3 Early Career Lessons from my Atlassian Summer Internship

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My name is Sarah, and I was a summer 2023 business analyst intern at Atlassian. This summer was a great career experience for me—by which I mean a great learning experience filled with surprises. I'm a senior this year at Rice, and I have to admit, I didn't originally plan on a career in tech. But this summer taught me three things that really surprised me:

1. Tech is Filled with a Variety of Opportunities for New Grads

I have a confession.…I don’t know how to code. But that's okay. There is a common misconception that people in tech jobs must have a technical background. I too had this misconception when I began recruiting for intern roles during my junior year of college. The great thing about Atlassian, and other technology companies, is the wide range of interesting roles available for new graduates and college students to explore the tech industry, regardless of their background. I worked alongside product marketing, product management, program management, engineering interns and more! Students represent the future, and I feel so grateful to work for a company that acknowledges the distinctive perspectives that fresh graduates and students can offer, as well as their potential to grow.

2. Remote Work Does Not Mean Lonely Work

As a remote intern in the greater Philadelphia area (no, it’s not always sunny here!), it’s been amazing to collaborate with people from across the country and world as Atlassian is a remote-first workspace. Working remotely this summer has taught me a lot about time management, the importance of reaching out to coworkers just to ask how they are doing, and always checking the time-zone on an invite. All in all, I learned that remote work does not take away from community behind the work.

3. Collaboration is 🔑 

My internship also taught me the importance of collaboration and understanding my team members' perspectives. At Atlassian, each intern is assigned a project that offers professional growth and learning opportunities. My project was heavily focused on collaboration, as I worked on a change management plan that required insights from all team members. Fortunately, the variety of Confluence templates available were amazing in facilitating this collaboration.

Bonus lesson: how learning can help you test out career options

As a rising senior in college, the foremost question on my mind is, "What do I want to do with my career?" In addition to the responsibilities that come with academic life, I used to believe that I had to follow a predefined career path based on my previous experiences. However, my internship experiences this summer have taught me that stepping outside of my comfort zone is achievable with the help of supportive team members who are always willing to answer my questions. My goal is to find a career path that allows me to continually learn and grow from the guidance of others on my team.

I used to believe that I had to follow a predefined career path based on my previous experiences.

One way to discover the most suitable career path is by exploring product training and certification. Atlassian University provides a range of courses that can aid in advancing your career and unlocking new job prospects. Whether you're a student or just a lifelong learner, dig into the practice or product area that interests you to see where you might land next. Considering becoming a Jira administrator? There's a learning path for that. Eager to dig into agile ways of working? Your first course is on this path. 

Let me know in the comments: What's the thing you wish you knew about your career when you were my age?

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