I recently undertook the ordeal of finding a job for when I graduate this spring. I interviewed at 11 different companies, with a total of approximately 18 interviews. Here’s some things I learned while traversing the Software Developer industry:

• Apply by reference: If you know someone in the company, or know someone that knows someone, it’s much easier to get them to pass along your resume than… anything else (namely job boards, etc). This takes some networking (or being on good terms with The Nexus of the Universe), but it’s very much worth it. Not only does it guarantee that they’ll pay special attention to your application, but it also reduces the need for references. Keep in mind: this person is putting their reputation on the line for you, so try not to over-extend yourself by asking for positions you’re not qualified for.
• References are not important: Especially if you get the interview by referral. Only one company asked me for references (coincidentally the one I chose to work at). I have a feeling that references play a bigger role in more prominent positions, but not so much for an entry-level new graduate software engineer.
• Marks are not important: I exerted tons of effort trying to improve my marks over the past couple of years, but turns out that most companies don’t care, or have ways to circumvent the issue altogether. When applying for bigger companies like Google, try applying as a “normal person”, instead of a “new graduate”. I made it clear during the introductory interview that I was a new graduate and no one cared. GPA was never brought up. If marks are a factor, then a good reference, or impressive resume, or a really shining cover letter will usually eclipse any doubt.
• Interview process: Most of of my interviews were performed in two parts. The first part was an introductory screening interview usually taken by an HR person. This includes reading your resume together, and answering some basic technical questions to make sure you didn’t misdial McDonalds. The second part is a technical interview where someone with more in-depth knowledge asks some real questions. In cases like Google, they can be nitpicky algorithm questions. But most other places like to ask abstract comparison questions like: abstract vs interface classes; memory management in C vs Java; design patterns, etc.
  As students preparing for the real world we are always warned of questions like “What is your biggest weakness?” and “Where do you see yourself in five years?” — I was never asked anything like this. All of the questions I was given were practical and to the point.

Given all the career talks I’ve been to throughout high school and university, these are the things I did not expect and/or wished I had known before. The Software Developer industry is obviously different from the average industry, so YMMV.

In the end, I received one offer with a 48 hour deadline¹ which consequently sprouted a couple more offers. Along with the sale of our condominium and other issues, that was the most stressful two days I’ve had in a long time. Long story short, I now have an employer starting May 3rd. Keeping in the blogger tradition of not mentioning the name of your employer, I’ll refrain until I actually start work there.

^{1. This is not the norm. It happens either due to disorganization or as a pressure tactic. Regardless, I ended up rejecting this offer. In normal situations, expect offers to last 2-4 weeks.}