If you don’t want to read the whole story, I have made a quote summarizing my story using ChatGPT:

“Amidst missed chances and unforeseen twists, my path to securing a Spring internship at TechWithHeart underscored the significance of grabbing hold of second opportunities. Despite initial worries stemming from an unanswered message and potential doubts, my distinctive background and skills distinguished me from other applicants, underscoring the importance of diverse experiences. This journey not only showcased the power of networking but also emphasized the promise of success when one’s unique qualities perfectly align with the demands of an opportunity.”

– Angela Cui [ChatGPT]

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My journey to obtaining the offer for my Spring internship at TechWithHeart was quite interesting. I was not looking specifically for Spring internships, but on a random Friday night, I decided to go through my text messages. I realized I had left a recruiter on read back in June. At that time, I was working 50-55 hours a week as an Algebra 1 Teacher so I was extremely busy. I don’t remember why I didn’t respond but I’m assuming I was just so busy and knew that I wouldn’t be able to do the opportunity at that time so I left it on read.

Fast forward to that random Friday night, I texted the recruiter back and he said that they still had the opportunity available. I asked if I could send over my updated resume and he sent over my information to the hiring manager. I got a call a few weeks later asking about why I didn’t respond at that time and if I was genuinely still interested. I was getting worried and concerned. I knew I left a bad first impression… However, as the conversation went on, she was impressed by my qualifications on my resume.

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Just a bit of background context, many of the cohort in LA-Tech.org where I found the job opportunity consists of 18-24 year olds that are permanent residents in Los Angeles looking for technical or business professions. To qualify to join the organization, applicants ideally need to be first-gen, low-income, or a child of an immigrant parent.

Although I qualified for what’s needed to be in the organization, I rarely saw people that branched outside of Los Angeles for an education due to being low-income. I was fortunate enough that my school gave me a full-ride and extra money in refunds for expenses like my flights.

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I had something others didn’t have. The hiring manager claimed that many of the other applicants had the frontend skills but lacked the backend that was needed for the position. As someone that lacked frontend skills but wanted to get into frontend development, I was thrilled to hear that my backend would come into use as a Web Development Intern.

Then and there, on the call, the hiring manager extended an offer for me to join the team. She sent over the offer letter and I was to go back home for break anyways so the timing to fill out the paperwork worked out perfectly.