How Trendyol Empowers Working Students to Thrive

Being a working student can offer both opportunities and challenges. It requires dedication, hard work and effective time management skills to balance the demands of work and study. However, being a working student can also provide valuable real-world experience and help develop important skills that will benefit your future career. Forward-thinking companies often include working student positions in their job advertisements, giving students the opportunity to gain experience, develop skills and expand their networks. And fortunately, Trendyol is one of those companies that values the perspectives and contributions of young talent. In this article, we will introduce you to two working students, Deniz Agyel and Scarlett Girardi, who are part of Trendyol’s International Fashion — Influencer Marketing and International Fashion — Social Media teams respectively. Through their stories we will gain an insight into what it means to be a working student at Trendyol.

Unique Journeys Leading to Trendyol

Deniz and Scarlett have unique stories that led them to the company. Deniz was born and raised in Istanbul, but moved to Munich, Germany at the age of 14. After graduating from high school and starting her studies in Political Science at the University of Munich, she started looking for student jobs and found an opportunity with Trendyol’s Influencer Marketing department on LinkedIn. Deniz had been aware of Trendyol since it was founded and was fascinated by the company’s success. Deniz said, “I wanted to work for a big company that has not lost its start-up spirit, where different ideas and people’s opinions are still valued”. After going through the interview process, Deniz was convinced that Trendyol was the place she’d been looking for, which further motivated her to join the team.

Scarlett, on the other hand, had a career in architecture and interior design, but had always been passionate about fashion. She moved to Germany in March 2022 with the dream of working in the fashion industry. Scarlett was keen to gain international experience in a company that prioritized culture and learning. She expressed her passion for working in the fashion/e-commerce industry and how her studies complemented her practical experience. Scarlett said: “It’s a dream to join Trendyol since I decided I wanted to have an international experience in a company where culture and learning are everyday achievements, like at Trendyol”. She added: “The big advantage is that I’m working in fashion/e-commerce, which is my passion. The studies only add to the experience I have in practice; everything is connected”.

Empowering Students for a Bright Future

At Trendyol, personal growth and development is highly valued and during our interview, both Deniz and Scarlett shared their positive experiences of being part of a team that constantly invests in their growth.

“No one stands still here; every day brings new challenges and everyone takes them on and adapts accordingly” — Deniz

Deniz explained that because Trendyol is a constantly evolving company, she has the opportunity to evolve with it. She said, “No one stands still here; every day brings new challenges and everyone takes them on and adapts accordingly”. Deniz appreciated that this constant state of change has contributed to her career growth. She felt that stepping out of her comfort zone and taking on new challenges has helped her learn and develop the most at Trendyol.

Similarly, Scarlett felt that she was developing and growing in her work every day. She found that constantly facing new challenges had led to her growth. Scarlett said, “I am very interested in challenges because they help us learn and grow as individuals and professionals”. In the knowledge that Trendyol is expanding, she was inspired to achieve even more with her work at the company. Scarlett is looking forward to seeing more of Trendyol around the world.

Mentors also play a crucial role in helping new team members overcome challenges and learn from their successes and failures. Deniz and Scarlett expressed their gratitude to their mentors and leaders for helping them along the way. Deniz thanked her mentor, Zeynep, and leader Merve, for guiding her in the smoothest way possible. Scarlett praised her team members, especially her mentor Luka and leader Alina, for teaching her and pushing her to grow as an exceptional professional.

Striking the Right Balance for Success

Maintaining a healthy balance is crucial to overall wellbeing and productivity, especially for working students. I asked Deniz and Scarlett about their experiences to find out what kind of approach Trendyol offers to working students.

Deniz shared that when she first started working, she was concerned about balancing her work with personal life. However, after working for a few months, she was happy to say that it never became an issue. She said: “They respect the 20-hours-a-week rule and don’t give me work that takes more than 20 hours a week. Deniz also appreciated that during her final exams Trendyol was more flexible and allowed her to fit her work hours around her study time.

In addition, Scarlett found that maintaining a healthy balance has never been a problem since she started working at Trendyol. She said: “My team always respects the 20-hour week and distributes tasks accordingly.” Scarlett noted that she was always motivated and happy at work, which helped her in her daily life at the company. She also found that Trendyol encouraged her in other ways, such as the monthly office day in which working students could participate, which was an amazing benefit and motivation for her work.

Rewarding Projects and Initiatives

As we talked about their work, I was curious to know if there were any projects or initiatives they had been involved in that had played a crucial role in their journey. Both Deniz and Scarlett shared that their experience at Trendyol has been very rewarding and that they value the opportunity to learn and grow every day, as well as the chance to work on exciting projects and initiatives.

“We are committed to our work because everyone is absolutely open to any kind of initiative we have” — Scarlett

Deniz shared that working on a user-generated-content project was really special for her. She expressed, “When I see these pictures on our official Instagram page or on our homepage, I feel rewarded because I can visualize the work we did together as two teams.” Deniz found that every new learning or project she managed to do on her own made her feel special, because she felt she was contributing to the business everyone was working so hard for.

Meanwhile, Scarlett found it exciting to be involved in every part of the work which provided a daily learning experience that she loved. She said: “We are committed to our work because everyone is absolutely open to any kind of initiative we have”. As part of the social media team, she found it rewarding to see the results of her efforts backed up by data and audience growth.

Why Trendyol is the Best Place to Work

Being the best place to work means creating a positive and fulfilling environment for employees, including fair treatment, work-life balance, growth opportunities, supportive leadership and a strong culture. Trendyol strives to be that place and values the perspectives of its working students. When asked what makes Trendyol a great place to work, Deniz emphasized the importance of taking initiative and empowerment. She explained: “Here you are allowed to make your own decisions and everyone in the company has confidence in your abilities. This is a great opportunity and, of course, a great responsibility”. Deniz felt that Trendyol was the best place to work because she never felt alone and the team and the whole company were always there to help and support her. She appreciated being part of a great team that worked on new challenges every day, ensuring that there was never a dull moment at work.

Scarlett shared that working at Trendyol offered a unique opportunity for daily challenges that contributed to personal and professional growth. “Be interested and excited every day. I’m sure you’ll be very receptive and the daily challenges will help you grow as a person and as a professional,” Scarlett added. She believes that Trendyol stands out because it is a company that is focused on the future. Scarlett encouraged potential teammates to make every day count and to seize the opportunity to work at Trendyol.

Conclusion

Deniz and Scarlett’s experiences highlight that Trendyol is an exceptional place to work, fostering a culture of trust, support and teamwork, while providing ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. With a commitment to being a company for the future, Trendyol provides an exciting and fulfilling work experience for its teams. If you are a student looking for a work experience that offers real challenges and personal growth in a supportive environment, Trendyol is the place for you. Follow our #LifeatTrendyol on LinkedIn or check out our YouTube channel for more insights. You can also explore our current job opportunities and who knows, you could be our next teammate! :)