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What Candidates Are Seeing
At JPMorgan, the Hackathon May Matter More Than the Application
We've already covered how showing up for company events are more important than referrals these days. Well, now companies are asking for something a lot more than just your application and attendance.
A candidate told us they spoke with a JPMorgan recruiter, and apparently about 70% of SWE intern slots are reserved for Code for Good hackathon participants. That's one number from one secondhand conversation, and we can't confirm it, so we're not treating it as policy.
But if a good chunk of slots run through the hackathon, the open application is competing for whatever's left. The people who participated in the hackathon aren't in the same pile as everyone who just submitted a resume.
A hackathon is also a different kind of filter than an info session. At an event, a company can see that you showed up, but at a hackathon, they’re able to better assess your skills while you're building something.
This is a big reason we post these events as early as we can. Our community has made up a huge portion of Code for Good's attendees the last few years, and it's been great watching past contestants and interns help the next group of participants.
So far, we only have the one report, and nothing we've seen shows other companies holding slots for hackathon participants. Still, events already turned out to be a real route to direct consideration, and we think hackathons could follow the same path. We'd rather flag it now than after it's obvious. This is the part I'd watch for: which other companies are offering hackathons for undergraduates.
What this means for candidates
Treat Code for Good and Data for Good like an application. The hackathon may no longer be what gets you ahead, but the new baseline now. If the 70% figure is even in the neighborhood, it could be a main way in.
Before you submit a general application, check whether the company runs a hackathon or event program tied to its intern hiring.
Don't sit on registration once an event posts.
Don't assume every hackathon leads somewhere. We only have one company so far, so prioritize the ones with a clear tie to recruiting.
If you get time with a recruiter, ask how hackathon participants are considered for internships. The 70% is secondhand, and a direct answer is better.
A few other things we’re seeing
Amazon's SWE Assessment Includes an AI Assistant
A candidate report on the 2026 SWE online assessment describes one LeetCode-style question with no AI and one debugging workspace with an AI assistant that points you to files and helps with your approach but won't hand you answers. A work simulation and work-style section followed after. Another candidate says the deadline is one week this time instead of the two last year.
Amazon's Data Engineer OA Is Mostly SQL
A candidate who just finished it says there were 10 multiple-choice scenario questions asking which query works best or wouldn't work and two SQL questions you write yourself (one easy and one hard). There's also a set asking what framework or first step you'd use on a scenario, and a short job fit section where you pick which of two statements you align with more.
A Microsoft AI/ML Candidate Was Asked to Use Claude
A candidate who interviewed for Microsoft's AI/LLM and ML SWE role says round one was 15 minutes of behavioral followed by an easy-to-medium LeetCode-style question on implementing a specific Python function, find, in O(n). Round two was mostly behavioral and focused on AI usage in projects. They were also sent a zip file of prod and beta testing and asked to interpret it with Claude.
Scale AI's Debugging Round
A candidate who already has the offer says the process is a debugging round and a behavioral round, and then a hiring manager call if you pass the first two. The debugging round gives you a Python/TypeScript codebase with 3 failing test cases to fix, and they say Scale cares a lot about your approach, so you can solve it fully and still get rejected. They said the hiring manager's resume grilling was fine.
Daily Drops
LinkedIn’s First Play SWE Internship
Cohort: Underclassmen Internship
LinkedIn posted a Software Engineer Intern (First Play) role for Summer 2027 in Mountain View, CA. It’s a hybrid role, and it’s an underclassman program similar to Microsoft Explore and NVIDIA Ignite.
Glean’s New Grad SWE Role
Cohort: New Grad
Glean posted a Software Engineer, University Grad role in Mountain View, CA.
T-Mobile’s Summer 2027 SWE Internship
Cohort: Internship
T-Mobile posted a Summer 2027 Software Engineering Internship based in Overland Park, Kansas. Application ends on November 4.
Sonos Boston SWE Internship
Cohort: Internship
Sonos posted a Software Engineering Intern role in Boston, MA.
Ginkgo Bioworks Software Internship
Cohort: Internship
Ginkgo Bioworks posted a Software Intern, Autonomous Lab role in Emeryville, California.
Salesforce Forward Deployed Engineer Internship
Cohort: Internship
Salesforce posted a Summer 2027 Intern, Forward Deployed Engineer, Global Public Sector role. It’s remote, with Arkansas and Ohio listed as locations.
JPMorgan Chase 2027 Machine Learning Summer Associate
Cohort: Internship
JPMorgan Chase posted the 2027 Machine Learning Center of Excellence - Time Series and Reinforcement Learning (TSRL) - Summer Associate role in New York, NY.
Regeneron 2027 AI/ML & Data Engineering Internship
Cohort: Internship
Regeneron posted a 2027 Summer Intern AI/ML & Data Engineering role. Locations listed are Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow, Warren, and Armonk.
T-Mobile Summer 2027 AI Engineer Internship
Cohort: Internship
T-Mobile posted a Summer 2027 Assoc AI Engineer Internship in Overland Park, Kansas, and Frisco, Texas.
Schonfeld 2027 Enterprise AI Internship
Cohort: Internship
Schonfeld posted a 2027 Enterprise AI Intern role in New York, NY.
Ericsson AI and Automation Engineer Internship
Cohort: Internship
Ericsson posted an AI and Automation Engineer Intern role in Plano, Texas.
Sephora AI & Distribution Analytics Internship
Cohort: Internship
Sephora posted an Intern, AI & Distribution Analytics role in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Verition 2027 AI Associate Internship
Cohort: Internship
Verition posted a 2027 Internship - AI Associate: Equity Long/Short role. Locations listed are New York, Miami, Greenwich CT, Norwalk CT, and San Francisco.
ABB AI Robotics Internship
Cohort: Internship
ABB posted an AI Robotics Intern role for Fall 2026 in Milpitas, California. Application closes on November 11.
IBM Entry-Level AI Software Engineer Role
Cohort: Internship & New Grad
IBM posted an Entry Level AI Software Engineer role in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Marvell Summer 2027 Data Science Internship
Cohort: Internship
Marvell posted a Data Science Intern, BS - Summer 2027 role in Boise, Idaho.
Regeneron Data Science & Digital Innovation Internship
Cohort: Internship
Regeneron posted a 2027 Summer Intern Data Science & Digital Innovation (IOPS) role in Rensselaer.
Sonos Product Management Internship
Cohort: Internship
Sonos posted a Software Product Management Intern role in Seattle, WA.
IBM Entry-Level PM Role for 2027
IBM posted an Entry Level Product Manager 2027 role in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Aurora Lidar R&D and Architecture Internship
Cohort: Internship
Aurora posted a Lidar R&D and Architecture Intern role in Bozeman, MT, under Hardware & Embedded Engineering. Application deadline is October 30, 2026 at 5:00 PM PDT.
Intuitive Systems Engineer Internship
Cohort: Internship
Intuitive posted a System Engineer Intern role in Blacksburg, VA. It’s fully onsite with a day shift.
Sephora DC Systems Engineering Internship
Cohort: Internship
Sephora posted an Intern, DC Systems Engineering role in Maryland.
Validus Winter 2027 Macro Strategies Internship
Cohort: Internship
Validus posted a Macro Strategies Co-Op Internship, Winter 2027 under Investment Products. It’s a hybrid role in Toronto, Ontario, and the co-op runs January to May 2027 with the possibility of an extension.
USAA Entry-Level SWE
Cohort: New Grad
USAA posted a Software Engineer - Entry Level role, with locations listed in San Antonio (Home Office I) and Plano (Legacy).
One Thing I Want To Know
Did a hackathon ever get you direct consideration? If so, reply with the company, the name of the event, and what happened afterward: a recruiter reaching out, an interview, a skipped step in the process, or an offer. If a recruiter told you how hackathon participants are considered for internships, send us exactly what they said.
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