what i learned from my internships
key takeaways and lessons learned
over the past few years, i've had the opportunity to intern at AMD, Tesla, and Genentech. each experience was unique, not just tehcnically, but also in the work culture, expectations, and ways teams operated.
one of the biggest lessons i learned is that soft skills are just as important as technical skills. clear communication, collaboration, and adaptability. writing clean clode or designing scalable systems will always be core to the job, but the ability to adapt to a team's culture can determine how quickly you ramp up and how effectively you deliver.
at both AMD and Tesla, the environment was fast-paced, iterative, and sometimes chaotic. i often had to figure things out with minimal guidance. adapting meant changing now only how i worked, but how i communicated.
that leads into another key takeaway—you have to keep reaching out to move your project forward. waiting for information to come to you can stall progress. i learned that persitence (without being pushy) is essential. often, the difference between being blocked for a week versus an afternoon was a single message or meeting.
i also learned the importance of context switching and prioritization. in my experiences, i've juggled multiple sub-projects, each with different stakeholders and deadlines. being able to keep long-term goals in focus, was a skill i had to acvitely develop.
finally, building relationships matter. taking time to connect with teammates, fellow interns-whether through technical discussions, casual chats, or team events-built trust and made collaboration smoother. People are more willing to help and share knowledge when you've built a genuine connection, and these relationships often extend beyond the internship, expanding your professional network and opening doors to future opportunities.
every company will have its own culture, pace, and processes. the commond thread is that success depends not just on what you can build, but on how you navigate the people, systems, and environment around you.
Last updated: August 11, 2025