Mobile application I developed during internship never got published; should I mention this experience when applying for a job?

Question

Basically, as part of my courses, there was a time when I worked as an iOS Developer Intern for a few months in a small company several years ago. We were less than 10 people, though I was the only developer in-office. I never met the others, since they were sent into other companies (whilst I worked on an in-house project).

During my internship, I was presented an Android application the company made, and my objective was to port it into an iOS version.

By the end of the contract, I provided them with a working prototype (which worked very much like the Android version), beside one missing feature. But the application never was published.

Recently, when I tried to download the Android application, I realised it was removed from Google Play (though I don't know why).

Out of curiosity, I tried searching about the company, and I can't help but have the feeling the company possibly went bankrupt...

Considering these few points, is it a good idea to mention this work experience (on the resume and during the interview) when applying for new jobs?

I'm concerned they might start guessing when they search the application I mentioned and realise it "doesn't exist" (neither the iOS nor the Android, since the former never was published and the latter was deleted).

Answer 1

As you mentioned that the application was a prototype, if it is described as such on your CV, the interviewers may simply assume that it either went unreleased or was changed significantly after your work in it had ended.

The experience that you gained will still be relevant. If you can demonstrate - through the technical test for example or in usual interview Q&As - the knowledge you gained/employed from this project, you should have little to worry about. In past experience, interviewers are unlikely to fact-check every single project a candidate worked on. You should not have to worry about mentioning an unreleased project on your CV.

Answer 2

You can and should absolutely include it. A resume is a sales tool - you're selling yourself to potential employers, you're not selling your past employer. A company publishing and supporting an app is a major effort with lots of moving pieces, compared to your part, which was developing some of the code on that app - don't assume that potential employers would imply anything about the code based on the success or failure of the app (or whether or not it was published).

Answer 3

Experience is experience. A lot of the companies I worked for during internships made very unique, enterprise specific software products that the next company I would apply to could never actually see or use first hand. I would put the experience on your resume since it sounds like good experience.

In an interview when you are asked about it, the fact you know so much about what the product was, can give a details on how you worked on it and show all the technical skills you gained from it, thats all that matters.