Today, I would like to share a question from a follower regarding job hunting for the 2026 graduates with a non-211 undergraduate degree and a 211 master’s degree in C++. The question is: Is it too late to enroll in training programs during the fall recruitment season? What is the key to success in campus recruitment: projects, skills, or internships?
Next, I will share the specific question from the follower and my response, hoping to provide some inspiration and help to others in similar situations.
Student’s Question:
Hello YT, I am a 2026 graduate with a non-211 undergraduate degree and a 211 master’s degree, and I want to work in the C++ field. I have a few questions to ask.1: Generally, when do you recommend students enroll in training programs? Is it best to start in the first year of graduate school? Since I am already in the fall recruitment phase and my self-study has not been effective, is it still worth enrolling in a training program?2: For students, what do interviewers value more: project experience, professional skills, or internship experience? If I have no internship experience, will I be unable to find a good job? I am quite confused as I have not received any results from the recent fall recruitment. In school, I was focused on obtaining my degree and did not pay attention to employment issues.I have heard that questions will be published in videos and articles. Haha, I sincerely advise the 2027 juniors and seniors not to make the same mistakes and to improve their workplace skills early, or they will end up in the same situation as I am.
YT’s Response:
As a 2026 graduate with a non-211 undergraduate degree and a 211 master’s degree, wanting to work in the C++ field, when is the best time for students to enroll in training programs? I believe many friends may not understand this. For 2026 graduates, your job search actually starts in the entire year of 2025. You may be in a job-seeking state throughout your third year of graduate school until you find an ideal position. Many friends do not understand this; they think they can wait until after graduation to start looking for jobs. However, many friends find themselves still looking for jobs in March, April, May, and even June of the following year, and then they ask if they can enroll in a training program at that time. By then, it is too late. If you consider this timeline, you can actually push it back a year. Why? Because every year, for example, for 2026 graduates, in March, April, and May of 2025, you can start applying for summer internships. This is about 15 months before your graduation, and you will find that many people have already started looking for jobs. By the time fall recruitment comes in September and October, many people are already preparing for it, while others are still confused and just starting to learn. At that point, you will find many opportunities, but your skills may not be sufficient. I want to tell everyone that every year, at least for 2026 graduates, you should have your skill set and resume ready by September of the previous year. This way, you will have many opportunities to apply. You will see that in July, August, September, and October, there are many job openings, like mushrooms after rain. However, many friends find that by April and May of the following year, they have missed out on opportunities as those positions are now targeted at the next batch of 2027 graduates. Therefore, if you are self-studying and considering enrolling in a training program, many friends think that if they cannot find a job, they should enroll in a program. However, many people think that they can just throw together an AI-generated resume without understanding what a resume should contain. They start applying and may only get 15, 20, or 30 minutes in interviews, then they look at others’ interview experiences and think they need to memorize standard answers or brush up on questions. Some people even look for projects on GitHub to fill their resumes, and by then, it is too late. You will find that you have an endless amount of preparation to do, and it feels like you are being led by others. You realize that all your preparation is not about how you want to present yourself, but rather about following others’ paths, which can lead to confusion.
In reality, I want to tell everyone that if you can create one or two projects during your second year of graduate school or your third year of undergraduate study, your technical foundation will be different. Many standard answers can be integrated with your projects. When asked a question, you can refer to your previous projects and explain how you used certain features. For example, if asked about the C++ STL and how vector works internally, you can say that in a certain project, you used vector in a specific way, detailing the functionalities and business scenarios. This way, your explanation will be much better than someone who simply memorizes answers. When asked about smart pointers, you can explain how you used them in a project, what the scenario was, and how you approached it. This way, you provide context and demonstrate your technical capabilities. Many friends rely solely on memorization, which makes it difficult for them. So, when is the best time to enroll in a training program? I believe it should be at least a year in advance, similar to preparing for graduate school entrance exams. For example, if you are preparing for exams in 2025 or 2026, you should ideally decide to prepare for them in your second year of undergraduate study. The same applies to job hunting; you should start preparing at least 6 to 8 months in advance to ensure you are well-prepared. Many friends find themselves in a situation where they apply for jobs and then realize they cannot find any opportunities, and they think about enrolling in a training program. However, a training program cannot solve the issue of job opportunities; it can only enhance your technical skills and understanding.
Now, regarding your question about whether it is too late to enroll in a training program if you have not prepared well, I believe that even in August, if you follow the fastest approach, you can still improve your resume. This means writing down the skills and projects you have, even if you do not fully understand them. You can then learn based on your resume. If you prepare early, you will find that you will not be writing your resume first; instead, you will be completing your projects and learning the necessary skills before updating your resume. This creates a situation where you are a prepared candidate, with your resume already filled out, and you can start applying for jobs. After interviews, you can review your performance and improve. In reality, there is a certain amount of technical knowledge required, and it can be challenging. If you prepare a year in advance, you will not only find a job but also improve your technical skills significantly. However, if you are a 2026 graduate looking for a job now, joining a training program will only help you polish your resume and learn what to study. If you start now, by October 28, you will find that the fall recruitment opportunities are already dwindling. By November and December, the number of job openings will be significantly reduced. Therefore, I urge everyone to prepare early, just like preparing for graduate school entrance exams. I also want to mention that this applies to those looking for jobs after graduation. Every year, I receive many inquiries from friends who say, “I have an interview with Tencent next Monday, and today is already Friday. Can I enroll in your course?” At that point, it is too late. I can only advise you to organize what you already know. This is a common phrase, but it is the only method available to you. You need to focus on the details of your resume, but in just two days, you will not be able to remember everything.
Now, regarding what interviewers value more for fresh graduates: project experience, professional skills, or internship experience? This is quite subjective. Just like when you are looking for a girlfriend, everyone has different standards. However, you will find that as long as you are proactive, you will have opportunities throughout the year. If you actively seek out opportunities and apply for interviews, you will not be left behind. The only people who will struggle are those who do not write their resumes, use AI-generated resumes, apply for few jobs, and do not attend interviews. You will find that this group of people is not small. For example, in a class of 30 students, I believe there are at least four to six such individuals. This accounts for about 20% of the class.
Looking further, many 2026 graduates are confused because they have not received results from the recent fall recruitment. They have been focused on obtaining their degrees and have not considered employment issues. I still recommend that for 2026 graduates, if you feel unprepared, enrolling in a training program is a reliable option. You will find that there are others around you who are also looking for jobs, and you can share interview experiences. You can ask them how they applied and what their interview experiences were like. This practical experience is invaluable. Additionally, you can learn how to write resumes, prepare for interviews, and improve your technical skills, which will support you in your future job.
In Conclusion:
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Early preparation is key.
- Do not procrastinate: Start learning at least 6-8 months before the fall recruitment (e.g., during the first year of graduate school or the third year of undergraduate study).
- For 2026 graduates, urgent remedial actions: Revise your resume and intensively practice C++ high-frequency interview topics (memory management, multithreading, networking). After October, job openings will decrease, so you must work hard now.
You can still succeed without internships.
- Develop your own projects: Create a functional tool using C++ (e.g., a multithreaded web scraper).
- Interview techniques: Relate all questions back to your projects (e.g., “I used smart pointers in the XX project…”).
Action Checklist:
- Immediate actions: Complete a small C++ project (e.g., a simple HTTP server) within two weeks. It is best to create a project that can be deployed and used, showcasing your engineering capabilities.
- Resume: Package your advisor’s projects as technical projects (highlighting your C++ skills).
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