What a tech internship at Haven Life is really like

Some things never change. Summer turns to fall. The leaves change their colors. And Haven Life’s insurance and tech interns depart our offices and return to the institutions of higher learning, where they’ll apply the invaluable lessons and experiences they gained over the previous few months.

But before they walk through those (virtual) doors for good, we solicited their thoughts and their candid feedback about their summer as tech interns, all to learn what we can do better, and what makes working at online life insurance agency Haven Life so special. (Also, to get a pretty amazing recipe for homemade honey lemon tea.) Here’s what they told us. And if this all sounds fun and exciting to you — and frankly, why wouldn’t it? — you can learn more about future opportunities, including Summer 2021 internships, right here.

Leroy Hutchinson, Jr., New York City College of Technology, Risk Solutions Intern

Favorite value at Haven Life?

“We Matter To Each Other.” I like this value because I feel like it sums up my experience and the vibe I got throughout my internship. Everyone I’ve talked with and worked with at Haven Life is super-accommodating, reasonable, and seemed to genuinely care about me.

Best piece of advice you received?

I don’t remember the actual quote, but Zack Shinkar – Developer, my mentor, told me that struggling is part of the process. That was a big lesson for me. As a previous Haven intern himself, he shared that I should reach out to him or another member of the team if I feel stuck, which was great advice because it made me feel comfortable leaning on him, and other people on the team, for support when I ran into issues.

Haven Life makes people’s lives less hard. What’s your best life hack?

If you want your voice to sound deeper on the phone, lay on your back while talking. I don’t know why this works but it just does.

Cindy Rong, Cornell University, Operations Intern

What’s your favorite project you worked on?

Building workflow functions for one of our new internal tools. I learned the valuable skill of large-scale system design and development, as well as how to improve the security, sustainability, and maintainability of the system. I learned so much, and really enjoyed the project.

Haven Life makes people’s lives less hard. What’s your best life hack?

Often when you are making recipes, you only need a few slices of lemon. So, take the remaining lemon slices, marinate them in sugar overnight in the refrigerator, and then use them in the morning for homemade honey lemon tea. It’s delicious!

Parting thoughts?

During my internship at Haven Life, I learned not only how to develop systems, but also what it’s like to work at a tech company. Haven Life is filled with warmth and joy, which has been a very cherished and memorable experience in my life.

Arya Sambyal, Jammu University, India, Quality Assurance Intern

Why did you want to intern with Haven Life?

I wanted to work for an organization that was making a difference, especially given everything that was happening with COVID-19. Haven Life not only takes care of its customers, making life insurance easier, but its employees too. That was important to me.

Haven Life makes people’s lives less hard. What’s your best life hack?

When getting ready to travel, make a list of items you want to carry on you (passport, wallet, phone, keys) and check it one last time before you leave. It will save you a panic moment on your way to the airport!

Parting thoughts?

Never be afraid of asking questions (the more questions the better!) and always be up for learning new things — the people around you have a lot to teach you.

Yaoyang Liu, Cornell Tech, Haven DTC Team Intern

Favorite value at Haven Life?

“Obsessively Learn and Look for Better Ways”! From day one, I’ve been amazed by how many new things I’ve learned here at Haven Life and how much the team, and my mentor, pushes me to learn. Everyone I work with is constantly trying new techniques and technologies, and inspiring each other to optimize and grow. It’s been so fun and rewarding to be a part of.

Meeting you look forward to?

Each day our team has what we call a “Stand Down” meeting. It brings everyone on the team together at the end of the day to decompress, chat, and have fun. I look forward to it every day!

Any tips for future interns?

Be sure to practice playing drawing and guessing games before joining the Haven DTC team, you can thank me later.