Handshake

Software Engineer Intern

June - August 2021 • Buffalo, NY

What I liked

Handshake's positive culture was the most motivational and impactful aspect from my internship with them during the summer. It played a key role in my growth as a person and as an engineer! Being supported by incredibly talented engineers made me feel as if I could learn and accomplish anything, regardless of difficulty. In addition to this, their work/life balance and culture made me feel respected, even as an intern -- which I was certainly nervous about when the internship first started. I also liked how my internship project was a project that had an impact on the company and that it did not involve legacy code. This means that I learned a lot of modern skills including Ruby on Rails, React, and how to work in an agile environment. They truly made me feel like I was working for the company of my dreams. I was respected and it showed.

What I wish was different

Unfortunately, the internship was remote. Although I enjoyed the benefits of working remotely, Handshake's employees do a phenomenal job at being so inviting, it made me wish that my internship was in person. Other than that, I would not have changed anything

Advice

Do not feel intimidated by putting yourself out there (respectfully) and asking for help. Growth can be catalyzed if others are around to help you and Handshake is really good at making that happen.

1 One person found this helpful

Software Engineer Intern

June - August 2022 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I enjoyed the positive work environment and emphasis on collaboration. My manager and colleagues were all great people that were supportive throughout my internship.

What I wish was different

I wish there were more on-site events.

Advice

Keep an open mind and be willing to learn more from everyone in the team.

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Data Science Intern

June - August 2021 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The culture of the workplace is great. To start, the Peoples' Team made a great impression during the interview process by fostering open communication. While I was onboarding, numerous colleagues in various teams, messaged me to ensure that I had the support that I needed. Everyone in the company is very eager to assist one another. Given the remote nature of the work, this is especially helpful as it made me feel connected to my colleagues. I also appreciated the opportunities to meet up with my colleagues in person. On the job, my manager was extremely supportive, and encouraged me to pursue problems that interested me the most.

What I wish was different

None.

Advice

Many of us have the tendency to attempt to figure out our own problems, but in many cases, that might hinder our progress. As such, do not be afraid to reach out with questions. Everyone I met at Handshake were more than happy to either answer my questions or pair with me personally.

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Data Engineering Intern

June - August 2021 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

From the start, the interview process was very streamlined and professional. After the technical assessment, the HR team worked with my school schedule to setup the virtual onsite. I felt very comfortable during that virtual onsite. Each interviewer was very approachable and was willing to discuss what questions I had in length. After the interview, they were quick to get back to me about their decision, which was nice compared to other company's turn-around time. On the job, my team and everyone in the company was willing to help me with any problems or questions I had. I felt the value and impact behind my assigned project, which was challenging but a great learning experience. My manager was always there to help me when I needed it but also gave me the autonomy to explore solutions on my own, which I appreciated. Overall, it was a very relaxed yet productive environment that I was happy to have experienced.

What I wish was different

Although completely out of their hands, I wish to have had my internship in-person. For interns, I feel this is especially important given the short time we have to make connections. That being said, our intern coordinator did an excellent job organizing meetings and events so that we interns could get to know each-other and the company while working remotely.

Advice

Everyone here wants you to succeed, so don't be afraid to ask. All those that I talked to were very kind and considerate of my questions. They were happy to impart their experiences and give advice where it counted.

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Software Engineer Intern

June - August 2021 • New York City, NY

What I liked

The onboarding process was very well organized and straightforward. There were many intern focused events where we got to connect and learn from each other. I really enjoyed working on Handshake's Infrastructure team. My manager was extremely supportive and gave me the freedom to pursue my own ideas while always providing me with helpful feedback.

What I wish was different

Nothing!

Advice

Ask lots of questions and don't be afraid to reach out to people who are not on your team.

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Social Content Intern

June - August 2021 • Stamford, CT

What I liked

I really enjoyed getting to work with the marketing team! I gained so much insight from each individual member, and learned a lot just from sitting in on quarterly planning meetings. I also really valued the creative freedom I was given as the social content intern. I truly feel that the flexibility I was allowed as an intern helped me collaborate better with others, and assisted me in envisioning the future of Handshakes social presence across channels.

What I wish was different

I wish I could've been able to connect with my fellow interns and coworkers in person, but covid got in the way of that opportunity.

Advice

Let your passion shine through! Handshake is a creative environment, and they value interns who are excited about their work.

4 ${count} people found this helpful

Software Engineer Intern

June 2021 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

The interview process was fairly quick. There is a given challenge that is very much doable. In addition, the recruiters and managers are all very welcoming and interested in what you have to say.

What I wish was different

It would’ve been helpful if the interview process was more spaced out of the course of a week so students can come in, with a clear mindset, and not feel as overwhelmed by the time they get to the actual coding portion of the interview.

Advice

1 One person found this helpful

Data Science Intern

June 2021 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

The interview was a 3-step process. As expected, there was an initial technical assessment which I found to have appropriate expectations. I interviewed with two separate members of the data team. There were expectations for me to demonstrate my subject expertise as it applied to working in a data science role at Handshake. Additionally, I felt comfortable and encouraged to share details of my research and work experience. I thought Handshake did a terrific job with the interview process, and I am super grateful to now be a part of the team.

What I wish was different

Not a thing.

Advice

Prepare good questions. Think about what it might be like to work at a place like Handshake: how teams might work, the mission, short and long term goals as it relates to your career. Come up with a list of questions that you can choose from during the interview process. Asking well thought out questions shows that you are intelligently thinking about what it might look like to be a part of the organization. It also helps you clarify to yourself what matters to you in a potential role.

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Software Engineer Intern

June - August 2018 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

My favorite part of the internship was the people I got to work with. They were always willing to help out, and seemed to enjoy their work, which made it a fun and effective learning environment. From a software standpoint, it was awesome to be able to work on features that have been implemented in the product. I didn't just get project to complete that may or may not be used, but I was working with a team to develop features that needed to be completed by a deadline. It also offered many insights into the other aspects of product development. I got to work closely with the design team and product management, and attended various company events about data analytics and design principles.

What I wish was different

I felt some days it was very hard to be productive, due to hopping from meeting to meeting.

Advice

Make sure to voice your opinion. It took me a little while to feel comfortable speaking up in meetings, but I soon realized that they truly care about your thoughts as a students, since it is a product that is built for students.

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Product Management Intern

June - August 2017 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

I had a lot of ownership of projects, including running my own growth experiments and drafting new strategies for a specific project.

What I wish was different

Advice

This type of internship really allows you to get a lot out of it as long as you take initiative - don't be shy to reach out to your managers and teammates to join projects that interest you!

7 ${count} people found this helpful

Account Management Intern

May 2017 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

Autonomy to work on projects of my choice and the ability to make an impact in the company

What I wish was different

Nothing

Advice

Meet as many people on as many teams as you can to expose yourself to different areas of the company, come up from the weeds and try to identify bigger picture things that you can take charge of for a project to help make an impact

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Product Management Intern

May - August 2018 • San Francisco, CA

What I liked

There were many opportunities to grow within the company. For example, aside from product management, I reached out to a few designers and data scientists to explore both disciplines. They were all so cheerful and excited to share their learnings and prepared me with the tools and learnings to do well in their roles. On top of that, the company and the people are all mission driven. It was great to see that everyone was committed to helping democratize opportunity and information to all college students across the country, regardless of their position.

What I wish was different

More intern specific programming events and community service projects.

Advice

Never be afraid to ask for more or less. My PM handed my partner and I our summer project, but toward the end of the internship I always felt that I wanted to do more. Make it apparent to your higher ups of any interests you have in mind, even if it seems like there's no time left.

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