My first Week and Finding a Fit

I started my Spring internship

• It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life so far. I say this because I feel like I am:
  • appreciated and valued
  • being listened to; my opinions matter, even struggling through learning
  • being given autonomy while given the opportunity to grow and succeed
  • being set-up to succeed
  • being treated like I am a part of the team, even as an intern.

Firstly

• My manager had an initial chat with me about compensation in Silicon Valley. He also told me before signing an offer, feel free to have a cup of coffee with him to chat about everything. Basically, he wants to ensure that I’m not getting screwed over, and get the best offer that I can get. This was amazing. I really feel like he is someone long-term who is looking out for me and is a real mentor for me. It’s amazing.

• He also said that as the rest of our group are full-timers, to feel free to reach out to him if cost is a problem for anything. He was sensitive to the fact that I basically moved my life up to Silicon Valley. I thought that this was really considerate of him, because this was the case. I don’t have to suffer in silence, thinking “these people don’t understand what I’m going through”. I’ve had to do this before with other internships/ opportunities, but it’s good that he was so upfront about it from day one. I’m doing alright, but it’s good that he was considerate of this and didn’t assume that I came to the Valley with a bunch of money and resources.

Secondly

• I think as a junior developer, even though many of us are concerned with the name of the company, where it is located, the pay, etc, the most significant attribute of an internship or job is the right fit.
• The right fit with a team, a project, and a company is worth its weight in gold.
• I had several revelations this week; I remembered at one point a friend told me “what if what you want in your head is just a fantasy? Maybe you shouldn’t be so picky”. This week has proved that she was wrong :D. I’m happy I stuck to my guns and waited for the right opportunity.

I’m reflecting on this

• I know that the junior market is competitive. I know that I have friends and peers who are concerned about getting their foot in the door, making money, paying off loans, etc. However, it is still so worth it to find the right spot for you; it is the one in which you will probably grow the most, feel the most comfortable and form the best friendships.

Lastly

• I played chess! I found a chess buddy, and we play on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She is much better than I am, but I’m learning a lot and really enjoying it! She wanted to meet me because there were no people playing at all, originally, so the board was just sitting there. Suddenly, by our second meeting, two more sets of people around us started playing. We joked that “we started a movement!” :D

Moving forward

• I’m probably going to spend this weekend doing Haskell and learning some other stuff. It’s been a wild ride so far and I just feel really grateful and happy for this week.