Tereza Sloupenská, Recruitment Lead
3 min read
Valuing their passion, drive, and fresh perspective, Y Soft is open and welcoming to students and interns. Many students link their final thesis to the projects they are involved with during their time at Y Soft, and many continue as full-time employees with us.
Our HQ is close to the university campus in Brno, so it’s an easy transition. To give you an idea of what it’s really like to work for us while studying, we asked interns Michal and Kristýna about their experience.
Michal just finished the first year of a master's in software systems and services management at Masaryk University. His internship in the R&D team started back in November 2019, and he has been part of the Y Soft team for quite some time now. Kristýna is a legal intern and has been with Y Soft since January. She is in her fourth year studying at the Faculty of Law at Palacký University, Olomouc.
Is it hard to balance an internship with your studies?
What is the difference between handling school assignments and tasks from your manager?
Michal: I don’t think it is. Setting a schedule for myself has helped me a lot. At my university, I have the opportunity to set up the semester to work for me. This means I can enroll in subjects that I know I have enough time to work on.
Kristýna: My colleagues are flexible, which helps. If I need to devote more time to school from time to time, especially during exam periods, I can adjust my work schedule as needed. Because of this supportive and flexible approach, I have no problems combining an internship and studies.
Kristýna: My colleagues are flexible, which helps. If I need to devote more time to school from time to time, especially during exam periods, I can adjust my work schedule as needed. Because of this supportive and flexible approach, I have no problems combining an internship and studies.
What is the difference between handling school assignments and tasks from your manager?
Michal: From my perspective, I don’t get to work on many exciting projects for school, but I still try to do a decent job. At work, the projects are more interesting and I like to show my manager the best I can do. For example, when presenting a project, I am not only representing myself but the whole team, including my manager. With that in mind, I try to do my best.
Kristýna: We usually focus on one subject matter in school. That makes solutions to tasks more predictable. However, the tasks I get at work are varied and each task needs knowledge from multiple fields and different areas of law. We need to discuss and check the issues we are dealing with in much more detail because, in practice, there is no space for mistakes.
Kristýna: We usually focus on one subject matter in school. That makes solutions to tasks more predictable. However, the tasks I get at work are varied and each task needs knowledge from multiple fields and different areas of law. We need to discuss and check the issues we are dealing with in much more detail because, in practice, there is no space for mistakes.
Do you feel you can use the experience from Y Soft in school and the other way around?
Why did you choose an internship at Y Soft?
Michal: Of course. I see this internship as greatly beneficial for me. I often try to apply newly gained knowledge to my work. Then, when I learn something new in school, I get to see it in action at work.
Kristýna: Definitely yes! I think I have learned a lot. My colleagues help me and share their experiences, and I am very grateful that they are making me a good future lawyer. In addition to gaining knowledge and experience, my skills in communication, document formatting, and so on are improving.
Kristýna: Definitely yes! I think I have learned a lot. My colleagues help me and share their experiences, and I am very grateful that they are making me a good future lawyer. In addition to gaining knowledge and experience, my skills in communication, document formatting, and so on are improving.
Why did you choose an internship at Y Soft?
Michal: I wanted to gain experience during my studies, so I looked for an internship. Y Soft was my second interview for an intern position, and I liked it so much more than the first one. The main advantages for me were, that the project was interesting and there was the possibility for a work-related Bachelor thesis.
Kristýna: It is great to get a sneak peek into the internal workings of a large firm. For me, as a student, gathering experience is important in deciding what I want to focus on after my studies. Y Soft is an innovative and evolving company, and I have already gained experience working with various processes, legal or otherwise, right from the start.
Kristýna: It is great to get a sneak peek into the internal workings of a large firm. For me, as a student, gathering experience is important in deciding what I want to focus on after my studies. Y Soft is an innovative and evolving company, and I have already gained experience working with various processes, legal or otherwise, right from the start.
Did anything surprise you?
How do you feel about the Y Soft culture?
Michal: Yes, but in a good way! I was expecting my colleagues would see me as an intern and not an equal, but the reality was quite the opposite. They were friendly and helpful, no matter how stupid my question was! I feel like one of the developers, which is really cool. I was also surprised by the relaxation room and the other benefits, such as access to 3D printing.
Kristýna: I was surprised that everyone is on a first-name basis. I don’t know if that’s common in other companies. I think it’s nice and welcoming, making a friendly environment. I was also charmed by the appearance of the building; it is new and modern.
Kristýna: I was surprised that everyone is on a first-name basis. I don’t know if that’s common in other companies. I think it’s nice and welcoming, making a friendly environment. I was also charmed by the appearance of the building; it is new and modern.
How do you feel about the Y Soft culture?
Michal: I like the culture here at Y Soft. The culture can be seen in every project, including motivational campaigns, organized sports, and knowledge-sharing sessions. There is transparency, information made available, and support. Everybody working here shares the culture and is friendly and willing to help.
Kristýna: The Y Soft culture is very friendly. It is great to be able to turn to anyone and know that they will help me. I like that Y Soft is interested in its employees, and one way it shows this is through various events and activities.
Kristýna: The Y Soft culture is very friendly. It is great to be able to turn to anyone and know that they will help me. I like that Y Soft is interested in its employees, and one way it shows this is through various events and activities.
