Chimers Chime In: From Intern to Full-Time Chimer

The transition from intern to full-time employee comes with a lot of learning and adjustment. Hear from five Chimers who turned their internships into full-time roles the biggest differences between being an intern and full-time, as well as how to turn your internship into the start of your career.

The first time Christen Clark (she/her/hers) realized she wanted to work at Chime was on the first day of her internship. “My whole team reached out to me on Slack and said how excited they were to meet me, they set up Zoom calls to chat, and everyone was so welcoming — I felt like I belonged at Chime,” she says.

For William Gunawan (he/him/his), it was during his internship when he worked on projects that would have a meaningful impact on people that he realized he wanted to work at Chime full-time. “In a traditional internship, you’re often given an ‘intern project’ that might get thrown away,” he says. “At Chime, we either worked on internal projects or high-impact production-ready projects with other engineers.”

For Annie Qiu (she, her, hers), another Chimer who went from intern to full-time Chimer, it was Chime’s open-minded culture and the work she did on the Data Science team that made her want to join. “I also loved Chime’s focus on growth opportunities through events, our women in engineering mentorship program, and other development programs,” she says.

For Ankit Katariya (he/him/his) and Yash Naik (he/him/his), it came down to the work they did and how Chimers treated them as interns. “Chime and my manager tailored my internship to my own career trajectory which was really helpful as a student who wasn’t fully sure of where I was headed,” Ankit says. “People were welcoming and eager to share their thoughts about anything,” says Yash.

Ankit, Annie, Christen, William, and Yash were all Chime interns before they became full-time Chimers. We sat down with them to learn more about their journeys to Chime, what they’ve learned since being full-time Chimers, and advice for turning your internship into your dream job. Let’s dive in! 🤿

What did you study, and why were you drawn to that field?

William: “I studied Computer Science (CS). I did robotics in high school and was the lead of the software subteam. I found it incredibly fascinating that I could program a robot to execute specific tasks according to my instructions. This experience truly enlightened me to the vast potential and opportunities within the field of computer science.”

Christen: “I pursued a degree in CS because of my mom — she’s my biggest inspiration. She entered the tech field three decades ago when it wasn’t as popular — so I’ve been in the tech environment throughout my entire life. I’ve always thought it was neat to solve world problems with just numbers and letters.”

Yash: “My dad was an engineer and my family has a lot of engineers, so it was kind of understood that I’d jump into engineering too. I pursued my undergrad in IT because I thought it was interesting, but I became unsure of whether to continue in the program or not. In my third year, I worked on a glove that helps blind people type on computers, and it was so inspiring to see blind students using the thing I’d helped make. The fact that people got joy from something I had developed encouraged me to pursue this field further and apply for a Master’s program in the U.S.”

Annie: “I’ve had a pretty diverse journey. I studied statistics, economics, and finance in Australia. After that, I had an internship that made me interested in modeling, so I went to UC Berkeley to study data science.”

Ankit: “Studying CS wasn’t always my first choice, but I did land in it by eliminating all other fields. My interest in the field grew tremendously in my fourth year of studies, where I worked on a computer vision project with hand gestures. My brother is hard of hearing, and I wanted to build something to translate colloquial sign language onto the screen so we could all learn his sign language. It’s that project that led me to my master’s degree.”

When did you first hear about Chime and what drew you to the company?

Christen: “I’m from Dallas, and before applying, Chime started to sponsor the Mavs. I would see Chime’s logo at all of the games and on commercials, so when I was surfing LinkedIn and saw a Chime opening, I reached out. The more I talked to people and saw how understanding and welcoming the culture is, I was drawn to join.”

Annie: “I found Chime at an online career fair at UC Berkeley. I was interested in Chime for its products and culture and, after a great conversation at the career fair, I applied quickly.”

Ankit: “I can’t remember exactly how I heard of Chime, but I was drawn to join because my interviews felt like conversations, not like I was being drilled in an interview.”

Yash: “I’d been following Chime for a few years, even before I moved to the U.S., out of interest in the fintech industry. I’d always said it was a company I’d want to join, but I didn’t realize it would happen!”

William: “During my interviews, Chime had the most intriguing questions — I actually had fun during my interviews compared to the formal experience that most companies provide. After, when I did my own research on the company, I realized it was a great place to work.”

What were some highlights of your internship experience?

Christen: “I was given a project to build a piece of Chime’s platform framework, and my team allowed me the freedom to approach the project in my own way. I really appreciated the independence to brainstorm and create, while also having the support of my mentor whenever I needed guidance.”

William: “During my internship, I built some automation for Chime’s $10k sweepstakes. I found it incredibly rewarding to have the opportunity to work on projects that directly impacted our members and to be entrusted with access to production systems. It’s a testament to Chime’s commitment to its interns and allowed me to learn and become an integral part of the team.”

Annie: “As Chime’s first data science intern, I worked on three exciting projects and had support from several mentors and my team. What made it truly exceptional was the supportive environment — instead of just assignments, I received guidance and motivation to learn and apply my skills effectively.”

What did you learn during your internship?

Christen: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. No one will know you’re struggling unless you put yourself out there! Also, make sure you’re connecting with people across the company — knowledge sharing is so important.”

Annie: “As you embark on your tasks, it’s important to think about how your efforts can positively impact the broader team. Take the initiative to document your work and streamline processes, making it easier for your colleagues to benefit from your learnings and outcomes of your work.”

Ankit: “Be vocal about what you think — you’re human and bound to be scared before you speak, especially as an intern, but your ideas will add value. You might have thoughts like, ‘I’m just an intern, if I say something, will it add any value?’ or ‘Should I already know this?’ These are all normal, but I encourage you to share your ideas.”

What’s the biggest difference between being an intern and a full-time Chimer?

Christen: “Culturally, nothing has changed at all. From a working perspective, I have more autonomy on what I work on — as an intern, I had more of a singular focus, but as a full-timer, I’m working on a range of initiatives. I’ve also joined more organizations, like Chimer Resource Groups, and feel more ingrained in the company now that I’ve attended more events and special programming.”

Yash: “Since going full-time, I find myself thinking more about the big picture with respect to projects and decisions. There’s generally less structure around projects and more autonomy.”

Annie: “Moving from an intern to a full-time role, I’ve experienced a significant increase in autonomy and opportunities to lead initiatives. This shift has empowered me to proactively drive projects and shoulder increased responsibilities. It’s been a strong motivating factor for my rapid growth.”

What are some of the lessons you’ve learned as a full-time Chimer?

Christen: “Time management is important! While internships are for a fixed amount of time, when you’re full-time, you need to manage your time and account for project shifts or changes in priorities. I’ve learned how to handle what I’m working on and make room for something new that might come up.”

Annie: “Taking ownership of my tasks and embracing responsibility for my projects has been both empowering and instrumental in my professional growth.”

What is your advice for an intern interested in turning their internship into a full-time role?

Ankit: “If you want to turn your internship into a full-time role, that’s something you should share with the team, and give them feedback along the way. Let them know if you like the work or want to be more challenged, and if you want to come back as a full-time employee. Take control of your trajectory!”

Annie: “First things first, make the most of your internship! Have conversations with as many people as you can to discover what truly excites you and aligns with your interests. Feel free to tap into the incredible people at Chime for guidance and support. Don’t hesitate to reach out to others for advice or feedback.”

Christen: “Find balance. Your internship isn’t all about work, it’s a time to reach out to people, learn about other teams and initiatives, and attend fun events to enjoy your time. Make sure you’re asking questions, taking notes, and learning. And don’t hesitate to ask for help and be open to feedback — people want you to succeed!”