From Interns to Senior Professionals: Journeys of Growth at SkillLab

At SkillLab, we believe in helping people grow their careers. We not only do this through our technology, but also practice this internally. We strive to create a culture to help individuals do their best. 

In this post, we'll share the inspiring stories of Elsa and Arijana. Their journeys both started as interns. Now they are senior professionals in the company. Their stories show how SkillLab's commitment to continuous learning, teamwork, and our mission helps careers thrive. You can learn more about how our values shape our workplace in our article: SkillLab Life: Our Values and How We Practice Them.

Elsa's Path: Growing from Internship to Senior 

Elsa began her journey at SkillLab as a people operations intern. During her internship she assisted with creating SkillLab’s employer brand, and improved our hiring process. 

Then, a major company deal shifted her path, transitioning her into a full-time recruiter. This was a completely new and challenging area for Elsa, as she had no prior experience in the technical recruitment field. It became her most significant learning experience, where she gained valuable skills that she still utilizes today.

Elsa reflects, "I think this was the most significant thing in my growth that I was exposed and introduced to a sea of information. But I think it also taught me some tips and tricks on how I can navigate all situations, and I still use these skills until now.”

SkillLab's culture played a substantial role in her growth. From the start, Elsa felt a sense of fairness and was encouraged to contribute, even as an intern. This supportive environment, where mistakes were viewed as learning opportunities, allowed her to naturally transition into her full-time role.

Her move to a full-time people operations position occurred as the company expanded. Since there was no other HR professional at SkillLab, Elsa helped to build out the foundation of SkillLab’s people operations, including peer feedback and performance cycles, HR policies, relocation support, solving tricky people issues etc.  

On the recruitment side, Elsa actively learned about programming languages from engineers, improved her listening skills, and took on more initiative to professionalize SkillLab’s hiring process. As a senior professional, she takes full ownership of SkillLab’s recruitment, onboarding and other people operations work. She was involved in hiring 95% of all SkillLabers.

Arijana's Story: Developing Expertise to Senior Level

Arijana's SkillLab journey began as a business development intern. She mapped out EU funding streams and found important contacts for outreach, which involved extensive online research. This was her first job in the fast-paced tech world, and she quickly learned how our product teams work.

A key challenge for Arijana was becoming more visible and taking more ownership of her work. She sought guidance through SkillLab's Google mentorship program and used her learning and development budget for coaching. Felix, her internship supervisor at the time, helped her set clear goals for skill development, which was important for her career path.

Her journey at SkillLab seamlessly transitioned from an internship to a full-time role, marking a significant step in her professional development. A company retreat played a pivotal role in solidifying her sense of belonging within the team, fostering connections that went beyond daily tasks. As a full-time member, she gained more responsibility and clearly defined tasks. A significant turning point occurred during her internship while working on a large project mapping EU funding, which vividly demonstrated the real-world business impact of her contributions. This experience was further enhanced by similar projects upon joining full-time, fostering increased cross-team communication and deeper integration into SkillLab's core operations.

Arijana's role has changed a lot over four years, from intern to market research analyst, strategy generalist, and now solution consultant. She sees her journey as growing with the company as new opportunities appeared with SkillLab's expansion. In her senior role, she's deeply involved in writing proposals, which requires a strong understanding of our product. This role involves working with many different teams, ensuring tasks fit with SkillLab’s overall plan. 

"I always mention that I think it's very clear that the foundation for this company stems from friendship... it's a very supportive environment," Arijana shared, reflecting on how this welcoming atmosphere made her comfortable asking for support.

Shared Principles: The SkillLab Way of Growth

Elsa and Arijana's stories clearly show the main ideas that drive career growth at SkillLab:

• The Learning Mindset: Both Elsa and Arijana show how a commitment to continuous learning is key to success here. They see challenges as chances to grow, always seeking new knowledge and skills.
• Collaborative & Supportive Environment: Our culture encourages open communication and teamwork. It's a place where working together is celebrated, building a strong community that helps everyone grow.
• Purpose-Driven Impact: Both individuals' work strongly aligns with SkillLab's mission: connecting people with jobs and education using skills. This focus means personal growth leads to meaningful impact, empowering people to find their career paths. To understand more about our purpose and the real-world results we achieve, check out Pathways to Employment: How SkillLab's Purpose Drives Real-World Impact

Opportunities for Development: SkillLab offers many resources to help people grow, including a Learning & Development (L&D) budget for professional development and well-being, mentorship programs, and a strong feedback culture.

Words of Advice: Your Path to Growth at SkillLab

The journeys of Elsa and Arijana are examples of what's possible when you embrace opportunities for growth and actively shape your career. As you consider your own professional path, they offer some invaluable insights:

• Be Proactive: Ask questions, get involved in projects that truly interest you, and be open to new ideas. Don't be afraid to take initiative and confidently share your thoughts.
• Cultivate Visibility: Make sure people know what you're doing and how you're contributing. Take your space, especially as the company grows, and ensure your efforts are recognized.
• Reflect and Communicate: Regularly think about your career goals and what you want to gain from your experience in the long run. Be honest with yourself about your interests, and confidently communicate your needs and aspirations to the company.

Curious to learn more about the internship experience at SkillLab? You might also enjoy reading about other perspectives in our blog, What's it Like: Coffee with the Interns. We’d love to hear from you and encourage you to explore our vacancies on our Careers page or follow us on our LinkedIn.