Life as an Intern at Runtastic >> What It’s Like to be a (Temporary) Part of the Team

_{By: Kaight Conheady}

When I was chosen for an internship at Runtastic, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. I mean, according to their blog, life at Runtastic seemed perfect. Chocolate on Thursdays? Mid-day workouts? A slide? Sign me up! It was almost too good to be true. Regardless of my expectations, as soon as I entered the Linz Headquarters on my first day of work, I could see that my 10 weeks as a Recruiting Assistant would be anything but typical.

Every first day of work at Runtastic begins with a “Kick Start Day,” where new employees and interns alike learn everything they need to know about working at Runtastic. From the very beginning, we were treated like a team, despite working in different departments. We had both breakfast and lunch together and were guided through the day by Tanja, the Head of Employee Engagement. According to Tanja, there are no “boring days” at Runtastic, and I was about to find out how right she was.

Right away, I was invited to help the Talent Scouts prepare for an interview and was able to observe the meeting. After the interview, we discussed the Talent Scouts’ feedback on the candidate, and I got to see what they were looking for. The opportunity to immediately apply what I had learned helped me shape my expectations for the entire internship. Eventually, I would lead my own interviews. I was continually encouraged to take initiative and to make decisions, helping me to feel empowered in my role and to grow as a recruiter.

How Runtastic Brings People Together

Throughout my internship, I have been treated like a valuable employee of the company. From bi-weekly breakfasts to Q&A sessions with the management, I have not only been integrated into my team but also into the whole network of Runtastics. Participating in weekly after-work yoga sessions and “Mystery Lunches” has allowed me to get to know people from so many other departments and has actually helped me push myself out of my comfort zone.

Before Runtastic, I did a lot of sports on my own. Within two weeks of being at Runtastic, I found that I liked working out with others. Be it going out for a team run, doing push-ups in the office, or crushing Results on the terrace, I started to reach out to others to meet up before or after work. I even organized a hiking trip to get to know some of the other internationals better. Even people that I didn’t know that well would ask me to work out with them. By encouraging open communication and removing social barriers (with platforms like Slack and our Days of New Ideas), I was able to get to know colleagues that I would never typically collaborate with.

Pushing Each Other to Grow

This team atmosphere is present in our daily work, as well. When I am struggling with a difficult task, I can always ask a colleague to help me. If I am having trouble understanding a candidate’s technical background, I can always talk to a developer. Every interview I lead, I give and receive peer feedback. It seems like everyone is invested in Runtastic’s success and mine as well, making it easy to learn so much in a short period of time.

On my very first day, Tanja mentioned that her days are so diverse that time flies by and she never even looks at the clock. Now, nearing the end of my internship, I see that to be true. The past ten weeks have flown by, but I have developed as a person and as a recruiter so much in this short time. Runtastic places emphasis on trying new things and even failing at them. But in such a supportive atmosphere, even these failures feel like successes, as your team helps you to see how you can use challenges as an opportunity to grow.

Want to join our team? Check out our page to apply now!

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