Just want to be very clear this isn't about being a software engineer. That career path is very cut and dry.
Starting from the college you went to, it helps that you attend a school that's targeted by these tech companies. Traditionally its the UCLA's, Berkeleys, CAL Tech, MIT, Stanford, Ivys, USC, Duke, etc. Nowadays most tech companies broaden their scope as a way to combat bias and try to not look at school as a determining factor, though it doesn't mean outreach in these schools have gone down since there are still tons of alumni that went to these target schools
In tandem with building relationships through this network (LinkedIn, attending physical event, any career fair, etc) you want to build up as vast of a collection of work experience via internship. Obviously internships with target companies you want to work for will string you along father, but it can be done with experience from other places like non-profits, event industry, etc. Because the roles I am referencing don't require any hard skills (e.g. how good is your prioritization, time management, your ability to work across different departments, etc) it helps to be proficient in something like MS suite/Google Suite/basic SQL etc
Another thing to be aware of is what roles are open to new graduates straight out of college. These vary from company to company but common ones are: Admin business partner, recruiting coordinator, HR coordinator, Account strategist, Associate Marketer, Associate Analyst, etc etc. Build a catalog of roles that you know are actually available to you as a new grad. You want to be sure you meeting MINIMUM requirements because 9.9/10 times you'll get passed up.
Don't do a cover letter
Feel like I'm missing a lot but let me know if theres something you need covered
