Internship Insights- Week 10

What would I change about my internship experience

Questions I answer:

• If I had this quarter to do this internship over again, what would I have done differently?
• What would I say to another student who was interested in this internship?

If I was to do this internship again from the start, there are a few things that I would change or do differently than I did this time. I would definitely spend more time networking with employees and other interns. Because of the remote setting and time zone difference, I did not actually get the chance to talk with everyone at the company (which is possible since there are not that many employees). I interacted mostly with people in my team and the founder but would like to interact with other teams working on other innovative projects or doing research into new technologies. This would result in more opportunities to build genuine relationships and learn more.

I would also spend more time diving deeper into the technologies and tools used. Even though I had a good understanding by the end of the internship, doing more initial work and research would have helped me accomplish more. The company provides a huge list of resources to learn about the different concepts and technologies and I would definitely spend more time reading the information carefully and ensure that I absorb it at a high level. I would also ask people for help more and mentorship. I have a habit of working hard by myself at times, without asking for help. This is a weakness of mine that I am working to improve on. Towards the end of this internship this definitely changed as I asked for help and feedback from my team and the founder. If I could do this internship again, I would ask for help whenever I need it, especially at the start of the experience, or when I am stuck on something (since everything is new to an intern).

If another student was interested in this particular internship role in product management or Adventure Corporation itself, I would tell them it is not easy. Going into a small startup, you take a lot of responsibilities on very early and there is not a lot of guidance or structure to your work (since you have so much ownership and can work on what you like or are interested in). Large companies have very structured internship programs with various events and guidelines, and this experience was the complete opposite. If you (the student) enjoy difficult challenges and problem solving, then this internship and company would be great for you. It is perfect for a student at any level of their career who wants to explore and is curious about new technologies and their applications. You definitely learn a lot along the way, both practical skills and applicable knowledge.

Furthermore, if you are interested in Adventure Corporation and not the product management intern role then that is completely fine. The organisation has plenty of roles in areas like business, data, product, software engineering and research. Whatever your interest is specifically, as long as you are eager to learn and work hard to create impact with new technologies, then you can find a place at Adventure Corporation. Also, the remote experience has been fantastic and may be a more viable option for students, especially in these tumultuous times with the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, any students interested in the internship should definitely have or demonstrate a passion for technology and its impact.