What do you look for in an internship? Unique work experience? Helpful mentoring? Supportive learning environment? I am so glad to have experienced them all as an intern at Altitude Labs.
To be frank, I felt a bit nervous joining a team of former Silicon Valley developers. Without a technical background, I was uncertain about my role and duties. There was even a moment when I was unsure whether I would be a burden to the team.
However, such anxiety was dispelled immediately after I stepped into the office. From day one, I was already given various responsibilities that could put my potential into good use, ranging from managing social media channels to conducting market research. What’s more, I was recognized as one of the "tentacles of an octopus" (as one of the founders described). I not only joined the daily stand-up meetings to share my updates and blockers, but I got the opportunity to suggest new initiatives for the team.
For instance, I once recommended educating local people in Hong Kong about the basics of cloud functionality, as a means of giving back to our community. To my surprise, this idea resonated really well with the co-founders. As a result, I was put to the task the next day and took charge of producing a series of Cantonese tutorials about cloud storage. I started planning, recording, post-editing and finally deploying the video on the world wide web. Taking charge of managing a project like this like made me realize that the contribution I had brought to the team was not just about cold-calling and data entry (the typical tasks of an intern).
What did I mean by good mentorship? The 4 founders of Altitude Labs: Justin, Jaclyn, Willson and Eugene, took turns in coaching and advising me throughout the internship, despite their hectic schedule. With their help, I was dabbled into the basics of wire-framing and SEO. Lunch time was a great time to share laughs and their own story as well as their perspective on life. Whenever I experienced a "blocker" at work, they were always there to guide me the next step, so that I could rid myself of frustration and keep moving on. I believe we had a reciprocal relationship. While I tried to make a positive impact on the team, my colleagues also cared about my personal development in the team. It is exactly the kind of relationship that allowed me to explore and grow everyday at Altitude Labs.
Last but not least, this internship at Altitude Labs confirmed my continued fascination with startup culture. Discussion was never discouraged here and every one had a view. Even though I was a bit afraid to speak up the first few days, as time passed I had fully embraced this open atmosphere. I would bring the team to a meeting room, present my findings, and hear their feedback. These meetings usually ended with in-depth discussions or even debates, but this in turn, became the key to improvement of both my project management skills and personal development. I was born and raised in Hong Kong, while the rest of my team mostly grew up in the West, it was a humbling experience to exchange opinions with them. What we ultimately came up with was a nice blend of western innovation and local adaptation. Thanks to the absence of traditional hierarchy, I could always speak my mind and be inspired by others, this startup culture definitely helped me make the most of my internship experience.
Because of the culture and people that make up Altitude Labs, this internship has reached far beyond my expectation. I am so lucky to have found this place among all the tech companies in Hong Kong, and I am sure the takeaways from this experience will come in handy with what is yet to come in the future. Thank you team!
Written by Jacky Tam, our business development intern who is a business major at HKUST