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🚀 FAANG Internships: Why You're (Probably) Applying Wrong

“Why Applying to 100+ FAANG Internships Won’t Work ”

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Landing a FAANG internship is tough, but most people make it way harder than it needs to be. They spam hundreds of applications, grind LeetCode without a strategy, and hope for the best. That doesn’t work.

FAANG recruiters don’t care how many applications you send. They care about impact, problem-solving skills, and whether you seem like someone they’d want to work with.

So if you’re still following the “spray and pray” method, let’s fix that.

🎯 Step 1: Stop Applying Like Everyone Else

Think about this: FAANG companies get millions of applications every year. If you’re applying like everyone else, your resume is just another drop in the ocean.

🔍 The Lazy Hack: Get a Referral

Applying online without a referral is like trying to win the lottery. Sure, it happens. But why not increase your odds? A referral can 2-5x your chances of getting an interview.

Here’s the lazy way to get a referral:
1️⃣ Go to LinkedIn. Search for "[Company Name] + [Your School]."
2️⃣ Find people who were in your major (or had a similar path).
3️⃣ Send a short, chill message like:

Hey [Name]! I’m applying for [FAANG company]’s internship and saw you work there. I’d love to hear about your experience—would you be open to a quick chat?

🚀 Pro tip: Don’t beg for a referral. If they vibe with you, they might offer one naturally.

📚 Step 2: Stop Wasting Time on LeetCode (Do This Instead)

LeetCode grinding is overrated. There, I said it.

Most FAANG interns don’t get hired because they solved 300+ problems. They get hired because they study smart:
✅ Blind 75Link
✅ Neetcode 150Link
✅ Company-Specific Questions → e.g. Link 

💡 The Secret Sauce: Instead of solving random problems, focus on patterns. If you learn recursion once, apply it across multiple problems instead of grinding 50 different ones.

🎤 Step 3: Nail the Interview (It’s NOT Just About Code)

FAANG interviews aren’t just technical. If you can’t communicate well, you will get rejected—even if your code is flawless.

🔥 Behavioral Questions Matter More Than You Think

You WILL be asked:
✅ "Tell me about yourself." (This is your elevator pitch.)
✅ "Why do you want to work here?" (Hint: NOT "Because it's FAANG.")
✅ "Tell me about a time you solved a difficult problem."

If your answer is boring or sounds rehearsed, you’re done.

🚀 Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
🔴 BAD: "I worked on a group project and we made a website."
🟢 GOOD: "We had a website that loaded in 5 seconds. I optimized the backend with Redis caching, and we got it down to 1 second, improving user engagement by 30%."

FAANG wants problem-solvers, not robots.

🏆 Step 4: No Experience? Build Something Better Than an Internship

Think About It GIF by Identity

Concerns about not having an internship are common, but a standout project can be much more valuable than an average internship.

💡 FAANG-Worthy Project Ideas:
✅ An AI tool (Chatbot, image classifier, or something niche.)
✅ A web app people use (Budget tracker, fitness planner.)
✅ Automate something annoying (Auto-schedule meetings, scrape job listings.)

Real Talk: FAANG recruiters LOVE personal projects because they demonstrate your ability to build and ship—not just solve theoretical problems.

🚀 The Fastest Way to Land an Internship This Summer

✅ Referrals > Cold Applying. Build real connections.
✅ Quality > Quantity in LeetCode. Study patterns, not random problems.
✅ Communication Matters. Good coders get rejected all the time for bad storytelling.
✅ No Experience? Build Something. A standout project beats a boring internship.

Most people will keep applying the wrong way. Don’t be like them. Start executing this today; your FAANG internship is way closer than you think. 💪

🎯 Internships Hiring NOW

💼 Reader Spotlight:
Shoutout to Sophia Wang, who landed a FAANG internship by cold emailing and building a killer project. You got this too!

Now go get that FAANG bang. 🔥

🚀 What did you think about this edition? Got questions, hot takes, or a FAANG hack I missed? Hit reply and let me know—I read every response!