Tech internships offer a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in an ever-evolving industry. From learning the latest programming languages to collaborating with experienced professionals, internships provide a gateway to unlock your full potential as a tech professional.
I started my journey as a tech intern with Josh Software, Inc. when Corona was just a beer brand. I have learned a lot as a Software professional and here are a few key points that might help you grow as a tech professional.
1. Always open to exploring new things.
“You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future.” - Steve Jobs
Being open to learning new things is always the best choice compared to not even trying because you never know how that will unfold. I can tell you my experience with learning new technologies along the way in my career and it’s been a thrilling experience every time I learn a new thing.
2. Interact with new people every day.
In the last 3 years, our company has grown immensely nearing 5 folds from it was when I joined as an intern. During these years, I interacted with most of the people who joined the company and discovered how much you can learn from their experiences. Eventually, you’ll learn how new technology trends are changing the way of app development (from native to cross-platform app development) just by interacting with a flutter developer or you will understand the nuances of management by interacting with a client-facing team within your company.
3. Never hesitate to share your opinion.
One of the best things that happened to me that was I joined a company having a flat hierarchy structure where everyone gets an opportunity to add their opinions at any time irrespective of the designation. From this culture, I learned one thing you should always share your opinion in all the tech or non-tech discussions (where you’re involved primarily in direct/indirect capacities). This helps you to build a mindset of understanding the primary objective of the discussion and understand the reasoning behind the final decision. In addition to this, you’ll be having a breath-taking discussion on your opinions’ opinions, and you will be able to fill up the knowledge gap at a faster pace.
4. Make new mistakes.
Never allow the same bug to bite you twice. - Steve Maguire
Mistakes are part and parcel whenever you try to explore new horizons. And I have seen that I have never learned that much from non-buggy code than from buggy code. So do make mistakes just never repeat the same mistake. But this never certifies that you always have to make mistakes, as success has its taste.
5. Learn when to give up.
I know we have been taught to "Try, try but don't cry" but as a developer, you should learn when to give up and either take help from your peers or seniors, and even sometimes taking a break from that hustle helps. So do learn to have some coffee/TT breaks, as any poison like these keeps your productivity motivated.
6. Find yourself a lifelong mentor.
The IT industry is so vast, and with so many paths to try and go ahead. It's quite hard to try everything and then choose the best. So do find a mentor (preferably in the same organization) who will guide you with his/her experience over the course of his/her career.
I have shared my own experiences and insights gained from my professional life, I recognize that everyone's experience is unique. What worked for me may not necessarily work for others, and there may be other valuable perspectives and approaches to consider. I am open to feedback and correction, as my intention is to offer a helpful and informative perspective as a professional.