Venmo’s Product Manager Reveals the Secret to Being a Standout Intern

Initially released in 2009, Venmo is now the go-to social mobile payment app to pay anyone back instantly. With mobile payments expected to reach $90 billion by 2017, Venmo’s product has to continue growing and adapting.

That’s where Venmo’s Product Manager, Matt Hamilton, comes in. As Product Manager, his job involves figuring out what to build next, understanding how to prioritize new web and app features, and knowing how to build those features in a way that’s both usable and valuable. In addition to knowing how to build an impressive product, Matt also knows how to build a reputation as an impressive intern. When the Campus Job team asked him what made an intern stand out more than any other, he replied, “One of the fastest ways that you can be invaluable anywhere is to do the thing no one wants to do.” Back when he interned for Urging Career, an ad sales staffing and recruiting firm, he was able to automate one of the most manual invoicing the company had, learning V8 script over the summer and becoming close friends with his boss as a result.

So where others see challenges, you should see opportunities–and seize them. Think about the issues your company is currently facing. Is there a manual database that needs to be automated or organized? Is there some kind of procedure that hasn’t been clearly documented– like onboarding new clients or new hires– that could be more efficient and replicable if it were recorded? Ask your boss about the nice-to-haves on his or her priority list and then try to tackle one of those in addition to your required tasks. Your initiative will not only make the company function more productively but will also strengthen your career skills and impress your supervisors. Not to mention that it won’t look too shabby on your resume!