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SOLAPATH / CAREERSOLA North American Admissions and Career Consulting
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TECH CAREERS

Co-op and New Grad career coaching

I review the resume, the projects a student can explain, and the next recruiting dates. When experience is thin, we build code first. When applications are already moving, we practise OA, algorithms, and interviews. Every Mock Interview ends with a focused practice plan.

WHEN THIS WORK FITS

This may sound familiar

  • Entering a first Co-op or internship search without having seen the full hiring process
  • Approaching New Grad recruiting with project, algorithm, and interview preparation spread too thin
  • Has coursework, but no project that holds up under follow-up questions
  • Already working elsewhere for a year or two and moving toward software engineering, unsure which candidate track to apply through

Where I am not the right help

  • Wants someone else to write the resume, build the project, or answer the interview questions
  • Wants a generic problem list or template rather than a plan built around their own situation
  • Does not plan to write the code or practise between sessions

WHAT THE REVIEW INCLUDES

What I review with the student

  1. 01Set weekly priorities around real Co-op or New Grad recruiting dates
  2. 02Build a student-owned project that can be discussed with the code open
  3. 03Use one-to-one Code Review to examine design, implementation, and refactoring choices
  4. 04Edit resume bullets against the questions an interviewer is likely to ask
  5. 05Check the resume against ATS parsing and role keywords so real skills and experience are actually read
  6. 06Build a STAR story set covering the conflict, failure, and ownership questions that keep coming up
  7. 07Group applications in batches — practice rounds first, then target companies — and adjust with interview feedback
  8. 08Prepare for OA, algorithms, Behavioral, OOD, and System Design
  9. 09Use Mock Interviews to separate technical, communication, and time-management issues

By interview time, the student should be able to explain the reasoning, defend the trade-offs, and identify exactly which parts of the work were their own.

SELECTED PAST RECRUITING RESULTS

Different starting points, and in each case the student ran the process.

Twenty-seven students have worked with me on recruiting, and every one of them reached an interview. Six are in long-term mentorship this year. Students reach recruiting from very different places. One had already spent a year working in another industry; another had no internship at all. The results below are grouped by where the student started.

  1. 01Starting point

    One year of work, then a New Grad search

    A year in an entry-level bank role, moving toward North American software engineering and re-entering the New Grad hiring process.

    What the work was

    Resume language came first, rewriting that year at the bank into experience software engineering teams could read. An AI project followed, then algorithm mocks. The referral into this round came from us.

    Amazon New Grad offer

  2. 02Starting point

    First year, no internship yet

    A first-year student with no internship or Co-op experience, going through a full Co-op recruiting process for the first time.

    What the work was

    Applying and building at the same time, rather than waiting for the project to be finished. For the TD round, most of the work went into explaining the thinking clearly in the interview.

    TD Co-op offer

Student names, schools, application records, and offer documents stay private.

WAYS TO WORK TOGETHER

Two ways to work together

Book time around one clear goal

Useful for reviewing one resume, running a Mock Interview, working through an algorithm exercise, or examining a round of application writing in detail.

  • Rewrite one resume, checking against ATS and role keywords for real experience the filter misses
  • One coding or algorithm Mock Interview, reviewed section by section afterwards
  • Behavioral Mock, building the STAR stories for conflict, failure, and ownership questions
  • System Design or OOD practised on its own
  • One round of application writing

Continue through a project and recruiting cycle

For students who need weekly project progress, recurring Code Review, and preparation tied to several Co-op or New Grad interview rounds.

  • Weekly priorities set by real Co-op or New Grad recruiting dates
  • One project the student builds and can open the code to explain
  • One-on-one Code Review covering design, implementation, and refactoring choices
  • School choice, writing, and interview prep scheduled back from each deadline
  • Applications sent in batches, where feedback from one batch decides the next

Frequently asked questions

FAQ / 01With no internship yet, should a first- or second-year student apply or build first?

Review the nearest recruiting dates and whether the project survives basic follow-up. Once the core flow works and the resume is accurate, applications can begin while project and algorithm work continue.

FAQ / 02Does project coaching mean the code will be written for the student?

No. The student implements the project. I use scope review, architecture discussion, and one-to-one Code Review to build understanding, correct problems, and define the student's contribution accurately.

FAQ / 03What can a Mock Interview cover?

The session follows the target role and current stage: Behavioral, technical communication, algorithms, project depth, OOD, or System Design. Each session ends with a specific priority for the next round of practice.

FAQ / 04After a year or two in another industry, can someone still use the New Grad or Co-op process?

Often yes. We first settle which roles and candidate track to apply through, then rewrite the existing work experience so a software engineering reader can follow it, and schedule OA and interview practice around the target companies' hiring dates.

FAQ / 05How is a single session or Mock Interview actually structured?

The first stretch runs at real interview pace with no mid-question hints. The rest of the time goes to a segment-by-segment debrief of communication and time management, and the session ends by setting the priority for the next round of practice.

CONTINUE READING

More to read for this stage

  • 9 min read

    First Co-op Search: What Should a First-Year CS Student Fix First?

    A first Co-op search does not need to wait until the project and algorithms feel finished. Begin applying once one project has a usable core flow, the resume is accurate, and the student can answer basic follow-ups; then continue applications, project iteration, and algorithm practice in parallel and adjust using real responses.

    Read “First Co-op Search: What Should a First-Year CS Student Fix First?”

  • 8 min read

    When Is a Software Project Ready for the Resume?

    A software project earns a place on the resume through a complete core flow, real technical choices, basic failure handling, and at least one genuine deployment—not through a long feature list. The student must also be able to open the code and explain the contribution, a failure, and the reason for the current implementation accurately.

    Read “When Is a Software Project Ready for the Resume?”

  • 10 min read

    New Grad Technical Interviews: What to Practise Besides Algorithms

    New Grad interview preparation cannot be measured by problem count alone. Algorithm correctness, project depth, Behavioral, OOD, System Design, and technical communication are separate abilities and need practice based on the target role and nearest recruiting date. After each Mock Interview, only recurring problems become priorities for the next week.

    Read “New Grad Technical Interviews: What to Practise Besides Algorithms”

I READ EVERY SUBMISSION BEFORE REPLYING

Tell me a little about the student

The form does not need to read like an application essay. Share the student's stage, nearest deadline, and one question that needs attention, then leave an email address or phone number.

You do not have to commit to anything first. The same form can book a single free 15-minute call, which is enough time to cover where the student is now and what needs solving next.

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