Five Takeaways from My Facebook Internship

This summer, I interned for Facebook in Austin, Texas. My experience was wonderful. In addition to eating superb meals at work, I worked with a dynamic group of coworkers, completed an impactful project, and learned more about myself than I could ever imagine.

From my twelve weeks working at one the largest technology companies in the world, here are five takeaways from my internship:

1.    Revel in Ambiguity: Fast paced environments like Facebook have no typical day, and on a dime, must react to global events and unpredictable behavior among its users. During my project (which shifted course a couple times), I learned the importance of addressing roadblocks and solving complex challenges. When these situations occurred, moreover, I became comfortable reaching out to coworkers, mentor figures, my manager, and stakeholders who could best assist me. This was helpful not only to the success of my project, but allowed me to develop meaningful connections across the company.

2.    Talk to People: Oftentimes, it can be intimidating to reach out to people outside of your immediate team. This summer, however, I made an effort to meet with individuals whose roles emulated my interest for marketing, community engagement, public policy, and social good. My manager was great about assisting me with this, and through our weekly conversations, we also shaped a summer project that allowed me to work cross functionally.

3.    Know Your Stuff: Undoubtedly, robust preparation can catalyze strong relationships and foster trust among colleagues. Before weekly check-ins with my manager and team members, I created detailed agendas which included my progress, next steps, and any relevant questions about my project (or career). Prior to meetings, I also made sure I had a robust understanding of any new findings, and anticipated potential questions.

This same mentality applied to work presentations. I practiced everything before giving these – the material, stylistic delivery, and slide transitions. When applicable, I would even practice the jokes I was giving with other coworkers (just to make sure they were actually funny).

4.    Work Comes First: At an office with a ping pong table on the top floor (and snack kitchens on every floor), it was important to always prioritize my projects and core work. For me, Facebook was about finding the balance between my responsibilities and the myriad of benefits the company offers. That being said, when I outlined my objectives for the summer, my primary goal was always spearheading an impactful project (everything else was secondary).

5.    Communication is Imperative: Finally, keeping your manager and coworkers in the loop about what you are working on (and potential obstacles you may be facing) is essential to any profession. Additionally, personally speaking, giving my manager daily updates was not only helpful to our relationship, but a good way to ensure I was on track with my deliverables.

Above anything else, Facebook taught me how to be incredibly productive (and have fun) in a workplace environment. I came into work every day enthusiastic and tried to soak up as much as possible from this immersive experience. This opportunity has helped me grow as a young professional, and most crucially, a leader at NYU and in my community.

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