By Sydney Tyler
Photos by Deniece Griffin
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute (ENI) sat down with Shweta Pant, a current Master’s student in the Robinson College of Business to hear more about her internship and experience working for New Relic, Inc., a software analytics company this past Summer ’19.
Tell us more about your role as an intern.
My title was Commercial Software Sales Intern. My role was to identify potential customers who could use our software and services to address challenges in their digital businesses.
Describe your experience working at New Relic. New Relic is an amazing place. You can see that it is a growing company – They have already reached one billion-dollars in annual revenue since 2008. They also have an employee engagement program that includes activities such as “Data Drink” where you have the opportunity to network with employees in different departments who you may not collaborate with on a day-to-day basis. The company also offers an end-of-the-month lunch, as well as other periodic sweets and treats. New Relic really cares about their employees.
What advice can you offer to students considering an internship?
You need to have a passion to learn new things. In my experience, New Relic was in an industry unfamiliar to me, and I had to understand the acronyms and various tools they use. It was overwhelming at times, but it provided me a chance to learn new things.
One conversation I had with my manager was not about how I could help them in their work, but rather, how they could they help me grow in my career. This was the type of supportive communications I experienced on a daily basis.
How did your classes at the J. Mack Robinson College of Business help prepare you for this internship with New Relic?
Robinson College prepared me so well! In my classes, I learned how the application of Information Technology helps the organization improve their performance. I gained an understanding of business processes, business models and how important it is to have a customer-centered mindset in the workplace. While working at New Relic, I could clearly see how the things I learned are implemented in a real work environment.
Do you believe New Relic operates more in a startup or corporate environoment?
I would say it incorporated elements of both. I had opportunities to collaborate with other departments, but I could also do my work independently. The company is growing very fast but is successfully maintaining its core values which are focused around collaboration.
The best part of New Relic is they let you be yourself. As an international student, this was my first time working in the U.S. When I first started, I was a bit skeptical and wondered if I would be welcomed. Fortunately, New Relic showed an enthusiastic passion during the onboarding process. The company took us new recruits out for lunch and dinner, and they sponsored a trip to San Francisco where we participated in their Activate program, a week-long program for first time employees. The experience was truly amazing. It shows how invested they are in their employees.
What would you say has been the most challenging part of your internship?
I wouldn’t say there was anything necessarily “challenging.” There were so many tools that New Relic was trying to utilize, and there was a considerable amount of training that was required for these different tools. There were a lot of aspects to the position that are new to me, but I took a step back and allowed myself to learn at my own pace. It took some time, but I just kept moving forward. An important piece of advice: you should be honest with your manager. If you find that you are struggling with something or you need help, be vocal about it. How would he/she know that you are struggling? It’s always good to be honest and have a conversation with your manager. Help them to help you.
What other advice can you offer to Georgia State students?
For the Georgia State students, keep talking with people, networking and learning. This advice was given to me, and I didn’t take it as seriously as I should have. Getting a job is a journey. You will have your ups and downs. Don’t be complacent or get too comfortable at any point. If you want to grow in life, you must keep working at it. It is about creating a better version of yourself. Be open to opportunities, and just go for it!
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