After our post “Interning @ A Startup” we thought that it would be great for readers to meet a real-life intern from one of our current companies. We decided on Ryan Archer. Ryan is an intern at SitWith, rising sophomore at Carnegie Mellon, and cross-country star.

How did you become a SitWith intern?

I heard about the position on Tartantrak, CMU’s recruiting site. I sent in my resume and Will responded within a few days and brought me in for an initial interview.

What was the interview like?

My first interview was more relaxed and involved getting to know the SitWith guys, along with general questions about my experience and skills. The second interview was more technical, and I had to write some code for web and mobile development. In both cases, the guys were very relaxed and it was not too stressful.

Tell me about a typical day in the office.

Most of my days start around 9 when I arrive at the office. Will is usually here around that time, though the other developers tend to arrive later in the morning. I spend most of my time developing the iOS application and prefer to code in the open space at AlphaLab with employees from the other companies. My day ends around 4 or 5, though the hours are extremely flexible.

Do you enjoy the startup culture?

The atmosphere at AlphaLab is relaxed and enjoyable. The kitchen is stocked with free food and drinks, and AlphaLabs often provides lunch for the companies. The SitWith employees are easy to get along with, and they even invite me out to lunch or coffee every now and then. Everything that I have developed has been important to the company, but there is no unnecessary pressure to get work done.

What is your educational background?

I am a rising sophomore computer science major at Carnegie Mellon. I have taken programming and theoretical computer science classes before, but I did not have much mobile development experience. SitWith enrolled me in a course to quickly advance my iOS programming skills.

Would you recommend this type of internship to others?

Overall the internship has enabled me to use my skills in an exciting, fast-paced environment. It also allows me to have a large role in the growth of a new company. SitWith was very flexible regarding my ability and my role in the company. Anyone who is willing to participate and really make a difference in a well-run startup should consider interning at SitWith.

We will be posting more about the companies, and even more ways that you can get involved to help them. Until then, be sure to stay tuned in on Facebook and Twitter for more fun ways for you to interact with this talented group.