tech company internships

At big companies, it’s easy to get lost, but the perks are usually great.

If you’re looking for a career in technology, there are plenty of opportunities to get started. The large tech companies all have their own programs, but they can be overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know about working at one of these big companies:

• At big companies, it’s easy to get lost: It’s not uncommon for a company this size to have over 10,000 employees. Unless an intern is assigned directly with one specific manager or department, it can be hard for them to find their place within the organization.
• The perks are usually great: While interns may not receive many benefits during their time at a big company (depending on how long they’ve been there), they do often receive some amazing perks like free meals and transportation services–and even housing!

At smaller companies, you’ll have more opportunities to lead.

At smaller companies, you’ll have more opportunities to lead.

When you’re at a big company like Google, it’s likely that there are hundreds of interns and many projects going on at once. You’re one of many interns—and while it may sound impressive to say you interned at Google, it may not be as impressive if your project was fairly small compared to what other teams are working on.

However, at smaller companies with fewer resources and less structure (but still with strong values), you can stand out by being proactive about getting involved in multiple projects. In fact, this kind of atmosphere could be beneficial for your career because it allows you to learn more about what’s required on each level of the business without necessarily having been formally trained for those roles yet—and gives those who want a bit more responsibility an opportunity early on in their careers!

Every company has a different culture.

Everyone has their own idea of what a good workplace culture looks like, and you’ll find that each tech company has a different one. Some are more formal, some more casual; some are structured and traditional while others embrace innovation and chaos.

As you start to interview with companies and decide which one might be the best fit for your personality and career goals, keep an open mind about the culture of each place you visit.

Be prepared for work you won’t like.

You will be asked to do things you don’t like, or are not good at, or think are boring.

That’s just part of the internship process. You’ll have to learn how to do new things that you’ve never done before. It’s okay if you don’t like it! That’s why these internships exist: so that the company can teach you something new, and you can get practice doing the work they need done.

If it is a job that requires lots of creativity and self-expression—like designing websites or writing code—then make sure your internship offers enough room for this on its own terms (i.e., not just in your personal projects). If it is more mundane work—like data entry or answering phones—ask your supervisor if there is any opportunity for professional growth through learning new skills within those tasks (which may take time).

Establish yourself as a go-to person for a certain type of project.

• You can distinguish yourself by being helpful. Interns should be asked to do a number of different tasks, but if you want to stand out, offer to do something no one else wants or knows how to do. If you don’t know how to code or build an app, volunteer for that project and learn how! You’ll also get the opportunity to meet new people and make contacts in your department who can help you down the road when applying for jobs internally.
• Don’t just sit on the sidelines during meetings; ask questions about them afterwards! It shows that you care about what’s going on in the company and gives people around you valuable insight into what makes someone like yourself tick (and whether they think it’s worth working with).

Apply early and often.

Apply early and often.

It’s best to apply about four months before the internship starts, but you can start as soon as you’ve been accepted into an accelerator or incubator program. The more companies you apply to, the better your chances will be of getting an offer. It’s not uncommon for someone in this position to apply to three or five companies at a time.

Keep applying until you get an offer! If you don’t receive any offers after applying multiple times (or if there is zero response from the company), then stop applying and focus on other options instead of waiting around for a reply that might never come back.

If you do receive an offer from one of these companies: congratulations! You’re off on your way toward having a successful tech career!

Tech internships can be competitive and stressful.

If you’re interested in a tech internship, you should try to apply as early as possible. Many tech companies receive hundreds of applications for each position, so it’s best to be among the first in line for an interview.

As with any internship, you’ll need to show that you’re motivated and good at working with others. The skills you gain from your time interning at a company can help land other positions later on down the road.