What it does: Tesla's initial operations focus on manufacturing and selling electric cars, and supporting the multinational company’s sustainable-energy objectives.
Best known for: Tesla brings the Model S, Model X, and Model 3 vehicles among the company’s first line of electric cars for its consumers.
Staff stats: approximately 1,700 employees
Financials: US$31.54 billion in global revenue for the fiscal year 2020
The good bits: Internships at Tesla pay an above-average rate.
The not-so-good bits: Freshers should prepare to work a lot, as some jobs have a six-day workweek.
Tesla was founded in 2003 by a group of engineers who wanted to prove that people didn’t need to compromise to drive electric – that electric vehicles can be better, quicker and more fun to drive than gasoline cars. Today, Tesla builds not only all-electric vehicles but also infinitely scalable clean energy generation and storage products. Tesla believes the faster the world stops relying on fossil fuels and moves towards a zero-emission future, the better.
Launched in 2008, the Roadster unveiled Tesla’s cutting-edge battery technology and electric powertrain. From there, Tesla designed the world’s first-ever premium all-electric sedan from the ground up – Model S – which has become the best car in its class in every category. Combining safety, performance, and efficiency, Model S has reset the world’s expectations for the car of the 21st century with the longest range of any electric vehicle, over-the-air software updates that make it better over time, and a record 0-60 mph acceleration time of 2.28 seconds as measured by Motor Trend. In 2015, Tesla expanded its product line with Model X, the safest, quickest and most capable sport utility vehicle in history that holds 5-star safety ratings across every category from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Completing CEO Elon Musk’s “Secret Master Plan,” in 2016, Tesla introduced Model 3, a low-priced, high-volume electric vehicle that began production in 2017. Soon after, Tesla unveiled the safest, most comfortable truck ever – Tesla Semi – which is designed to save owners at least $200,000 over a million miles based on fuel costs alone. In 2019, Tesla unveiled Model Y, a mid-size SUV, with seating for up to seven, and Cybertruck, which will have better utility than a traditional truck and more performance than a sports car.
Tesla vehicles are produced at its factory in Fremont, California, and Gigafactory Shanghai. To achieve our goal of having the safest factories in the world, Tesla is taking a proactive approach to safety, requiring production employees to participate in a multi-day training program before ever setting foot on the factory floor. From there, Tesla continues to provide on-the-job training and track performance daily so that improvements can be made quickly. The result is that Tesla’s safety rate continues to improve while production ramps.
Tesla knows how to reward its employees with above-average benefits and compensations. In exchange, the company expects 100% from everyone.
This culture of excellence fueled by generous perks can be construed as a demanding yet rewarding experience. Not everyone, however, shares the same sentiment.
Freshers, especially software developers, should prepare for a six-day workweek if they successfully join Tesla. In other words, the work-life imbalance will be a significant factor for fatigue based on insiders’ experiences.
Freshers with an inherent passion for automobiles, sustainability, and technology will find it easy to work for Tesla.
Despite a potentially tiring workload and schedule, high-performing employees enjoy lucrative perks—aside from the priceless value of joining a multibillion-dollar enterprise.
Freshers can apply for internships at Tesla where each recruiting cycle may last up to four months. While the timeline is quite long, the company advised freshers to apply as soon as opportunities are advertised online.
The selection process may involve a written exam and two technical interviews. Tesla may choose to conduct a phone interview followed by a technical panel interview after a few days.
The company takes two to three weeks to process applications.