Interview with two Development Interns

Perhaps you could start by telling us a little bit about yourselves and your background – who are you?

Stephen: During my studies, I realized that I’m actually interested in programming and computer science, which is why I started the Visual Computing program at TU Wien. I’ve just finished my bachelor's degree. I’ll be continuing at JKU in Linz with a distance-learning Master's in Artificial Intelligence, because the topic of AI fascinates me and there is an incredible amount happening in that field right now. Previously, I worked a lot in C++ and wanted to try something new, so I looked into the web sector. I also wanted to gain practical experience. I searched for internships and part-time positions and eventually came across this internship at world4you.

Riccarda: I actually attended the Vienna Business School. I quickly realized that it wasn't quite the right fit for me – business administration and marketing were the parts I liked best, but I couldn't fully envision myself there. Through guest lectures from private sector companies, I discovered the IT industry and thought it was incredibly cool what you can achieve with it. I then started a degree in Computer Science at the University of Vienna and am now in my fourth semester, specializing in Data Science. I’d like to do my Master's at TU Wien afterwards, but the exact direction isn't set in stone yet.

How did you find world4you and why did you apply?

Riccarda: In the spring, I decided I wanted to do an internship over the summer. I wanted to look at different areas, searched on karriere.at, and came across world4you relatively quickly. I applied to several companies, but when the offer from world4you arrived, it was clear to me pretty fast that I would choose them.

Stephen: I also found the position via karriere.at. Before applying for internships, I wanted to specialize in a new programming language because I was coming from a C++ background. You don't see the same breadth of job offers there. So, I taught myself PHP using tutorials. world4you was ideal because it allowed me to start an internship right after my studies. It’s a great way to gain professional experience immediately – many other positions require years of experience. An internship is perfect when you are just entering a new field.

How did you prepare for your first interview with world4you?

Stephen: I gathered everything I had learned in the tutorials, specifically web-related topics. Werner, our team lead in the CMS team, told me that if I knew C++, I could pick up PHP relatively quickly. I talked about the experience from my previous job – I had a lot to do with refactoring there. Werner mentioned that was a significant factor for him.

Riccarda: Since I didn't have any professional experience or previous internships in IT, I put together my university projects so I could present and explain them during the interview. Of course, I also researched world4you – who you are, what you offer, and whether I could see myself working here. I went to the website for that, and I found that terms people might not be familiar with were explained really well. I think Jasmin (Editor's note: Head of Human Resources) really liked that because she immediately said she didn't even need to explain what world4you actually does anymore.

Stephen: I also think it’s great that there are FAQs on the website where domain-specific things and technical terms are explained.

Why do you think you were accepted as interns at world4you? What qualities do you think helped you the most?

Riccarda: I think even though I didn't have much experience yet, I was able to convey that I’m really eager to learn new things. And that I have no problem asking a lot of questions.

Stephen: For me, as mentioned, it was the specific things from my previous job, especially refactoring. I don't know if that was the single deciding factor, but I also believe I communicated well that I want to keep learning – that I don't have experience in this specific field yet, but I am motivated to train myself.

How was the start at world4you? What were your experiences?

Stephen: I think the onboarding is handled extremely well. You get to know the team leads and the different areas by talking to key people who explain what the various departments do. It’s brilliantly done. I also like that several interns started at the same time; it means you immediately have a few people going through the same experience.

Riccarda: I felt very warmly welcomed from the very first moment. On the first day in the office, we went out to eat together, which gave us a chance to talk and learn who does what. And of course, the introductory meetings: they help you see what other departments are doing, especially when you have overlapping tasks and need to know who to ask. In general, it’s great that it’s not a problem if you have a lot of questions – everyone is very open and explains everything to you. I also really like that you are treated as a full member of the team from day one.

You are both studying – what are your majors and what interests you most about them? Does your degree link well with your internship at world4you? What were your hopes and have they been met?

Riccarda: As a summer internship, it definitely works because I have three months off anyway. However, I can also imagine continuing part-time afterwards. The reason I wanted to do the internship: at university, you learn a lot, but you don't really see how it’s applied in practice. My big hope was to see exactly how things work in a professional setting.

Stephen: I can confirm that 100 %. I also have a break from my studies in the summer and don't start again until autumn. A full-time internship is ideal because I can learn a lot now. I would love to stay on part-time (Editor's note: Stephen signed a part-time employment contract following the internship). Practical experience is very important to me. It's the same with my studies: everything is extremely interesting, but also very theoretical. That doesn't bother me personally, but the practice is just missing. There isn't much in the degree program where you apply real software engineering "in the wild," so to speak. I only really get that here or on the job.

What does your daily work routine look like? Do you have a mentor? How do you get along with your colleagues?

Stephen: Werner, the team lead in the CMS team, is essentially my mentor. I go to him whenever I have questions, and he explains all the background systems to me immediately. It's a large project, and there's a lot to get used to. I also have a "Buddy," Felix—that’s more for social integration.

Riccarda: I also have a primary contact person, Michael – he’s our team lead. My buddy is Alexander. During the first two weeks, we had onboarding where I was in the office with Michael the whole time, and I peppered him with questions constantly \*laughs\*. Even in the home office, it works very well; there is always someone who can help me out.

What do you find particularly easy? What is challenging?

Riccarda: I find it easy to gather information independently – really researching for myself how something works exactly. At the beginning, it was a bit difficult for me to ask "dumb" questions, so to speak. But you learn that it’s perfectly okay not to know everything and to ask a lot of questions as part of the daily routine.

Stephen: Getting to work by bike \*laughs\*. That motivates me a lot because I don't have to spend an hour commuting anymore. It is sometimes difficult to get used to such a large codebase. Many systems interact: there’s the domain check, databases with many different tables containing customer and package data. How it all hangs together in the large system – that is certainly challenging.

What motivates you the most? In what kind of work environment do you thrive? How does world4you fulfill that?

Stephen: I love learning – the subject of computer science fascinates me because there is always something new. It’s constantly evolving. It’s a field that never stands still. I definitely wanted a job where you can always learn something new.

Riccarda: For me, it’s also the learning. When I finished school, I was almost a bit sad because I’d love to keep learning forever. On the other hand, I also like creating something out of nothing and then actually seeing that you’ve accomplished something. For example, I find it pretty cool in frontend development when I build a feature and a week later it’s live on the website. There’s a great feeling of satisfaction knowing that I made that.

Stephen: Yes, exactly. In computer science and programming, you create something and then see how it interacts with the rest of the website and other systems. In my studies, I do a lot with computer graphics – you see an image. In general computer science, you do something that immediately has a function.

Riccarda: Like you said, Stephen: with this large code system we have here, it’s cool to track how everything is connected. It’s not necessarily about programming something yourself right away, but it’s like solving a puzzle, finding out where exactly the problem lies.

What did you know about web hosting before world4you? Can your family (or other important people in your life) imagine what exactly you do there? How do you describe the web hosting industry to your family and friends?

Riccarda: My mother is a self-employed photographer, and I helped her set up a website – we actually ended up using world4you for it. I explained to her exactly what happens and what she is actually paying for. I’d say my mother didn't necessarily know what I did before that. When I tell my friends I'm doing an internship, I have to explain it briefly.

How did you explain it to your mom then?

Riccarda: If you have a website, it has to live and be stored somewhere. And you have to pay for that storage.

Stephen: I didn't have any experience with web hosting or web technologies in general before. That only started when I wanted to reorient myself within computer science and began teaching myself things. Like Riccarda, I would explain it as things needing to be stored somewhere so that they can be accessed constantly. But what I do now is a bit harder to explain: I program the system that manages all of that and handles it automatically.

How do you think the industry will develop in the coming years?

Stephen: I haven't been in the industry long enough to make firm predictions. I know specifically that we are growing a lot right now. I believe the web is a very future-proof industry. Especially during COVID, I think a lot of people made the switch and are now offering their services online – especially those who didn't do so before. A lot of customers have joined because of that.

Riccarda: I would agree. Especially during COVID and the lockdowns, smaller shops perhaps realized that it’s a good way to become more well-known or to distribute products. The industry is definitely growing.

What keeps you busy in your free time? What are your interests?

Stephen: For me, it’s sports and being outdoors, especially in the summer. I can’t really stand winter, but summer is the best season. I go hiking and play tennis – I’m actually taking lessons right now. Otherwise, I enjoy eating out and trying different cuisines – Asian is definitely my favorite. I also like to cook myself; that’s what I do in the winter.

Riccarda: I enjoy sports – I like hiking, yoga, and Pilates, and I love trying new things. And of course, when there isn't a lockdown, I love to travel, see new things, and especially eat local specialties in other countries.