My Career Journey — a Normal Person with Non Degree Graduated #2
Switching career from dev to design?? Finally I join a decacorn startup!
After i felt that i can’t improve more in a remote work life and there’s no improvement in my learning process, like i’m stuck there with no progress. I decide to take a UI/UX bootcamp in Bandung for 4 months. Starting on August until December 2019. I believe this bootcamp will be my investation for the future.
This time i really want to switching my career into UI/UX Designer. At first, it’s kinda hard cause before i’m joining this bootcamp, i was a frontend developer. I learn again from 0. I feel so stupid when the first time i joined this bootcamp. Everyone i think had the basic of UI/UX and even there’s a lecture in my bootcamp class, omg!
While in bootcamp, I still did a freelance job. It’s still a frontend job. Back again, it’s really hard to switching career into UI/UX Designer. I had no portfolio at all! I was trying to make some portfolio then but it’s still not that good. And i can’t find any UI/UX Job cause of that.
In the middle of the bootcamp, i tried to apply a job. It’s the first time i’m trying to join a big startup. It’s one of OTA in Indonesia, Tiket.com. I sent them my latest CV and tadaa! i got a challenge to make a study case about their point system, which you can read it here.
In 5 days, i try to validate to user about the problem using the current apps. I did usability testing and try to find my user in Bandung Town Square and Indonesian University of Education. And i only found 1 in Bandung Town Square and 4 in Indonesian University of Education. Because lack of time, i think 5 is enough for this case study.
I found so many insight from my usability testing using the current apps. And after doing usability testing, i designed the new apps with some solutions from ideation that i did. And in the 5th day, finally it’s done! I’m glad i made it and sent the study case in time.
After a week, i got an email to come to their office for interview. Okay, i’m ready. I felt that i was well prepared. I was going to Jakarta. It’s my first time going to there. And i go to their office. The interview time was started and there are 3 of their designers there. Interviewing and asking me about the case study i’ve already made before.
The interview not going well, and i think so. I’m so disappointed on myself. I blame myself when i walked out of their office. I called my mother and tell her how’s the interview. I was crying a little, i was really really sad at that time. And it takes a week to recover from it, huhuhu :(
I continued my bootcamp in Bandung. And I realize that i’m still not good enough. But one thing that i know is I already know the gap between me and the designers in startup, i make them as my benchmark. I try to learn as hard as i can and build some portfolio from there.
Until GoJek came to Bandung. They held a QnA & Hiring called GoJek Design Keliling (GDK, GoDeKil) in Bandung and it’s the first GoDeKil event from GoJek. I try to send my portoflio to them (in this case, i sent a dribbble link) and luckily i got a silver ticket. With this ticket i have a chance to join a portoflio interview with the panelist from GoJek. But, to be honest I have no idea about how they sort the portfolio, but i’m sure my portfolio isn’t that good.
And here i come, it’s time to explain about my portfolio. I waited so long for this. My panelists are Reza Novriansyah and Melia Praditya from Gojek’s IxD team. A little bit nervous there and also becasue the air conditioner was too cold, lol. I try to explain about my portfolio and i choose my latest case study and also explaining about the exploration design i did in my dribbble account. And it’s going well, they kinda like my taste of design and I got a golden ticket!! wohoo!!
At the first time i came to this event, i don’t expect anything. Just coming and try to explain about my case study. And i got it! With that golden ticket i got a chance to do a case study with gojek design team in Jakarta. Woaa!!! Feeling pretty excited bruuh!!!
Now, it’s show time. I have to go to Gojek HQ in Jakarta. And probably because i’m in Jakarta already, i just need to go there using public transportation. In public transport, i still learned about design sprint and reading more and more. I’m worried that the design sprint i know is different from how other people do.
And, i arrived at Gojek HQ. There are 3 panelist who did a mini design sprint with me, they are Anton Chandra, Melia Praditya and Armas Nurbahari. I was surprised cause i think the panelist will be the same like the interview in Gojek Design Keliling, but it’s not except Melia of course. Melia was my panelist in the portfolio interview in Bandung before.
I was excited when doing a mini design sprint, but it’s actually just a brainstorming session with the panelist there. I think we’re match to collaborate in real case, rofl. But i don’t know if they think so hahaha. We’re brainstorm about one of GoJek’s service called GoBox. Should I make an article about the GoBox Redesign? I think it’s kinda good to share about how i redesigning GoBox that time, hehe.
Everything’s going well in onsite case study. There’s no problem at all there. Oh, i forgot one thing, every step in hiring process here was conducting in english, get used and be prepared to speak english for you who want to join GoJek!
I got 5 days to finish the redesign. I have to make 2 option for the new design and also the prototype. And then, i have to presented the design i’ve made. I decide to do a zoom call to present about my design. Guess what? There are so many gojek’s designers join the call. Oh my god, i was surprised lol. It’s kinda make some pressure on my presentation. And also the internet wasn’t stable that time, so many point miss in my presentation.
After everything is done, i feel like there are so many mistakes i made in that presentation. I’m kinda sad. In one day, i feel so bad. Like in that day, i’m playing game the whole day to release my stress. I know it’s not good, but i can’t handle it.
Until 2 days after the presentation, the talent acquisition which is Claudia tell me that the panelist was like the result. Ahh, i was glad to hear about it. And the next step is interview with GoJek Head of Design, Abhinit!
Interview with Abhinit i don’t feel any pressure at all. I feel like, okay this is the last step you have to pass, keep calm and control the situation. At that time, we just like have a light conversation. We were talking about design, our experience and etc. Yeah, it’s like i was doing a conversation with my friend, no pressure at all.
And then, every step is done. And i got an offering letter there as an Interaction Designer. It’s a long step to join GoJek. It’s like you should pass 6 steps there, you can read it on Audi’s story here about How GoJek hire a designers.
Yeah, right now i’m working on GoJek! After a long journey in my career, i joined the company that i always dream about. I love to work here, the culture and also the social impact itself is really great to be the part of this team.
I hope you guys get inspired by the stories that i wrote. I know it’s not easy, but don’t stop to believe that you can do it! If I can do it, then why you don’t? So, whatever your dream is, chase for it! No matter what!
If you fail, try again. And if you fail again, keep in mind to try again and figure out something that you should improve from yourself. Learn from mistakes you’ve made. I don’t know how many times i already failed in life, but thanks God i still there to fight for what i dream about.
Don’t fear about failures, but fear if you can’t improve yourself anymore — Alfian Imanuddin
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