My involvement as a Technical Lead in the Google Developer Student Club played a significant role in helping me secure the internship, as it showcased my leadership skills through organizing workshops, mentoring peers, and driving project execution.
Name: Sumiran Jaiswal
Major: Software
Company: John consulting
Location: Owings Mills, MD
How did you find the internship/co-op? What was the interview process like? I found the internship through Handshake, and the process involved two interview rounds: one online and one in person. The interviews focused primarily on cloud computing and JavaScript, along with a set of foundational behavioral questions. I prepared by reviewing core cloud concepts (like computer, storage, and deployment workflows), JavaScript fundamentals and problem-solving, and examples from past team projects to demonstrate collaboration, ownership, and communication.
What have been the most interesting aspects of your internship? The most interesting aspect of my internship was the opportunity to work with both the tech team and the product team. Experiencing both environments allowed me to gain valuable cross-functional exposure and develop skills beyond the purely technical, including communication, collaboration, and problem-solving from both a product and engineering perspective.
What campus activities or courses do you think helped you, or would have helped you, with this internship? My involvement as a Technical Lead in the Google Developer Student Club played a significant role in helping me secure the internship, as it showcased my leadership skills through organizing workshops, mentoring peers, and driving project execution.
In addition, coursework such as ENPM613 strengthened my understanding of software architecture, design patterns, and team-based implementation, while also enhancing my communication and critical thinking abilities, which directly prepared me for technical discussions and system design questions during interviews. Similarly, ENPM680 provided a strong foundation in secure coding and vulnerability mitigation, enabling me to approach design and coding tasks with a focus on security and quality.
How would you describe the company culture? What was the most helpful thing your supervisor did to make you feel comfortable at the organization? I really appreciated the positive and supportive company culture. My colleagues were always willing to help, and my supervisor created an environment where I could work effectively. They gave me enough time to complete my tasks and regularly checked in to ensure I wasn’t stuck, which made me feel confident and motivated to deliver my best work.
How have your career or academic goals changed as a result of this internship experience? The internship not only gave me practical exposure but also taught me essential skills for a software engineer, helping me refine my career goals towards developing innovative and impactful software solutions.
What advice would you give other UMD engineering students seeking an internship or co-op position? Start early. Network with people as much as possible. Give your best, don't think about the results!
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