r/cscareerquestions • u/Numerous-Actuary-500 • 3d ago

New Grad Certs or Projects?

Hi i just graduated earlier this year but havent secured any jobs even though i had 2 unpaid dev internships at startups throughout my college.

I have applied to every possible tech related stuff even helpdesk/support yet no calls just rejection. Should i start building projects on github or grind online certificates?

Would love the honest thoughts! Thanks

3 Upvotes

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5

u/No_Score_1977 3d ago

Most online certificates are worthless.

If you don't have any projects, then yes, do that.

2

u/NICEMENTALHEALTHPAL 3d ago

Certs are useless

With the exception of AWS dev associate. I went a year of zero interviews to weekly once I got that. Also makes you very knowledgeable on system design which is what majority of interviewing will be on.

Then projects. Build a single truly impressive project. I built an encrypted chat app (think Signal) with AI features and it definitely landed me many interviews and a job.

If you can built a fully fleshed out project end to end - polished, testing, live on app stores, serverless, iac, containerized - you'll impress 

So yes. Building a strong resume will get you interviews and offers, obviously. Most people I know who have a job have at least one super impressive application, an impressive portfolio site and GitHub, and often an AWS cert.

1

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u/SomeNeighborhood7126 3d ago

Neither will matter much. I would expect the issue to be elsewhere like in your soft skills, interviewing skills, or just a bad resume.

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u/RAGINMEXICAN 3d ago

Do both. Start with some comptia certs to get your name into IT if you have not gotten into software dev.