Atlanta is becoming a startup and tech hub and that means startups. This summer I interned at a startup social media app and it was definitely a unique experience I wanted to share some of the in’s and out’s of my experience!
Ins- Colleagues: Unlike many more established work environments you have the opportunity to work with people your age. I way surrounded by people on my team who were within about 5-7 years of my age range so I was really able to get comfortable and really feel like what I had to say was important
I also was surrounded with a lot of interns. Mostly all of the interns had come from all over the country. It was awesome getting to know so many other people who were on the same grind as you. I really created an awesome friendship and we still keep in touch!
Outs- Lacking structure.The Company that I interned for was super busy this summer. They were adding some huge new features to the app and although it was super exciting it also made things super busy and didn’t allow for a ton of structure to my particular internship experience.
Ins- Perks. There are a ton of perks with interning at a startup everything is very flexible. I would get to come in at 10 to wait out traffic and leave whenever my work got done. There was no dress code so I was able to wear yoga pants which was perfect for the in office yoga classes that were held every week! Not being chained to my desk was amazing and playing ping pong whenever I wanted was fantastic. My favorite part was that the kitchen was always loaded with the best snacks and drinks and the free lunch was amazing!!!!
Outs- Brand Recognition. When it comes to your resume having recognizable companies are always a bonus. Most of the tech startups are very niche and a lot of people have no clue what the company is. I do get street cred with my peers for working at a popular social media app however not as many professionals know what the company is or what they do.
Ins- Exploration. Working at a startup is incredibly intimate. Everyone knows each other and it is awesome. I was able to jump onto a ton of projects that are outside of my specific team. My manager would always ask if I was interested in getting to be part of another team and would encourage me to branch out and explore new aspects of the company.
Honestly as I reflect back on my internship it is super difficult for me to find things that were bad. Startups really are an awesome place to intern and I highly recommend you doing it if you have the opportunity!
