Stop comparing your starting point with other people's highlights and start producing evidence of your own. In the next three months you can build one solid project, one smaller one, a clean GitHub and LinkedIn, and a targeted internship pipeline. That is enough to change your position.
What people tell me
I am a computer science student and everyone in my class seems to have something: internships, hackathon wins, busy GitHub profiles, certificates, LinkedIn posts about new roles. I have my coursework and maybe one assignment project. When I look at their profiles I feel like I have wasted my time and that I am too far behind to catch up. I do not know where to even begin, so I end up doing nothing and feeling worse.
A composite of the messages behind this question, with personal details left out.
Key takeaways
- You are comparing your full reality with other people's selected highlights.
- Recruiters need evidence, not volume. Two good projects beat ten tutorial clones.
- A focused twelve-week plan can take you from almost nothing to a credible profile.
- Apply before you feel ready. Small companies and startups are reachable.
- Measure yourself against where you were last month, not against your classmates.
First, what you are actually looking at
When you scroll through classmates' profiles, you see their best moments, arranged in a feed. You do not see the rejected applications, the internship that was mostly meetings, or the GitHub projects copied from a tutorial. I say this not to dismiss what they have done, but because comparison against a highlight reel will always make you feel you have nothing.
The useful question is not "why do they have more?" It is "what evidence can I build in the next three months?" That is a question you can answer.
What evidence actually matters
When I look at a student's profile, I am looking for signs they can build something, finish it and explain it. That is it. Specifically:
- One project that solves a real problem, works when opened and has a clear README.
- A second, smaller project showing a different skill.
- A GitHub with regular, honest activity, not hundreds of commits on a tutorial.
- A clear LinkedIn saying what you are aiming for and what you built.
- Some proof of fundamentals, from coursework or a steady problem-solving habit.
Hackathon wins and certificates are nice. They are not required.
A twelve-week plan from almost nothing
| Weeks | Focus | Output by the end |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 2 | Pick a direction and plan your main project | A one-page plan and a repository with a README |
| 3 to 7 | Build the main project in small, working steps | A deployed, working app with tests for the core logic |
| 8 to 9 | Build a smaller second project | A second repository showing another skill |
| 10 | Clean up GitHub, CV and LinkedIn | Profiles that tell one clear story |
| 11 to 12 | Apply and reach out | Twenty targeted applications and outreach messages |
Alongside this, keep a small problem-solving habit: three or four problems a week. Keep your coursework passing. That is a full plan, and it fits alongside a semester if you spend about ten to twelve hours a week.
Choosing the main project
Pick something that you or someone near you would actually use. A society event sign-up tool, a shared expense tracker for a hostel room, a tool that turns your class timetable into reminders. Real use gives you real bugs and real stories to tell.
If you need ideas, browse the Sefism FYP ideas library and scale one down to a three-month version.
Applying when you feel behind
Do not wait until your profile feels impressive. Start applying in week eleven, and aim wide:
- Startups and small product companies that read applications themselves.
- Local companies with small engineering teams. The company directory helps you find them.
- Internship listings on Sefism internships.
- Direct messages to engineers at companies you like, with a link to your project.
A short, honest message works well: "I am a third-year student, I built a working expense tracker with a REST API and tests (link). I would love to learn more about internships on your team if any open." You will get more replies than you expect.
Using the feeling instead of fighting it
The feeling of being behind is uncomfortable, but it is also information. It tells you that you care. Turn it into one decision a day: what is the smallest thing I can finish today? One feature, one bug fix, one application. Doing nothing is what keeps the feeling going. Visible progress, even small, quiets it.
Check your progress monthly against your own past self. Write down what you could build a month ago and what you can build now. That comparison is fair. The one with your classmates is not.
A word on social media
It is fine to take a break from LinkedIn while you build. You can come back in three months with something to show. Reading everyone's announcements every day while you are at the start of your journey costs you energy and gives you nothing to act on.
A self-check at the end of each month
Instead of opening a classmate's profile to judge your progress, answer these four questions on the last day of each month:
- What did I finish this month that someone else could open and use?
- What can I explain now that I could not explain a month ago?
- How many applications or outreach messages did I send?
- What is the single most important thing for next month?
If your answer to the first question is "nothing" two months in a row, the plan is too big. Shrink the project, not your ambition. If you are finishing things and still getting no replies, the problem is usually the applications, not you, and the pipeline answer linked below will help.
What this looks like three months later
A realistic outcome of the twelve weeks: one deployed project with real users, even if the users are friends; a second smaller project; a GitHub that shows steady work; a LinkedIn headline that says what you are aiming for; and a list of twenty applications with a few replies. That is not a trophy cabinet, but it is a real profile. More importantly, you will have stories to tell in conversations with employers, which is what classmates' certificates often lack.
If you are still stuck
Read I am a fresh graduate applying everywhere and hearing nothing back. What am I doing wrong? for when applications go quiet, How to start your career as a software engineer, From CSE graduate to your first software engineering job and LinkedIn for engineers: what actually works. If you want someone to look at your specific situation, join Sefism and, as a member, book a 1:1 session.
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