Pet snuggles, pasta making, and puzzle hunts: inside the Virtual First lives of our New Grads

Unlike some tech companies, Dropbox isn’t made up exclusively of big tech veterans. While it’s true that many of our employees have worked in the industry for a while, we’re also heavily invested in creating a supportive environment in which tech newcomers can learn and grow as they kick off long, fruitful careers.

That’s where our Emerging Talent team (formerly known as University Recruiting) comes in. From new grads to interns to apprentices, their programs are carefully structured to offer these Dropboxers the mentorships, experiences, and opportunities they need to start a successful journey. We chatted with New Grad program participants Jacqueline Deprey, Sudipti Garvey, and Annie Zou to learn a little more about how they found themselves at Dropbox.

Can you tell us a little about your educational background and your role at Dropbox now?

• Sudipti: I graduated from the University of Washington this past June with a Master’s in Human Centered Design & Engineering. Before that, I was pursuing a career in Architecture (that’s what my Bachelor’s degree is in), so I’ve somewhat recently switched to a career in product design. I’m a Product Designer on the Transfer team, which is a Dropbox product that provides a simple way to deliver large files.
• Jacq: I graduated from the University of Maryland in 2020 with degrees in Computer Science, Operations Management and Business Analytics. I am a Corporate Operations Engineer on the Dropbox on Dropbox team, which aims to create a delightful experience for Dropboxers to evangelize use of our own products that we can showcase to the world!
• Annie: I graduated from Princeton last year with a Bachelor’s in Computer Science, and I’m now a Software Engineer on the Family & Photos team. My team owns two aspects of the Dropbox personal space — we’re building a differentiated product experience for families to stay organized and connected as well as modernizing the Dropbox photos experience.

How did you discover your New Grad opportunity at Dropbox? What drew you to apply?

• Sudipti: I interned here last year, but there was no headcount available for new grads in design… so, every time a new job listing popped up for any design role, I’d reach out to see if I might be a fit. After having experienced the community here, I knew this was a place I would be happy for a while. On the third random design opening I asked about, it ended up working out! My recruiter was so much more than a recruiter to me, and really helped advocate for my return.
• Jacq: I am a former Dropbox Intern, but what drew me to come back full-time as a new grad was the Dropbox culture! Everyone I met at Dropbox seemed like someone I’d be friends with had I met them outside of work, and I love how passionate Dropboxers are about their work, but how they recognize that their work isn’t their life.
• Annie: I returned to Dropbox as a new grad after completing summer internships in 2018 and 2019.

What have been some highlights for you as you’ve participated in the New Grad program?

• Sudipti: I’m excited about the “New Grad Connections” groups we’ve been put into. It’ll be great to have people to talk to that can share in the awkward parts of being new.
• Jacq: The virtual escape room and puzzle hunt!
• Annie: I’ve gone to quarterly social events, like a pasta making class and a gingerbread house decorating party. I’ve also been involved in the New Grad Connections Program, where new grads from different class years plan regular bonding activities together. My group most recently had a Bob Ross paint night. I personally think all these activities are objectively fun, but it’s definitely more meaningful when they double as opportunities to connect with my peers.

What’s your favorite thing about working Virtual First?

• Sudipti: When work gets intense, I can take quick snuggle breaks with my dogs to decompress.

• Jacq: I think being Virtual First has caused us, as a company, to take advantage of the capabilities of our own products more and has made me feel more connected to our mission of discovering a more enlightened way of working! It also has allowed me to travel more; in November, some friends and I spent a month working from the White Mountains in New Hampshire, which is not something I would have been able to do had we been in person.
• Annie: I love the flexibility that it gives me. I can do individual work in the early morning or in the evening if I have errands to run during the day, and with no commute, I simply have more time in the day. Admittedly, I’m kind of a homebody so I think WFH is quite comfortable to begin with!

What can you tell us about your experience joining Dropbox during Virtual First? What benefits or challenges did you encounter?

• Sudipti: Despite being physically distant from the team, I immediately felt like part of the team. While I do get a lot of energy from being around people, it’s pretty cool to get to work with people across the world that you otherwise might never have met. The challenging part is it is a teeny bit more difficult to get to know the more introverted people in the Zoom, and I naturally rely so much on body language to learn about and build confidence with new people, so I’m still hoping we’ll get to do some sort of get-together as a team one day.
• Jacq: Onboarding virtually went smoother than I expected! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming! I love how I get to collaborate across many teams in my role, but it can be hard to track down who is the best person to reach out to and find out if they are available without the visual cues of them at their desk. While Dropbox’s increased geographic diversity has introduced me to more people of different backgrounds, finding times to work synchronously together has become more challenging.
• Annie: There’s no replacement for organically getting to know people like bumping into them in the office, so it does feel a bit isolating. However, at the same time, it makes every interaction feel more deliberate and valuable due to the relative infrequency. Plus as teams have become more geographically spread out, it’s been cool to meet and work with Dropboxers in other timezones and locations more often.

What do you hope other potential future Dropboxers can learn from your story?

• Sudipti: Even with remote work, Dropbox is still a really special place to be. The people are what made me sure I wanted to work here someday, and, at least for me, that’s what makes for a great place to work.
• Jacq: While I would love it if reading this article made you even more excited to apply to Dropbox, at the end of the day, I hope it helps paint you a better picture of what working in Virtual First looks like, so that you can find a company culture/environment that empowers you to be your best self, just like Dropbox does for me!
• Annie: Things have changed a lot in these unprecedented times and I know everyone’s experience has been different, but I hope my story has been able to shed some light into what it’s like working at Dropbox and if it might be a good fit for you.

Inspired by our new grads’ stories? You can check out open positions that may be the right fit for you here.