Big Tech, Imposter Syndrome, Getting After It

This week I spoke with Shruthi Solaiappan, a 2025 UVA alum who’s now a Software Engineer at Apple.

The Rundown:

Both of my parents work in tech. They founded an IT consulting company out of D.C., so I grew up seeing how much creativity and possibility exists in the field firsthand.

My dad went to one of the top engineering schools in India and always emphasized education, curiosity, and being a go-getter.

I pursued computer science at UVA, and in my second year, I applied to any opportunity I could find.

Most people apply directly to roles called “Software Engineer.” But I realized there were plenty of other positions that involved software engineering work — they just had different titles. Roles like Mobile Application Developer, Cloud Engineer, or Solutions Architect still let you build and problem-solve using code.

I ended up getting an internship at Amazon Web Services in Seattle, learning how large-scale software systems operate and what it's like to work on products used by millions of users.

The next year, I attended the Grace Hopper conference, met software engineers at Salesforce, and ended up interning there as well in San Francisco.

As for Apple, I had a friend I met through my Amazon internship whose roommate was working there, so I asked her for a referral, and got the job in New York City.

Early on, I struggled with imposter syndrome. 

I was 19 years old and one of the youngest interns in my program at Amazon. It was my first time living in a city, flying by myself, and not knowing anyone at all in Seattle.

Leading up to the internship, I had moments of doubt over whether I was qualified to be there, but once I arrived, I saw it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to learn from some of the best engineers in the world.

I put myself out there in every way possible: asking questions, setting up 1:1s, helping peers, and putting full effort into my work, asking for more work, and hosting large social events.

Over time, I realized that everyone, no matter how experienced, is still learning. Once I viewed challenges as opportunities to grow instead of tests to pass, I really found my confidence.

By the end of the summer, I had excelled in my project and even passed a difficult AWS certification. That experience was a turning point for me — it showed me what I was capable of. From then on, I realized my ambitions were within reach. I recruited hard and pushed myself to land roles at Salesforce and eventually Apple, and that same go-getter mindset has stayed with me ever since.

I love asking people “What’s something you learned recently that changed how you think?”

It always sparks meaningful conversations because it shows what someone's been reflecting on or how they approach growth. I think it reveals people's mindset and what motivates them.

Both cities are very different.

In San Fran, there's a deep-rooted tech ecosystem. A lot of people are building products from the ground up, and the mindset is very innovation driven and experimental.

In New York, there’s a fast-paced, high energy environment that’s contagious. There's more of a cross-industry mix – you meet people from finance, media, startups, design. The diversity of thought makes it a really inspiring place to work and the energy pushes you to move quickly and think on your feet.

For me, right now, the answer is New York. I love the lifestyle here, and outside of work there are so many things that are happening all the time. A lot of my friends and UVA students are here as well.

Don’t wait until you feel ready to go after opportunities. You grow a lot by doing, not by over preparing.

Apply to that internship, start that side project, reach out to someone whose work you admire; you never know what might come out of it.

Building relationships early is really important. Some of the best opportunities I’ve had came from people who knew me, not just my resume.

Reading is great — but putting yourself out there, meeting new people, and finding new opportunities is what this is all about.

Heres 3 things you should do right now:

Got value? Share it.

📄 1 referral → Networking Guide
👕 5 → Free T-shirt
🍻 10 → $20 Trin Gift Card

Your current count: {{rp_num_referrals}}
Your personal link: {{rp_refer_url_no_params}}