What do recruiters actually look for in ECE students applying for semiconductor or embedded roles?

Hi everyone,

I'm entering my 3rd semester of Electronics and Communication Engineering and I'm trying to understand what companies actually value when hiring interns or new graduates.

I'm particularly interested in Embedded Systems, Digital Design and Semiconductor companies (NVIDIA, Qualcomm, AMD, Intel, TI, etc.).

I often see students trying to learn everything—DSA, AI, web development, embedded, Linux, FPGA—and I'm wondering what actually matters.

For engineers who interview candidates or have gone through the hiring process:

• What skills stand out on a resume?
• Which projects make you pay attention?
• What common mistakes do students make?
• What skills are overrated?
• What should a student entering 3rd semester prioritize if they want to be internship-ready?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've interviewed candidates or recently been hired.