
2) make sure you know the basic algorithms and data structures (graphs, sorting and searching operations, search trees, dynamic programming). Online resources like Coursera may be helpful.
3) practice solving tasks. Try to think aloud while performing the task, because you may be asked to do so during the interview (use leetcode.com to practice). Undergo mock interviews (for example, on pramp.com; and on glassdoor.com you can read about the experience of those interviewed).
4) make sure your English is excellent. You should be able to understand the task in English and comment on it while you perform it. (To improve your English watch lectures and read articles in English).
What's next?
You will get the results in about two weeks. If you pass this stage, you will be invited for a more in-depth interview to hear more about your interests and choose a team and project for you. Sometimes it takes about eight weeks, and many applicants are eliminated at this stage, too.
But should you get lucky and pass this final stage, you can go on an internship. As a rule, during the first week you will get acquainted with the place and then you will be given a project to work on. If you dream about getting a full-time job at Google, the internship like this is the best way to make your dream come true, shared Ruslan.
But don’t plunge headlong into work during the internship, says Ruslan. Don’t dedicate all your free time to the project. Don’t forget to meet new people, communicate with colleagues and attend various Google courses where they teach how to make a good career choice. After all, these connections can help you start your own project in the future.
