Navigating My Internship - Santiago Fonseca Ribes

Growing with Guidewire

I really wanted to see how professionals in software development worked and how I would feel about starting a career there. So I started looking for internship opportunities that were taking place during summer, which in my opinion, is the best time to intern because you have time off from university and can focus entirely on it. After searching for internships for a while, Guidewire’s internship caught my attention. I did some research on the company and decided to apply. A few weeks later I heard back from them and I had an initial Zoom call, after the call I got invited to a general and a technical interview. Stephane interviewed me for the general interview, and I have to say that from the very first moment I noticed that Guidewire was a one-of-a-kind company. Stephane told me all about Guidewire’s culture of collegiality and I already noticed that this company had something all the other companies I was applying to were lacking. A week later, I was contacted again and was offered a software developer internship during summer.

A Day in the Life of a Software Developer Intern

As a software developer intern based in Madrid, my days usually start by reading emails and meeting with the rest of the team about our current project, which is an app that manages Guidewire’s partners hiring process end to end. This system helps to manage every stage of the hiring process for partners- from tracking their progress to highlighting key metrics. Overall, it simplifies the administrative operations by moving away from manual activities to more automated flows. On Wednesdays, I have requirement meetings with the client, where new requirements are set for the app, then on Fridays I usually have demos of the app and plan out work for the following week. The rest of my time is spent on implementing the app and solving bugs. Since we have a hybrid approach to work, I usually work from home on Mondays and Fridays and go to the office the rest of the week. This is something that I value a lot, it makes every day feel different. Personally, I know I would not enjoy going to the office everyday or working from home every day. Having the flexibility to choose where you want to work everyday makes everything much easier.

Meaningful Connections

I was paired with the very best mentors I could have possibly asked for, David and Talida. This really helped me get the best from my internship. They offered guidance throughout the entire internship, from technical things to more personal stuff. They have become great friends, and that is what Guidewire is all about. A place where you enjoy working, where you are surrounded by nice and awesome colleges who make the job amusing and entertaining and who will not hesitate to help you out if you run into a problem.

Interning at Guidewire has exposed me to a very international environment, working with teams across the globe. Not a single day goes by without learning something new from someone. As interns, we even got to talk to Guidewire’s CEO, Mike Rosenbaum, how cool is that? He talked about his background and career, including his job as Chief Executive Officer. Over the course of the summer, Guidewire’s campus team organized a series of meetings with executives from across the business for the interns to learn from them and ask questions.

A Future Proof Choice

Completing an internship before the end of your studies is a great way to kick-start your career. You will be able to put into practice what you have been learning in class, it will provide you with professional experience, you will start building your own professional network and most importantly, you will figure out what you like and do not like. Figuring this out is the most important thing of all, since at the end of the day, nobody wants to have a job they do not like and where they do not feel fulfilled.

My advice for new Guidewire interns is that you learn as much as you can. Being an intern at this company already puts you in a very good position, professionally. You should take advantage of being an intern at Guidewire and get the most out of it. If you still have not applied, I recommend that you do, it is truly a great experience which you will not regret.