During the first few weeks at a new job or internship, it’s common to feel that you lack meaningful work or a role at a company. No one really knows you or really has a reason to until you pass through a predefined path to establish your perceived worth.
However, at a startup, this proves the complete opposite! Set on a course for innovation and growth, startups place an extra emphasis on meeting the needs of their current market — instead of attempting to graft a preexisting model toward solving emerging problems.
On the first day at a startup, you may have 5 new projects to begin, and everyone on the team knows your name. Additionally, you can take ownership of impactful projects that teach leadership and confidence. As a result, although a large firm may look good on your resume, interning at a startup offers you a unique experience and skill set to succeed in your career.
My name is Kyle Schryver, and this summer, I have the opportunity to make a huge contribution at a startup, DataGrail, while learning about every facet of the business process firsthand.
My Beginning
Growing up in Silicon Valley, I’ve always had a fascination with technology, which cultivated my interest to work in tech. At DataGrail, I have a high-level view of how recent regulation in the EU has transformed companies and data privacy as well as how businesses can comply with these regulations while increasing customer satisfaction.
Every day, I see what each part of our team does — whether it’s designing the website, creating software, or working with partners and clients to find solutions for their business. I personally work on content and marketing for our company by producing blog posts, newsletters, and increasing brand awareness through SEO and social media.
Discovering DataGrail
Connecting with DataGrail has proven to be one of the most beneficial opportunities I’ve come across since entering college. And my connection with DataGrail was established through Handshake, a career platform for students.
Handshake offers hundreds of opportunities to students at Santa Clara University and colleges across the country. On this platform, I applied to dozens of positions at many companies, searching for one that would be the right fit. Thanks to Handshake, I found a match with Palo Alto startup DataGrail.
My excitement with DataGrail began with the professional makeup of our team. All of our full-time team members have years of experience working with startups in technology and are driven to see DataGrail be successful.
During the fantastic onboarding process, I saw the positive and hardworking culture of the company. At every opportunity, each team member took steps to improve their work and help others whenever possible. With timely standups and outspoken meetings running efficiently, our company is constantly progressing and looking forward.
The pace and structure that a startup provides are unparalleled in teaching the core values of business and its critical success factors. Beyond the culture and the team, the idea behind DataGrail is what marks this organization as a collection of true innovators. As a forward-looking business, our focus is firmly set on improving and expanding the capabilities of our product.
Indeed, GDPR presents both a problem and opportunity for companies to change the way that their customer data is handled, and DataGrail provides a service that generates a positive impact on business operations. DataGrail offers software to automate the processes required by GDPR, allowing data subjects to access to their data and the right to erasure of that data.
Every college student or prospective intern should consider working at a startup. The rapid growth and experimentation startup’s experience teach the necessary skills to have an impactful role at any successful business.
The excitement here at DataGrail will continue to inspire the content I create as I help users discover answers and solutions to their pressing concerns.