Tech
Jan 17, 2026
From Product Intern to Product Lead at Wolt: Joonas’ career story
“What surprised me most wasn’t how much I learned, it was how quickly I was trusted.”
When I joined Wolt as a Product Management Intern, I was trusted with real responsibilities and ownership from the start. It gave me a clear sense of what product work feels like at scale.
Hi, I’m Joonas, and today I work as a Product Lead in the Wolt+ team. My journey here started with an internship that helped me realise not only what product management is, but that this is the path I want to pursue. Here’s what the internship was like, what I learned, and why it ended up shaping my career more than I expected.
My path into product
I originally studied Computer Science at the University of Helsinki because I thought I wanted to become a software developer. Over time, I became increasingly fascinated by UX, service design and how digital products feel to users.
That curiosity led me to the International Design Business Management master’s programme at Aalto University. Somewhere between engineering, design and business, I discovered that product management sits right at the intersection of everything I enjoy, and Wolt’s internship programme was where everything finally came together.
I had used Wolt for years and always admired how smooth and intuitive the experience was. I was also excited by the idea of working on a global product — one that would challenge me and force me to grow fast. Wolt became one of my dream places to start my product career.
Not getting in the first time
“I didn’t get into Wolt on my first try. Instead of giving up, I learned and tried again.”
The first time I applied to Wolt, I was still early in my product journey. I made it through the initial interview but didn’t progress further. It was disappointing, especially since it was my first serious attempt at entering the field.
Instead of giving up, I spent the next eight months working as a Product Management Trainee at Sanoma Media Finland. I worked on front pages, articles, and video products, and learned how design, content, and user experience come together in real products. That experience gave me a much stronger foundation and a clearer understanding of what product work actually involves.
When I applied to Wolt again the following year, I felt more prepared. This time, I made it all the way to the final conversation with Vincent, our Chief Product Officer.
When the offer finally arrived, it felt like all the work I’d put in had led to that moment.
My first days as an intern
The internship started with a structured and energetic onboarding. I also had a mentor from the product team. In the first days, I met designers, engineers, product leads, and business stakeholders across Wolt. Seeing how many roles were involved in the work helped me understand early on how important communication and collaboration are here. One memorable part of onboarding was doing deliveries and spending a shift in Customer Support. I got to see how an order moves from the app to a courier’s hands which gave me a much deeper understanding of Wolt end to end.
Very quickly, I realised this wouldn’t be a typical internship. From day one, I joined product discussions, contributed to decisions, and collaborated across teams.
What I worked on
I joined the Wolt+ team, which builds and improves our monthly subscription program. From the first weeks, I was given projects to own. As I grew more comfortable, I gradually took on more responsibility. The role never felt repetitive: some days I’m reviewing design drafts and discussing UX improvements, others I’m doing user research or analysing metrics from our A/B test results.
One of my main projects involved adding new entry points for Wolt+ inside the app. We identified screens with high traffic but low subscription visibility, defined the opportunity, and worked with designers and engineers on a solution.
“Seeing the feature go live and our hypothesis turning out correct was one of the most rewarding moments of the internship.”
Another part of my work focused on exploring how to improve the Wolt+ value proposition. Researching new benefits and subscription ideas taught me how differently user groups behave, and how important it is to design offerings that genuinely fit people’s habits and lifestyles.
From intern to product lead
The transition didn’t happen in a single moment. It happened gradually.
At first, I had many questions about how Wolt+ worked, what was available in different markets, and who owned which parts of the product. Over time, I started answering those questions myself. I noticed I was explaining edge cases, giving context to others, and contributing more confidently to discussions.
That was the clearest sign that I wasn’t only learning how the product works anymore — I was helping shape it.
What the internship taught me
Working on a product used across more than 30 countries changes how you think. A feature that works well in Finland can behave very differently in Germany or Japan, for reasons that go far beyond user behaviour. Balancing global consistency with local requirements taught me attention to detail and patience. Learning how to navigate these aspects has been one of the most valuable parts of the internship.
I also learned how fast you grow when you’re given real ownership. Leading projects, collaborating across teams, and making decisions with real impact gave me confidence in my judgement. Having that level of responsibility as an intern was both challenging and motivating.
Finally, I learned how rewarding it is to see your work reach real users. Every launch teaches you something new. Sometimes your hypothesis is right, sometimes it isn’t, but either way, you walk away with a deeper understanding of your customers and your product. That constant learning is what makes product work meaningful and enjoyable for me.
Advice for future interns
If you’re thinking about applying, here are a few things that helped me:
Play to your strengths. Product management is often described as a jack of all trades, but it helps if you understand what you are naturally good at. Empathy, curiosity and a willingness to learn are incredibly valuable skills in product work.
Take on projects even if they feel challenging. Every project teaches you something new, and every success or failure will shape your understanding.
Also remember, I did not get into Wolt on my first try. I failed, learned and tried again. If you are considering applying, do not let rejection stop you. Use it as motivation.
If you join Wolt, be curious and open-minded. You will not be watching from the sidelines. You will be building real things from the beginning.
What comes next
I want to keep building features and experiences that people genuinely enjoy using, and look back feeling proud of the impact they’ve had.
This journey has taught me that growth rarely happens in comfort zones. It comes from ownership, trust, collaboration, and sometimes mistakes. At Wolt, I’ve found a place where all of that is possible, and I’m excited about what’s ahead.
