Applying for an internship while not meeting all the requirements?

Question

I'd like to apply for an internship this summer but one of the requirements is working on obtaining a computer science degree, I'm currently getting a telecommunications degree. When I talked to someone from the company at our schools career fair they said not being a cs major was not a problem. How do I address the fact that I'm not a cs major in my cover letter? The internship description is below.

The Role As a Software Development Intern at Bloomberg you will explore exciting aspects of the intersection of finance and technology. You'll join a team that owns all phases of the development life-cycle for some of Bloomberg's premier products where you will be given real world assignments. Interns are given the chance to learn more about Bloomberg while taking part in our software development efforts. All interns receive classroom and on-the-job training to help enhance their programming skills and to instill a working familiarity with Bloomberg's systems. Let this be the summer you experience Bloomberg!

Qualifications - Working towards a Computer Science BS, MS or PhD - Object Oriented Design and Development - Familiarity with UNIX, C/C++

Answer 1

I don't know if you even should address it - if it's a telecoms engineering degree (as opposed to a media studies degree) you should be auto-included with all the maths, engineering and physics students as well and you already have assurance it's not a problem.

Not sure how the US .edu system works but in most of Europe an enginnering telecoms degree would probably be issued by the University's schools of CS (or Physics or Engineering in the older ones) anyway.

Answer 2

What's the difference between telecommunications and CS at your school? Does your school offer a CS degree or is this what they call their CS degree? As long as you can prove in your cover letter/resume that you have class experience with Object Oriented Design and Development, UNIX, and C/C++, the company probably won't care what the title of your degree is.

Answer 3

I don't know that I'd worry about it too much. They're not really looking for someone getting a computer science degree -- they're looking for someone who has a particular set of skills, and it just so happens that people pursuing computer science degrees will be more likely to have those skills. All you have to do is convince them that you are capable. (I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are. ;))

In your cover letter and resume, get across as many things as you can that will show them that you can meet their needs. Mention things you've done involving OOP, Linux/UNIX, and C/C++.

You should have a much easier time addressing the question face to face if it comes up in an interview.

Answer 4

In your cover letter (or just call up the recruiter directly), make sure you let them know your passion for software development. We've hired a student who majored in Physics that had a background in programming and others who majored in Electrical Engineering because their coursework had programming involved.

Don't let the requirements discourage you if you really have a passion for the software development position. Just keep in mind the basic requirements you'll need to bring with you for the interview and be prepared to write some pseudocode.

My Background: I volunteered to help interview and recruit college hires/interns from my alma mater, the University of Houston. Positions at the company were for software developers and business analysts. Students who majored in non-CS degrees for a position that 'required' CS had to show us an interest in software development.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

How do I address the fact that I'm not a cs major in my cover letter?

Dear XXXXXXXX

I am very interested in the Software Developer Position internship you recently listed in xxxxxx. Please see the attached resume for a summary of my experience and qualifications.

During my work as a Telecommunications Major I have taken XX credit hours in computer science. However my passion for software development goes beyond the classroom. I began writing software even before taking any formal classes. Last year I started a popular local blog called xxxxxx.

yada yada yada

Answer 6

Simple answer is to mention your degree subject, don't make a big deal of it and carry on with your letter. That way you know you've made them aware of the degree subject and it is then up to them to decide if it's a big deal or not. Trying to justify why a particular degree is suitable would (IMHO) be counter-productive, especially if they have already said it isn't a problem.