At Citrix, our interns’ work matters. From Sales and Services, Engineering, and Security to Finance, Human Resources, Marketing, Product, our interns have real impact across the company and return to school with valuable experience that will serve them well as they move forward in their careers.

Citrix offers broad internship opportunities across many functional areas and geographies. For National Intern Day, we talked to four of our interns — Ben Layko, a Software Development Intern (North Carolina State University); Rezhwan Kamal, a Software Development Intern (Swarthmore College); Hannah Levine, a Technical Analyst Intern (University of Florida); and Joyce Olaniyi, a Technical Analyst Intern (Towson University) — about their Citrix experience, what they’ve learned, and what advice they’d give for anyone looking for a tech internship.


What have you been doing in your internship?

Layko: I have been working on a full-stack team that is working to enhance the Citrix ShareFile web app. This includes creating experimental front-end features and bug fixes in the back end.

Kamal: As part of the Customer Success Engineering team, I’ve been working on an internal search engine that could help the support team troubleshoot customer cases quicker.

Olaniyi: I’m on the Worldwide Presales and Professional Services team, and I have been working on a project using data analysis to establish the efficiency and value of the Citrix’s Leadership Development Program (LDP).

Levine: I’m also on the Worldwide Presales and Professional Services team. I’ve been working with Joyce on the LDP project, and we’ve both also become a Citrix Certified Associate in virtualization this summer.

What have you learned?

Layko: I have learned a lot in my internship from my team members. One has taught me about React and TypeScript, and another has been a huge help in learning about Citrix and the processes the team uses to develop.

Kamal: While trying to create a tool that makes the jobs of support engineers easier, I’ve learned a lot about the process through which customer cases are diagnosed, escalated, and troubleshooted. This has given me a clearer idea of what working on this team would be like.

Olaniyi: I’ve learned it is imperative to take initiative every single day. No one needs to tell me to network, progress in my projects, or study for my certification, but I have to prioritize these objectives myself and make a constant effort to achieve them. I wouldn’t be making the best of my internship if I didn’t use my resources to the best of my ability. I also learned that I must try to think in a broader, open manner, so I can expand my capabilities; that’s the only way to consistently push yourself. I had to ask myself, what can I do next? What are my strongest skillsets, and how can I use that differentiate myself? That’s why initiative is such an important lesson.

What have you liked and what experience has been most valuable?

Kamal: I’ve liked that I have the freedom to come up with the design for different components of my project, instead of just being tasked with the implementation. I’ve recently spent time shadowing my mentor and other members of my team as they solve customer cases. It’s been really interesting getting a glimpse of what tools they use to quickly identify bugs in a huge codebase.

Levine: My favorite part about this internship has been meeting other employees. Everyone I’ve met has been so welcoming and so willing to offer any and all help or advice. It really is the people who make the place and I know my experience would not have been the same if it weren’t for the people around me.

Olaniyi: One of the most valuable experiences was when I played ping pong with a few colleagues on my first day. I was very tense, a bit afraid, and had some anxiety. I was in a new state, in a completely different environment, with no one I knew. Being invited to play ping pong by my LDP buddy Sammy and a few of her peers helped me relax and become so much more comfortable.

What has been most challenging?

Layko: Overcoming some of the aspects of the internship being remote. For example, when having IT issues or a question that needs a quick response, being remote can be difficult, though I do think Citrix has done well at making this remote internship the best it can be.

Olaniyi: Being consistent with my progress when I hit roadblocks. It’s easy to feel discouraged when things don’t go as planned, but it’s so important to maintain that drive from the beginning to the end.

What advice would you give someone looking for a tech internship?

Layko: Research companies that interest you and apply early. When I was applying to internships, I thought that I was starting way too early, but it seems that now many companies have offer letters out before December.

Kamal: Go out of your way to learn about your team. Ask about the projects they work on and how their work fits into the bigger picture. Part of your goal as an intern should be to evaluate whether your company (and industry!) is the right fit for you so you can make better decisions when you’re looking for full-time employment.

Olaniyi: Research different roles and figure out the best fit for you and which skills you need to succeed. It’s important to have strong communication skills, not only for interviews but for building connections when you do land an internship. And finally, believe in yourself and don’t let self-doubt limit you.


Learn about opportunities for current college students and recent graduates on our University Recruiting page.