Gijs de Bruin
Tell us a bit about yourself.
“Hi I’m Gijs! I studied the MSc Econometrics at the University of Amsterdam. Currently, I am pursuing a business development internship at Applied Materials in Silicon Valley. I work at the CTO office, which is a division that leverages the company’s engineering capabilities in new and adjacent markets. As a Business Development intern, I explore and assess these new technologies from a business strategy perspective.”
What was your motivation for applying to Internships in the Valley?
“First of all, I find that the Bay Area has a very interesting culture and ecosystem (large tech companies, start-up/scale-ups, universities, investors, etc.) that allows people to not only do important innovations here, but to also build thriving businesses out of these innovations. I was eager to experience this firsthand! Additionally, a tech internship in Silicon Valley seemed like the perfect opportunity to further strengthen and combine my STEM and business backgrounds. I have also wanted to work abroad, and working in the US is undoubtedly one of the most appealing options as the country’s culture, economy, etc. has such a strong influence on Europe and the rest of the world. And last but not least, there is a lot of fun stuff to see and do in California and beyond!”
What was the biggest benefit of joining our program?
“Landing an internship in the Bay Area is not straightforward. Not only is it competitive to land an internship position, but getting a US visa can be a very lengthy and involved process. Therefore, help from the Internships in the Valley team was very useful for both the interview and visa processes, especially as the program provides the so-called visa sponsor. Being selected for this program that is affiliated with the Dutch consulate makes you a more interesting candidate for the companies you choose to apply to.”
How do you feel about the work culture in the Bay Area?
“I love how people here are very open, motivated and have a can-do attitude! Everyone is very approachable and love to discuss and brainstorm ideas. I think this is one of the few reasons so many companies thrive in this area and why so much important innovation happens here.”
What was your biggest culture shock upon arrival?
“There are definitely some challenges here which you would not expect to face at the global hotspot of innovation. The most notable being the homelessness problem, which is especially bad in central San Francisco. Another example is the public infrastructure, such as old highways and poor cell reception in certain areas. If you regularly complain about the NS in the Netherlands, then you are definitely going to dislike the Bay Area’s Caltrain. You get used to most things quickly but it does make you appreciate how well certain things are organized in our home country.”
“What I like about the culture in the Bay Area is the openness and can-do attitude of people both at work and outside of work.
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