My Redfunternship
Being a non-tech intern at a tech company
by Anna Tegelberg
As a college student, the pressure of finding an internship and figuring out what you want to do with your life can be consuming. While I don’t think this pressure ever truly goes away, I do think perspective is key to handling this pressure. My perspective on life post-college, and how students should view career development, was transformed during my summer internship at Redfin.
Before Redfin, my focus on building my resume with experience outweighed the actual personal development I could gain from different job opportunities. The pressure to perfect your experience can lead students to overlook the most important part of having experience: the ability to actually implement the skills you learn and make an impact.
Redfin gave me so much autonomy and responsibility that I felt like any other employee. I was a valued member of my team.
From my first contact with Redfin recruiters, I had a gut feeling that Redfin was a special company. My recruiter put in the effort to get to know me, asking meaningful questions about who I am, what excites me, and what my goals are. I never felt pressured to be or act a certain way. (I cannot express how important this is when interviewing at a company!) You should be able to feel like your natural self and like the recruiter is really trying to see if you are a good match for the position and the company, and vice versa.
In my first few weeks at Redfin I dove right into my team and my projects. The first week my manager and I talked about my role and my goals, and made a list of areas I wanted to explore over the summer. After that, he let me make my own priorities. Initially, I was nervous about having less structure. However, being guided out of my comfort zone pushed me to think critically about my strengths and weaknesses. Over the next 12 weeks, I worked on projects that were my strong-suit and also projects that challenged me. Each step of the way, my manager and team gave me meaningful feedback and guidance.
Throughout my summer, I got to know Redfin employees across all parts of the business. I truly felt as if there was no divide between the tech and business side, which is important as a non-tech intern at a tech company. At Redfin, everyone sweeps the floor. This means that we all put in an honest days work and respect our coworkers. I felt this every time I would line up for lunch or step into the elevator and meet someone new. Redfin felt like home.
By the time mid August rolled around, I had to pinch myself as a reminder that the summer was coming towards an end. I had practically forgotten that I was an intern! Redfin gave me so much autonomy and responsibility that I felt like any other employee. I was a valued member of my team, not a shadow in the meeting room.
As I prepare to head back to school for my senior year, I leave with a host of new technical knowledge, quantified experience, and projects that impacted Redfin under my belt, but most importantly a new mindset. Redfin taught me that company culture defines how well you work. The environment at Redfin was welcoming, innovative, and inspiring. A company is truly measured by its people. I want to work with people whose values I respect and admire. Redfin taught me that an internship or job should help you grow. If you are not challenged to think creatively and critically, then what is the benefit? Redfin helped me realize that my happiness and work-life balance should be at the forefront of my career decisions. This realization will help me work smarter and be more impactful. I will always remember my summer at Redfin and be grateful for the lessons learned. With my new perspective, I am ready to head back to school and confidently face the future.
