At 22, ‘I Have No Idea’ Is a Pretty Good Place to Start
By Praneeth V, Software Engineering Intern, Runable
From hiring…
I was just a college kid who wanted to build stuff, then I joined a YC startup where we built an autonomous system to help HRs recruit really skilled developers from multiple platforms, ranging from LinkedIn to GitHub. There, I built an agent that handles the full-stack recruiting process, where the recruiter could automate the entire pipeline. The agent also shortlisted candidates based on criteria like how active they are on social platforms and whether they have a significant presence on the internet, and many more.
…to getting hired
I ended up at Runable when, funnily enough, I was researching a recruiting site. I loved what they were doing and reached out. The interview was a little unconventional and in-person with our co-founder, Saksham. We talked less about what I can do and more about how I can improve myself & and my work & my skills. Saksham was far more interested in my thought process and long-term vision, and less about what I could do at the moment. I must have said the right things, because the next thing I knew, I was hired.
A mix of engineering and marketing
Apart from recommending banger music, at Runable I run the engineering side of marketing. My main job is to build websites that load fast, rank well, and work reliably. It’s an interesting problem to solve because I’m not just building for our users; I’m also working on a website that helps attract new talent. My focus isn’t on making things look fancy. It’s on making sure people can find us, explore without friction, and never have to think about whether the website works. That’s the high I’m chasing.
What makes Runable different from my other experiences?
Well I don’t exactly have years of experience to compare this with - I’m 22, so my “back in my day” stories don’t go very far yet. But from what I’ve experienced so far, there’s something genuinely special about being here.
People know how to get things done. When it’s time to work, they’re focused, they take responsibility, and they put in the effort. But being serious about work doesn’t mean being serious every second of the day. There’s still room for a laugh, a random conversation, and actually enjoying the company of the people around you.
What I appreciate most, though, is how helpful people are when you need them. When you’re new, even asking a simple question can feel like you’re announcing to the whole room that you have no idea what’s going on. Having someone take a minute to explain things without making you feel stupid makes a huge difference. You stop worrying so much about looking like you know everything and start actually learning.
I’m still figuring plenty of things out, but this feels like a good place to do that. There are people to learn from, work that pushes you, and support when you get stuck. And hopefully, before too long, I’ll be the person helping someone else figure things out - rather than the guy asking questions (maybe not, again I am 22).
Lastly
I’ve learned so much in such a short time here that I’m still trying to figure out how my brain is making room for all of it. I knew I’d learn a lot coming in, but I definitely underestimated how often I’d think, “Wait, I had no idea that was even a thing.”
And it’s not just about picking up new skills. It’s learning how to approach a problem, ask better questions, and realise that my first idea might not always be my best one, a slightly humbling discovery.
The exciting part is that this still feels like the beginning. Every time I get comfortable with something, there’s something new to figure out. I’m sure there’ll be days when that feels overwhelming, but having this much to learn, and people around me I can learn from, is a pretty good position to be in. If this is how much I’ve picked up already, I’m genuinely curious to see what I’ll be able to do a year from now
