This summer, we’ll be featuring our Lyft interns and learning more about their experiences and how they decided to choose Lyft as a place to work, grow, and learn.
Meet Yani Shi (she/her) who is currently a Design Intern on the Driver team. Yani shares advice on how to land an internship at Lyft and her favorite parts of interning for the Design team.
What did your journey to Lyft look like?
I attended the University of Southern California (USC) for my undergraduate studies. USC offers free Lyft rides after 6:00 PM for students, so I’ve been using Lyft for years. I really love how user-friendly the app is!
During undergraduate, I applied to Lyft a few times, but it never resulted in a full-time opportunity. After earning my Bachelor’s degree in 2022, I was fortunate to receive an offer from an agency as an Associate UX Designer. I worked there for a year before pursuing my Master of Design degree at UC Berkeley in the fall of 2023.
In October 2023, I applied for Lyft’s internship program the same day it was released. I received an initial screening in November and the whole interview process lasted around three months due to the holiday season. Ultimately I was brought on as an intern and feel fortunate to have joined Lyft!
What has been your favorite part of your internship experience?
My favorite part so far has been the sophistication of the Lyft design team and the amount that I can learn from my colleagues. When working on designs, I have the chance to find inspiration from user research reports and test them with drivers before launching. I’ve also been amazed by how advanced Lyft’s design system is and how much it has helped me improve my visual design skills.
What made you choose Lyft for an internship opportunity over other companies?
When I interviewed with Lyft, I took a look at Lyft’s design blog and was amazed by how much the designers share on the platform. I thought that if designers are willing to share with the wider design community, they must be even more willing to share internally. I love the culture of learning from peers.
When I joined, I found out I was right. We have two critique sessions each week where we share work and learn from each other. That’s incredibly valuable.
Do you have any advice for students hoping to land an internship at Lyft?
For those looking to intern in the design space, I recommend focusing on improving your visual design skills and showcasing them in your portfolio. Lyft is a company with an excellent product design language, and they look for candidates with similar skills. A strong visual presentation not only aligns with Lyft’s standards but also catches recruiters’ eyes and helps you stand out.
Learn more about our internship program here and check out current job openings at Lyft!