Pinterest Exclusive: What the Hot Startup is Looking for in Young Talent

The holidays are a great time to relax and get together with friends and family, but the smartest college students know it’s also time to update their resume and send out job applications.

Those seeking an internship position for next summer need to apply right now!

For students just starting out, it can be a confusing time as they navigate trying to stand out in a crowded field. Pinterest, the popular visual bookmarking site, is one of many tech companies hiring and training interns.

We asked their University Recruiter Katie Layous for some insight into what they look for in a candidate.

1. What is the most important thing you look for in a resume from a student? E.g. GPA, prior work experience or extracurricular activities?

A nice healthy blend of everything is important.  Past internship experience and personal projects rank high on our list. Our internships are very hands on; from day one you are touching our code base, so we need to ensure people have enough experience to ramp up quickly and run with their own project.

2. What do you look for in an effective cover letter, what makes it catch your eye?

We don't require cover letters and don't see them very much as a necessity in the tech world nowadays.

When we do occasionally see a cover letter, keeping it specific to Pinterest as well as outlining your interests is important. Try to fill in the blanks around your life story that your resume can't highlight.

3. How can someone make their application stand out among the hundreds of other applications you are reading?

For Pinterest, listing a link to your Pinterest profile gives us a better understanding of how you are using our product as well as what you are interested in.  This paired with what you are studying and your past work experience = getting noticed.

4. How can an applicant convey their personality without being too informal?

List things outside of the box on your application. Showcase things outside of coursework and class projects.  If you are involved in a teaching assistant position, club or extracurricular activity outside of school that will stand out.

​Providing a link to any side project(s), open source contributions​, apps and things you are most proud of will also ​be helpful.  We've seen a lot more personal websites and Github links recently, which helps​ us learn more about you and your work.

5. Is there anything a candidate can do to their application to increase the chances?

Career websites can feel like black holes, but they are still worth your time. We get a ton of applicants and do our best to review ever single application. It just might not be at the timeline you expect.

That said, if you know someone at the company reach out and ask them to send your application to the recruiting team for you. If we are coming to your school, drop by our events and introduce yourself. Lastly, don't be afraid to reapply. If you really want the role and don't hear back, it will never hurt to try again.

6. How can you tell if an applicant is a good "cultural fit" for Pinterest?

Bottom line... we are looking for intelligent, collaborative, passionate people who care about our mission and building Pinterest.

People that resonate with our core values and are passionate about our product are going to fit in well at the company. Do your research! Check out our career site where we have highlighted what cultural aspects are core to us. If these motivate you also, it is a win on all sides!

7. What are the hottest skills and technologies job seekers need to have today across all positions?

Across all positions, both communication and collaboration are extremely important.  We place a strong emphasis on overall company collaboration so being able to work well with others and providing meaning feedback is also a set of skills we find useful.

8. Can you share a worst resume or cover letter mistake?

Worst resumes include wrong contact information; make sure to update your phone number and email address.

You took the time to get noticed, so also make sure we can reach you! Another one is spelling mistakes. Take a few extra minutes to proofread, and ask a friend to take a read through, too. It can go a long way.