We talked to interns at Google, Microsoft, and Uber about what it's like to work at the world's biggest tech companies

The Internship Google Each company has its own office culture, different traditions and perks for its interns.

We interviewed current interns at a handful of the biggest tech companies to give you a feel for what it's like to intern with them today.

Since not all of the interns had permission from their companies to share their experiences, their names have been changed to protect their identities.

Uber

Role: Fusion/Strategy Intern at Uber

Major: Computer Software, Private Research University

How he landed the internship: John had been following Uber's career page and applied for the Fusion/Strategy internship online when he saw an opening.

After a recruiter reached out and he passed an initial phone screen, John spoke with two potential managers in separate hour-long phone interviews where he was asked how we would lead a team through a theoretical scenario.

John had already done several past internships and tried his hand at running his own startup before applying to an internship with Uber. "I think Uber was mostly just looking for people that were self-starters that were willing to work hard and were hustling in every aspect of their lives," John said. People that "are going to take ownership, not people that are just going to come punch a time clock."

Interning at Uber: John said Uber has a strong sense of cultural values, from the CEO down.

"I always see TK — Travis Kalanick, our CEO — strolling around the office jumping into product meetings. He wants to feel involved even though it's a large company with probably eight or nine thousand employees."

John said he and his coworkers at Uber are "always trying to make big bets around what the next big thing is." Everyone is encouraged, even interns, to challenge what is being done.

"The best idea will win, even if it come from an intern or if it comes from someone higher up," he said.

While John conceded that there are many incredible tech companies to work with, he's really enjoyed working at Uber because he's trusted to take a lead on projects. As a strategy intern, John regularly coordinates with people from around the world via conference calls, and heavily in Brazil leading up to the Olympics. As an intern, John was trusted to run the overall strategy for ensuring that Uber ran smoothly in Rio through the Olympics.

Working Hours: John said that interns are encouraged to work 40 to 50 hours a week. Personally, he tried to keep his work closer to 40 hours a week, but would stay later if there was anything he ever needed to finish.

Overall Program: At Uber, breakfast, lunch and dinners are all catered. Depending on the team they work with, students are provided a stipend for housing and Uber credits for most of their transportation needs.

While Uber has exploded, John said it has retained the feel of a startup because, as the company continues to expand globally, there are new challenges to tackle in every new country and culture. As John put it, Uber is "still in the process of solving their problem."

See the rest of the story at Business Insider