My Software Development Internship Experience at New Verve

| Thu, August 31, 2023 | 0 comments

As part of our long-established relationship with the University of Glasgow Internship Hub, we were able to connect with new interns for both the marketing and the products department. This allows us to take a mentoring role and aid students in their career path while building meaningful connections.

The blog below details key experiences from our product intern, David, and his time at New Verve.

Why did you apply for this internship?

When I set out to find the perfect internship, I had a few things in mind. After working in big corporate setups, I wanted to gain experience in a different setting. That’s why New Verve Consulting caught my eye – a smaller, more close-knit team where I could really dive into everyday software development tasks.

But that’s not all! The tech stack they currently use, featuring the likes of React and AWS, had me completely onboard. These technologies are still arguably core pillars of web application development, and I was eager to improve my skills with them. This internship presented an ideal prospect for not only acquiring proficiency with these software tools but also utilising them in a practical setting.

What was a typical day like for you at New Verve?

I’d kick off my day by checking my emails and seeing what meetings were on the agenda. Then, I’d make my own to-do list for the day. Having a plan helped me stay on track and organised. We have this cool thing in agile development called product stand-ups, where we talk about what we were working on. But we didn’t just talk about work – we’d also catch up on things like how our evenings and weekends went. It was a nice way to connect, especially since we were all working remotely. We’d do this twice a week, and I even got to lead one of them every week! Following this, we had pair programming sessions, where we could ask questions, sort out problems, and review each other’s code. Working together made everything feel easier, fun, and ultimately more efficient.

The rest of my working day was mostly spent diving deep into coding. I’d research stuff, read documents, and write code. It was where the real action happened – turning ideas into actual things. There were moments of triumph when everything worked perfectly, and times when I scratched my head, wondering why something wasn’t working right. But that’s the beauty of coding – it’s a mix of creativity, logic, and problem-solving magic. Of course, coding was just the beginning. After that came the testing phase, where I ran tests, spotted bugs, and fixed them, turning my code into something robust and reliable ready for PR. And you know what the best part is? It’s the feeling you get when everything finally comes together.

Sometimes, I’d mix things up by joining virtual-coffee sessions. These were essentially informal chats with other co-workers outside the products team, where we’d talk about all sorts of things and get to know each other better.

Was anything different from what you expected from a development role?

While my expectations were largely in line with my past internship experiences, I was pleasantly surprised by the extent of my interaction with other team members, finding myself engaging more frequently with them in a remote setting compared to when I worked in a hybrid environment. Moreover, I was also impressed by the wide range of tasks that I had the chance to dive into. From coding to testing, DevOps, reviews, and resource/team management. Arguably, this diverse involvement resulted in a more complete work experience and has strengthened several valuable transferable skills that I will definitely apply in various contexts going forward.

What did you think of remote working at New Verve?

Remote working at New Verve was definitely a pleasant surprise. I found myself not only adapting to it quickly but thriving in this setup. Working from the comfort of my own space significantly increased my productivity. I was able to concentrate better and accomplish tasks more efficiently, having a very positive effect on my mental well-being. While remote work can sometimes create a sense of isolation, I was pleasantly surprised by the robust communication channels established at New Verve. Regular online meetings, chats, and quick catch-ups virtually erased any concerns I might have had about feeling disconnected. The developing team was always just a message away, ready to provide help and guidance.

Moreover, the company’s organisation for remote operations was, in my opinion, solid and robust. Unlike some experiences I’ve heard about, where remote work can feel disjointed, New Verve had a well-established system in place bringing the major benefits of remote working. This went from task assignments to updates and collaboration, ensuring strong teamwork.

I really enjoyed remote working at New Verve, and I believe this to be a major selling point for working here.

How did you find the work culture?

From the first day at work, colleagues were approachable, open, and always ready to lend a hand. One of the things that really stood out to me was the flexibility in working hours. It wasn’t about clocking in and out, it was about finding a balance that worked for me. This flexibility gave me the freedom to choose when I was most productive and strike a balance between work and life. Despite sometimes having a lot on our plates, stress wasn’t the norm! Following agile practices, the team planned tasks using story points and estimates, which meant we always had plenty to do, but it was spread out in a way that made things manageable and enjoyable. I even got to participate in one of the sprint planning sessions with my manager and got to assign tasks and estimates to other team members as well as myself.

Another awesome aspect was the freedom and flexibility to explore different areas. I started with more front-end work and gradually ventured into back-end development. Guidance was regularly provided during catchup sessions with my manager, where we’d discuss how things were going, exchange ideas, and figure out areas where we could all improve. This support ensured that I was on the right track and constantly progressing.

And then there was the summer social – a highlight of my time at New Verve. We came together for a terrarium workshop, shared a delicious lunch, and had a blast with drinks. This event was great to get to meet most of the team in person and at a more informal level.

Can you tell us some of your highlights from working at New Verve?

Undoubtedly, a highlight was my involvement in a real product like CRUMBS. I collaborated closely with experienced developers to modify and extend the codebase with new features and bug fixing, enhancing the software’s overall utility. This hands-on engagement allowed me to traverse the entire software development lifecycle – from conceptualization and meticulous design, to the process of implementation, rigorous testing, and bug fixing. The knowledge and proficiency gained from this experience is truly immeasurable. It has provided me with insights that will come in handy in my future work within and outside university. The mentorship provided by both Abraham Cabrera Valdivia and Victor Lee was also key in enabling me to navigate challenges effectively.

New Verve’s work environment allowed me to move away from just coding and embrace a diverse array of other roles and responsibilities. This went from code reviewing and independent research to participating in conceptual design and ‘shadowing’ of resource management and sprint planning sessions. Being able to experience the resource management side of things certainly helped me with work time estimations and will be a good skill to have when or if I lead teams in the future. Furthermore, being able to do stuff like writing this blog post demonstrates the company’s commitment to multifaceted growth, as opposed to limiting workers to just their role.

How have you made the most of your internship experience?

I’ve maximised my internship experience by going beyond coding. Throughout my time at New Verve, I’ve consistently sought opportunities to broaden my horizons.

During our weekly catchup meetings, I spoke with my manager, Victor Lee, about additional areas of interest that I would like to be tasked with or simply learn about. While coding remained the most relevant and central focus, I actively did or learned about other tasks mostly relevant to software development. This included shadowing my manager to gain insights into project management dynamics, actively engaging in sprint planning sessions, and even taking the lead in product stand-ups.

Moreover, during virtual-coffees, I would normally ask other employees to describe their roles and daily routines within the company so as to better understand the company’s inner workings. What I am trying to say here is that my internship wasn’t confined to a single and limited track but rather a flexible and dynamic work experience where I got to work outside pure programming and further enhance my technical skills.

How do you feel about your career after this internship experience at New Verve?

This role provided the perfect bridge between the theoretical knowledge I gained at university and the hands-on practical tasks in the real world. It’s like taking all those concepts from lectures and turning them into actual working products. Learning about resource and task management was like unlocking a whole new level of understanding. Coding is just a part of the unique challenges that come with software development. I also learned how all past skills learned while working with bigger-scale products are applicable to smaller products like CRUMBS and vice versa.

From diving into APIs to embracing agile practices, these skills are like assets that I can carry forward in my career. As technology evolves, having a diverse toolbox will be super valuable in staying adaptable and relevant. Whether I choose to work on pure software development in the future or not, the exposure to agile practices and an iterative development process will certainly be of use, especially where agility and adaptability are crucial.

If you were to sum up your time at New Verve in a sentence what would you say?

My time at New Verve was a fantastic journey where I further developed my technical skills and connected with wonderful people always eager to lend a hand.