🎮 Another story of seeking an Internship

Hello, I'm back after my lab report consumed a significant portion of my time this semester. So, what do I want to talk about? Well, since the semester break is almost here, that means it's time for me to start looking for an internship, right? Not necessarily. In my department, it's traditionally expected for students to start looking for internships during the 5th-semester break. Aside from following this tradition, it also makes the most sense to take an internship during this time. *Note: I wrote this chronologically and more like a story, so I hope you can enjoy it. In my department, it's called a "working practice" (is that even the correct term?). What sets it apart from a normal internship is that my department requires a minimum of 1 month of internship. This can be challenging because many companies now require interns to work for at least 3 months. Because my department only allows me to skip class for 1 month, I have to ask for permission to skip class for the additional 2 months. This isn't a major issue since most semester breaks at my university last 1-2 months. Okay, let's begin my (yet another) journey of looking for an internship. I started my search in September and became more proactive in sending out my resume in November and December. I made a note of all the companies I applied to for tracking purposes.

In total, I applied to 28 companies, 15 of which never responded, 6 of which rejected me, and 3 of which accepted me. Out of the 6 rejections, almost all of them were at the final stage of selection, which was disheartening. After investing a significant amount of time in interviews, tests, and creating applications, I realized how much I still have to learn. These rejections gave me the opportunity to re-evaluate myself.

Okay cool, back to Garena, I applied 1 December 2019, after scrolling through 10.000++ message on telegram, I found this gem, hiding inside an album on telegram. Fortunately, the album was named ‘Internship’

But after looking at the preferred knowledge, which the tech-stack is around python environment, such as Django, Dlask, but it also mentions about having an experience in creating a backend for mobile app, well I’m. So just think about everything later and I give it a shot.

I got a call from the recruiter, get an invitation for the interview, but at that time, It was so hectic with lab activity and stuff. So, I ask to schedule the interview for next week, she agreed and set the interview for 9 December, which is next Monday. Okay cool

Interview day, and also my first day for the final term exam. The interview was scheduled for 2 PM till 3 PM over skype. Okay everything normal. But I encounter some problem with my skype camera, not a big deal. We start the interview. First, he only asked me about my backend experience and stuff, not so much. It’s probably only 5 minutes, then the test started. He sent me a file problem, I should finish within 45 minutes. Well, I never expected to do live coding on paper here. He also asked me to point my camera to the paper where I work. Okay fine, I start to do the solution. It’s not that hard actually, but since I had nothing to test my code, then you should just imaging you’re debugging over your code on the paper. The SQL problem is actually an easy one tho.

Okay then, I’m done in around 37 minutes, and not guarantee that everything that I wrote going to compile or anything, and also some of the problem isn’t done in the most efficient way, but yeah fk it.

It’s afternoon, around 12 AM, I just get into my room and I left my phone on the bed. Right after I open the door, suddenly I got a call, and it’s from Greater Area Jakarta. surprise surprise. I passed the test and I was asked when it is possible for me to start the Intern. Oh sh**, that was unexpected, okay calm down. After some negotiation, I agreed that I’ll start the internship on 20 December and It’ll end on 20 March 2020. Cool, now I have to back to focus on my last semester Exam which ends on 18 Dec or Wednesday, so I only have 1 day to prepare for my departure to Jakarta.

This is the day when I going to depart from my hometown in Magelang. I going to Jakarta by train from Tugu Station, Jogjakarta. On the same day, I arrived at Jatinegara Station. Cool.

My first day as an Intern. I come to the office very early, then I met people from “People Team” that’s what they called it. It basically a Human Resource Department, but company nowadays make some made-up name, but yeah cool.

My division was on Webdev division which is basically a web developer division. People from the people team show my de way to my division desk and since I come too early, yeah, I waiting the rest of the group to arrive at the office.

Okay, that’s the story from the beginning of seeking an internship process till I got to the company. In a future article, I probably update some stuff that I did here and other stuff new technology that I learn here. See ya later~