In the age of digital learning, remote working, and e-commerce, online apps and resources are becoming increasingly popular. The Internet is growing at an astonishing rate as thousands of new websites are born every single day. This has created a surge in demand for talented web developers, who are now highly sought-after in the tech world.
If you’re an aspiring web developer with a passion for all things digital, you might be wondering how to get started. You’ll need to learn essential skills like programming, database design, and server administration. You’ll also need some real-life experience in the field. This is where web developer internships come in.
Let’s take a look at the value of an internship, and the top companies that hire web development interns.
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Why Work as a Web Developer Intern?
There’s only so far you can go with theoretical knowledge. To really develop your skills and begin your web development career, you’ll need relevant experience working with a team.
Web developer internships provide you with the opportunity to get hands-on exposure using web development tools on real-life projects. You’ll work with leading web developers and have the chance to learn from them. Internships also improve your communication, team working, time management, self-motivation, and organizational skills.
Many web developer internship positions will naturally lead to full-time jobs. So securing an internship at a top tech firm gets your foot in the door and helps kickstart your dream career.
How To Land a Web Developer Internship
No previous work experience is required to be accepted as an intern. However, you do need to demonstrate a passion for web development, knowledge of technical skills, and an understanding of the latest tools and programming languages.
Here are some tips for securing an internship position:
- Resume: Every web developer role is slightly different, and requires a custom-fit resume. Create an impressive resume and tailor it to the company and the role you’re applying for. Mention all your skills and achievements, but of course, don’t exaggerate or lie about anything. Employers conduct thorough background checks and will pick up on false information.
- Online Portfolio: Your online portfolio is a way for recruiters to get to know you, your work, and your achievements. If you have a website, it will allow recruiters to see your skills and capabilities. You can use sites like LinkedIn to create online portfolios.
- Freelance Projects: Even though previous work experience isn't necessary, companies do prefer students who have some practical experience. Working on real-life projects can also improve your portfolio. Freelance work helps establish yourself as a trustworthy web developer. You could take on small projects like creating an HTML newsletter, or revamping a site for a local business.
- GitHub: You can use GitHub to display your hands-on experience. Showcase your coding skills and demonstrate your database design work. By regularly updating your account, prospective employers will see you’re consistently active. There will be a lot of eyes on your profile, so keep your code clean and efficient.
- Hackathons: Hackathons give you the opportunity to work with other web developers of all skill levels and demonstrate your team work skills. You get to meet programmers with similar interests and ideas. You can learn from other coders and build your professional network. There are sites like hackathon.io and AngelHack to help you discover new challenges.
- Open-Source Projects: Open-source software is developed publicly, in a collaborative manner. By contributing to an open-source project you can gain experience working in teams, bug fixing, communicating, reporting, and testing. These skills show prospective employers you’re dedicated and passionate about tech.
Top Companies Offering Web Developer Internships
The good news is that web development is an in-demand skill, so many internship opportunities exist within the tech space. But the very best positions at giant tech firms can be competitive. To stand out from the crowd, consider enrolling in a web developer bootcamp. These structured learning programs help you build a professional portfolio and teach you fundamental skills to kickstart your web developer career.
Once you're confident in your skills, here are some top companies that look for web development interns. The pay is modest, but keep in mind the real value of an internship: learning from the best in the industry, and possibly getting your foot in the door at an awesome company.
Thermo Fisher Scientific: This company aims to make the world a safer place. They make scientific software for the healthcare industry, academia, and government. They offer many web development internship opportunities. To be considered for an internship opportunity, you should be familiar with multiple programming languages and web development tools.
Visa: Visa, based in California, offers one of the best internship opportunities for aspiring web developers. A 12-week internship program here will hone your problem-solving skills and give you the exposure required for a successful web development career.
Hewlett Packard: If you’re into tech, you’re probably already aware of HP’s reputation. They have hundreds of offices across the globe. Most of their internships are well-paid and last around 12 weeks. Along with technical skills, having excellent communication skills is a prerequisite. An internship with HP will provide you with valuable skills and experience, team spirit, and mentorship to help you shape your career.
WebFX: WebFX is a digital marketing agency. They provide web developer internships to students who want to specialize in online marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and lead generation. The web developer internship position requires 12+ hours per week. Hours are flexible and the compensation is around $16/hr.
BECK Digital: If you want to gain team-based work experience, then this is the perfect place for you. They expect candidates to have basic knowledge of programming languages and PHP applications. If you’re a college student, recent graduate, or completed an online education program, you'll be in the running for this highly competitive internship opportunity. Once you're in, you’ll get feedback from established professionals that’ll help you understand the day-to-day work of a web developer.
Haystack: Haystack provides a 15-week long internship program with flexible working hours. To be considered for an internship position, Haystack requires candidates to have prior knowledge of HTML, PHP, and CSS. You’ll get the chance to broaden your web development, team building, and leadership skills. As an intern, your responsibilities will include fixing bugs and errors, designing website layouts, designing email marketing campaigns, and collaborating on different projects.
American Enterprise Institute: As a web development intern at American Enterprise Institute, you’ll participate in project planning and get the chance to handle your own mini projects. The technical qualifications required for this role includes knowledge of CSS, HTML, JavaScript, experience with WordPress, knowledge of GitHub, and advanced MS Excel and PowerPoint skills. The monthly salary is around $1,000.
Power Digital Marketing: Whether you’re a computer science graduate or you’ve taken a more focused education program, you can apply for a web developer intern position at Power Digital Marketing. You’ll be expected to work 10-15 hours a week and will assist in both technical and design duties. You’ll work on client websites and contribute to web projects. They prefer candidates who have experience with WordPress, Adobe Creative Suite, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. And spell-check that resume before applying: you should demonstrate attention to detail, and show that you're creative in your ideas and work.
How to Kickstart Your Dream Job in Web Development
Internships are an excellent way to get started in this space, but for a more direct route to landing a highly-paid developer job, enroll in our web developer bootcamp. You’ll learn technical programming skills, receive one-on-one mentorship from expert developers, and build a professional portfolio of work - all in one. And we won't ask you to go on any coffee runs.
For more about careers in computer programming, head over to our web development blog. You can learn about all the must-learn languages like HTML and gain some real insight into what it’s like to work as a web developer.
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