UX Design Intern here. Given the choice between big financial companies (think Capital one, Blackstone Financial) and lesser known tech companies (ie Brivo, Workiva), which one would better set you up if your goal is to work in big tech? I feel like big financial companies have prestige, but lesser known tech companies have more opportunities to create impact (which may look better on portfolio). I guess the underlying question is whether company prestige can outweigh industry relevancy, when it comes to getting internships in preparation to break into top tech companies. TC 75K
If you are starting your career, I would prioritize team structure and how hands-on your manager can be with you. My first design job was at a pretty well-known, but not super large “tech” company and as a result my first manager was able to dedicate time to helping me to grow as a designer and fine tune skills that were praised and called out as the reason I got hired at my next company. My new company is much larger and much more fast paced and I work very autonomously, but had I not worked at the smaller company with the nurturing manager first, I’d be drowning!
Doesn’t matter. Either is fine. Big tech hire from both from banks and startups.
Hmm… disagree with some response that say “it doesn’t matter”. I’d focus on startups if you want to break into a wider variety of tech companies. Being able to be successful at a startup is going to shine through on your resume. Big fin companies move slow and product usually isn’t that interesting. The design systems are usually not well kept and the work overall (even if well thought out) will lack visual polish. I’ve interviewed a lot of people from big fin tech (Capital One as well) and we almost never hire them because there skills are always under developed. However, we always see an upside to startups because your ability to move fast and show how you develop 0-1 quickly is applicable in FAANG (if that’s what you’re targeting).
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If your only goal is to work in big tech, it doesn’t matter where you intern between those two options that you mentioned. If you have a good resume and portfolio, you’ll get an interview. You should be able to achieve that in both types of places, depending on the type of internship you land. Everything after that depends on where you interview and how well you do.