San Francisco is the dream location for any student looking for an internship. From being near the tech capital of the world (Silicon Valley) to its proximity to many company headquarters, there’s a reason why so many people flock here to study and work. However, getting an internship is not easy. Local competition is already tough, with people across the area vying for an internship, but even out-of-state and international students compete for these prized opportunities. It can be hard to decide where to intern, especially when many companies may not offer the compensation needed to live in a high-expense area such as the Bay Area. 

Let’s talk about some companies which are headquartered in San Francisco and how you could possibly intern with them. 

Meta

Arguably the most famous company to have its headquarters near San Francisco, Meta has become a household name. Within its various business ventures, such as Facebook and Instagram, there are many internship opportunities that you can pursue. And don’t expect these internships to be just delivering coffee either, all Meta interns start contributing to real world projects in their first week of interning! 

Of course, you need the network and the experience in order to make the cut. In order to stand out, you can attend Meta University, a hands-on program that connects you to Meta’s people and programs. Meta also holds university recruitment sessions at various campuses, so make sure to check and see if they are planning to attend your college. 

Wells Fargo 

As a Wells Fargo intern, you will receive specialized training across finance, operations, and technology programs. For undergraduates, summer internships go for around 10 weeks. For recent graduates, internships can go for around 10 months. All positions are also open to all majors, so all you need to do is demonstrate an interest in finance services, even if you may not be majoring in it. 

And even if you can’t get an internship, since they are so competitive, there are still plenty of opportunities to network. Wells Fargo also hosts in-house diversity events for high-performing undergraduate candidates across the U.S. These events act as an intro to banking and the financial services industry, and helps you understand how exactly Wells Fargo does their day-to-day procedures. Similarly, these 1-3 day events also allow students to network with professionals at Wells Fargo and immediately interview for various summer internships.  

Uber

Uber has a variety of internships for college students, college graduates, and recent MBA graduates. Each of their internship opportunities in various departments has testimonials on their website, so that you can learn what to expect in terms of interviews and the day-to-day workload once you join the company. You can even sort by field and location to find advice that fits the role you’re seeking. 

If you’re nervous about whether you’ll get an internship, there are many ways to get prepared early on. Uber looks for interns who have a variety of hard skills, which they test during the interview process with a technical interview for almost every candidate. Therefore, start building your portfolio as you get closer to applying. Whether it’s from personal hobbies or internships, you need to show not only what you’ve learned in school, but how you’re applying it in the real world. 

Atlassian 

Working at Atlassian is like a dream, with possibly one of the most generous work packages ever offered by a company. Similar to companies like Spotify, roles can be fully remote, with unlimited choices as to where you might want to live. Pay is also higher than average, with generous bonuses and PTO to support employees. Company culture and employee satisfaction are placed at the highest importance, hence why companies like Atlassian and Spotify are the perfect place to build your career. 

However, the generous compensation also means that getting an Atlassian internship is a challenge. Because Atlassian is transparent with how long the interview process will take and what to expect in terms of deadlines, applications fill up fast. Before you apply, consider joining Atlassian’s student network to stay up to date on opportunities. And even if you can’t get into an internship, you can attend Atlassian University to get free in-demand training and credentials on various tech topics. 

Salesforce

Salesforce mostly hosts a summer internship every year for students across the country, however there are some off-cycle internships available, depending on the team. If you want to learn more about what it takes, you can read some of the many testimonials on their website. 

Salesforce mostly recruits through Futureforce, their university recruitment program. However, even if they don’t visit your college, you can still meet them virtually to learn more about the many internship opportunities available. Salesforce also guides you on how to ace your interview with them as well as how to skill up in order to become a better candidate. 

Finally, if you want a taste of what to expect at Salesforce, they have a project management app simulation where you can learn exactly how Salesforce builds object models and uses business logic. If you describe a task in a similar way to how Salesforce actually does things on-the-job during a technical interview, recruiters will assume that you can easily mesh into the work environment at Salesforce, helping your interview chances. 

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