Hiring your first junior developer: lessons from UB Academy
What we look for when interns join our teams, and how small companies can help juniors succeed in their first months.
1 min de lecture
Many of the developers we work with started as interns. Here is what we have learned about helping juniors succeed.
Look for learning, not just knowledge
A portfolio project that the candidate can explain line by line tells you more than a list of frameworks.
Give them a real project and a mentor
- One clear project with a real user.
- A named mentor and a weekly check-in.
- Small, frequent reviews instead of one big one at the end.
Make progress visible
We ask interns to demo every two weeks. It builds confidence and catches problems early.
Verify certificates
Every UB internship and training certificate has a code and a QR code. Employers can check it in seconds at universalbridge.rw/academy/verify.