Dylan’s journey from college intern to engineering team lead in under two years illustrates the path of a high-potential engineer who combined technical talent, self-direction, and inspired career choices.
Story
In the summer of 2018, I mentored a college intern from UIUC (University Of Illinois Urbana Champaign) in my job in AppDynamics (acquired by Cisco by then). Among a pile of resumes for the summer intern position, Dylan stood out. An entering college senior with a 3.65 GPA, which was not super high, but Dylan had actively participated in Coding Competitions and had won a Hackthon, the list of projects he took on was impressive. He was given an interview opportunity and aced it. He joined my team. I assigned projects and supervised them during his internship. He proved himself a brilliant young man, self driven and quick learner. He hit the ground and ran. The projects needed some research. He could generate ideas based on investigation and implement them in code. I really enjoyed working with him. At the end of the internship, with my recommendation, AppDynamics extended an offer to him with a full time software engineer position after graduation. Dylan thanked for the offer, but asked for time to consider it. A few months before his graduation in 2019, he declined the offer. I called him to ask why. He told me that he decided to take an offer from C3.AI. He told me this was a start up. He was inspired by its Founder and CEO Thomas Siebel, who is a visionary silicon valley entrepreneur, and donated a building in UIUC. Thomas spent time holding a conversation with him at the end of the interview. He resonated to the vision of the company Thomas shared in that conversation. With a mixed feeling I congratulated Dylan. After C3.AI went IPO in December 2020, I talked to Dylan. He told me how much he loved his job. During this year and half period, he moved up and was able to lead a small team. That was quite remarkable for someone who graduated less than two years ago.
Break down
- Early Promise and Selection:
Among many applicants, Dylan stood out not for having the highest GPA, but for his passion and initiative. His track record in coding competitions, a hackathon win, and a strong portfolio of projects demonstrated practical skills and drive. He earned an internship based on merit and interview performance. - Excellence During Internship:
During his internship at AppDynamics, Dylan quickly proved himself. He was self-motivated, a fast learner, and capable of conducting independent research and transforming ideas into working code. His ability to ramp up quickly and deliver results impressed his mentor and team, ultimately leading to a full-time offer. - Strategic Career Decision:
Instead of taking the offer from AppDynamics, Dylan chose to join a startup—C3.AI—drawn by the vision of its founder, Thomas Siebel. The personal interaction with Siebel, along with Dylan’s resonance with the company’s mission, showed his long-term thinking and willingness to take calculated risks for greater growth opportunities. - Rapid Growth and Leadership:
At C3.AI, Dylan thrived. In just a year and a half, he not only established himself as a strong engineer but also rose to lead a small team. His quick progression reflected not just technical competence, but also leadership potential, adaptability, and a strong sense of ownership.
Key Takeaways:
- Passion and project experience can outweigh GPA.
- Internships are a proving ground—showing initiative and delivering impact earns recognition.
- Career choices based on inspiration and alignment with a company’s vision can lead to accelerated growth.
- Startups can offer rapid advancement for those ready to take ownership and lead.
- Mentorship and early belief in a candidate can help launch extraordinary careers.
