Something's shifting in how companies are deciding who even gets looked at this cycle. Networking used to be above & beyond for your application, but now it’s becoming the bare minimum. For a growing number of companies, meet-and-greets and live events (in-person or virtual) that get you in front of someone are what’s getting your resume considered. 

The pattern shows up in a few different forms, but it all points in the same direction. Some companies are openly telling candidates that showing up live to an info session or career fair puts them ahead of everyone who didn't. Others are quietly restructuring how they’re reviewing applications so that only people who attended an event, scanned a QR code, or joined a talent community actually make it into consideration. And in one company’s case, they are no longer accepting new applications outside of career fair signups.

This seasonal shift is changing the companies’ leverage in the hiring process. Instead of having to sort through thousands of identical applications to filter out AI applications and find good candidates, they’re outsourcing that filtering to attendance itself. If you show up, you might move forward in the review process. If you didn’t, you’re one of thousands who will likely get passed over.

This isn't every company, and it isn't official HR policy anywhere. It's candidate-reported on an event-by-event basis. But it's happening across different industries at the same time, which is what makes it worth paying attention to.

Plaid is the clearest example. A candidate who attended their info session says Plaid is a small team and explicitly prioritizes candidates who make the effort to show up, with check-ins included. If you miss the first session, there's a second on September 23. 

Perplexity is another example of what we consider "event-based direct consideration." New grad roles are open, but the application link a community member received is tied to event registration, with September 25 as the priority cutoff.

With companies in industries ranging from fintech to AI startups all landing on the same move in the same month isn’t a coincidence worth brushing off. To get ahead, here’s a list of events you should attend if you’re interested in applying:

Just a reminder that not all events will result in consideration, but it’s a pattern that we’re seeing in this cycle.

A candidate report puts Roblox's SWE intern process at about 3 weeks after the OA, with two 45-minute LeetCode technicals and a 30-minute behavioral. One candidate already confirmed an offer, saying they were told it's part of "the first wave" with more coming.

A candidate report on Wealthsimple's SWE intern process says it's two rounds now: one AI-assisted interview (not LeetCode style) and one project deep dive. Worth noting as yet another example of how differently companies are handling AI-assisted interviews this cycle.

Candidate reports say Google changed the team match form this year, so you can only select 10 areas of interest, down from a broader pick before. If you're filling this out, don't spread yourself thin. Pick where you'd actually want to land.

Cohort: Internship & New Grad

Plaid's Software Engineering, New Grad role ($155K salaried) and its Software Engineering Intern role for Summer 2027 ($140K-$142K salaried) have both reopened.

Apply to Plaid New Grad → (Seattle, New York, & San Francisco)

Apply to Plaid Internship → (New York & San Francisco)

Cohort: Internship

Figma Software Engineer opened their intern roles for Summer 2027 in San Francisco and London. The San Francisco opening listed the pay at $55/hour USD, while the London opening did not have a listed salary.

Apply to Figma in San Francisco → 

Apply to Figma in London →

Cohort: Internship & New Grad

DoorDash has two SWE roles open: a Software Engineer, Intern role for Summer 2027 and a Software Engineer I, Entry-Level role for candidates graduating Fall 2026 through Summer 2027.

Apply to DoorDash New Grad → (New York +4 more locations)

Apply to DoorDash Internship → (New York +4 more locations)

Cohort: Internship

Duolingo posted a standard Software Engineer, Intern role along with a separate Software Engineer, Thrive Intern role aimed specifically at sophomores. For the Thrive role, they’re reportedly preferring candidates with a Duolingo streak, so start practicing today (and it probably won’t hurt to have one for the standard internship either).

Apply to Duolingo → (New York, Pittsburgh, & Seattle)

Apply to Duolingo, Thrive → (Pittsburgh only)

Cohort: Sophomore & New Grad 

Visa posted a Software Engineer, New College Grad role for 2027 graduates and multiple Software Engineer, Internships for sophomores.

Apply to Visa New Grad → (Bellevue, WA)

Explore Visa Internships → (Bellevue, WA +4 more locations)

One candidate reported a campus recruiter telling them the process includes 5 rounds of interviews (2 technical, 1 system design, and 2 behavioral). Some candidates may be getting AI interviews, but it’s not guaranteed. The recruiter also mentioned that Bloomberg values philanthropy, so it’s worth mentioning any volunteering work you do in interviews.

NVIDIA is opening consideration for their Ignite internship on October 5. They’ve listed quite a few live events at several universities before then. 

Check the events schedule →

If you went to a company event, info session, or career fair this cycle, reply with the company, what you had to do to prove attendance (a QR code, a special link, a talent community signup), and whether it actually turned into an interview or direct consideration.

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