Staying PRODUCTive: Collective Thoughts from the 2022 Summer Interns

This blog post is intended to capture the collective thoughts of the 2022 summer intern class at Amplitude. Rachel Hu, a Software Engineering intern, interviewed ten interns who recently completed a 12-week internship in San Francisco, CA. Here’s a closer look into what happens when you bring the most outstanding young minds together to show the world what ‘Staying PRODUCTive’ really means:

No two journeys are alike

Imagine the thoughts and feelings one would have before starting a new internship opportunity in a new city for the first time… I’m sure the first-day school jitters are coming back. While you may think of enthusiasm, anxiety, self-doubt, fear, and excitement, these feelings may ring true, but they did not stop our driven 2022 summer intern class!

Pressing the submit button on their applications immediately opened these applicants to a review and interview process like none other. Nonetheless, no matter what the 2022 intern class felt, they persevered through it all. Exceeding expectations is the true Ampliteer way, and these interns upheld this value. During the selection process, “Ampliteers strive to provide a friendly, transparent, detailed, and professional setting,” says Tim He, a Product Design, Collaboration Analytics intern.

After a pleasant and rewarding interview process, one candidate felt a bit of luck had to be involved to become an Ampliteer. Avery Chan, a Software Engineering intern, was grateful after finding out he was selected for the 2022 intern cohort. Luck may be a great virtue, but when applying to Amplitude, the intern class of 2022 found that the interview process is based on the company’s core values of humility, ownership, and a growth mindset—all qualities which the selected candidates exuded. Showcasing the proper balance as a person and professional is key to impressing hiring managers at Amplitude.

No one knows this better than BingBing, a Backend Software Engineer intern, who has wanted to work with Amplitude for a long time. He talked about product analytics with none other than Spenser Skates, founder and CEO of Amplitude. After his encounter, BingBing knew that Amplitude was the place for him!

Each day is a harvest

First-day jitters are common for us all, even for 2022 summer interns like Manvi Saxena, a Business Operations intern, Yi Cui, a Product Design intern, and Xinyi Ye, a Software Engineering intern. Nonetheless, walking into a new environment did not stop these new interns from showing up ready to roll with the punches. They felt high hopes, excitement, and even sometimes confusion during the beginning of their internships.

Instead of feeding any negative thoughts, Amplitude employees met interns with support and reassurance in their new environment. Being in the new environment helped Yi focus on growing herself. With amiable people, a fun new office, and tasty snacks, the atmosphere is nothing short of a place where you want to make an impact immediately.

Ready to put their knowledge to use immediately, Xinyi first settled in by immersing herself in social activities with employees and leadership. Meanwhile, Manvi’s first week in the office was fully dedicated to learning. For onboarding, Manvi said she was “introduced to a suite of new tools, including Salesforce, which she would later use in-depth for her research on customer provisioning.”

Interns knew exactly where to find help absorbing new information when they needed it. In-person support was provided in group settings, and 1 to 1 coaching opportunities were always available. Slack channels were great resources to ask questions because interns needed to learn and adapt quickly to make the most of their internship experience.

Committed and creative—all while cracking a smile

Summer 2022 was a fantastic learning experience. Interns learned about themselves, their next steps, and where they want to make the most impact with Amplitude. This allowed interns to fully immerse themselves in Amplitude!

Ownership is a core value for Ampliteers, and this quality is molded over time. Illankir Matungulu, a Product Management intern, embodied a sense of ownership and showcased what it truly means to work for Amplitude. Before his internship, Illankir had already worked for large enterprises that helped grow his skillset. He came in ready to give the best of his abilities to Amplitude and found himself with a significant opportunity to make an impact. Around week eight, a key product manager took a sabbatical, requiring Illankir to elevate his ownership and accountability. Shortly after, another teammate took time off to travel out of the country. In both cases, Illankir didn’t slow down and responded with, “I got this.” Knowing his responsibilities and how important his work was—and with strong backing from his team—Ilankir felt nothing could stop him, and nothing did!

Secrets to success: Advice from the 2022 summer interns

• “Get feedback early on for everyone who has a say in the design; better to get feedback early than close to the deadline.”
• “Don’t work after hours!” —Nancy
• “Ownership is the most important because you have many opportunities to use that value working here. Make the most of the internship.” —Yi
• “Never miss out on a good time.” —Manvi
• “Expect to struggle because if you are not struggling at all, that means you are not doing anything challenging!” —Viviana
• “Be patient and helpful to put out great work!” —Tim
• “Have a cookie at the office. The one with the yellow package” —Xinyi
• “Lose your training wheels!” —Ilankir
• “Use humility to understand WHY there is a delay.” —Bingbing
• “Be friendly and kind; everyone’s nice here.” —Avery

Thank you, interns!

With the intern class of 2022 at Amplitude returning to their respectful destinations, Ampliteers would like to thank you for your unwavering support in pushing the company further. With Amplitude, you will always have a place to seek guidance and growth. We hope that wherever your journey leads, you remember that your time as an Ampliteer will never end. Once an Ampliteer, always one!

We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors and hope that you lead with humility and a purpose to help others grow as you have. Finally, when your call to action is inspired, own your opportunity to show how great you are. Here at Amplitude, we wish you all the best!

Inspired by these intern experiences? Check out our intern spotlights or apply to our open internship opportunities to become an Ampliteer and join the fun!