I landed a job at an AI startup right out of college. Here's what you should do if you want to work in AI.

"Most of my classmates were drawn to Big Tech companies like Google, Meta, and Amazon because they promised prestige, stability, and a structured career path. But I found myself falling into a second group of college students, one that actively seeks job opportunities at startups for the steep learning opportunities and potential equity upside if the startup goes public. I reached that decision after doing internships in both Big Tech and startups."

"When I interned at Google for the first time, I really liked it. But when I went back for a second round, I thought my growth there was plateauing. I didn't see myself working there in the long term. At the end of my junior year, I did an internship at Replit, an AI software development startup. That experience was refreshing because I got to lead impactful projects. I realized I wanted to work at a startup."

Lambert Liu transitioned from internships at Google and Replit into a software-engineer role at Graphite after prioritizing steep learning and potential equity upside at startups. He completed two Google internships but felt growth plateaued there; a Replit internship allowed him to lead impactful projects and convinced him to pursue startups. Big Tech internships demonstrate a strong technical foundation that signals capability to startup employers and can substitute for prior startup experience. Startups offer faster growth, leadership opportunities, and the chance to own meaningful work, which motivated his choice.

Read at Business Insider