How to redesign your way to career development

Senior Product Designer, Kartik Shrivastava, turned his whole life around to accept a challenging new position at Zalando. He shares how he redesigned his career to put self-development at the forefront.

You’re the model employee: productive and delivering across the board. So why does something feel off? Maintaining physical distance from your work is one thing, but your level of mental withdrawal is beginning to throw up some uncomfortable questions. Ask Kartik Shrivastava for his advice and, like many of our new team members, he’d tell you that what you’re feeling is not impending failure, but an opening opportunity.

When, during the first lockdown, the Senior Product Designer found himself talking to stakeholders on one screen and rolling episodes of The Office on the other, he realized it was time to do some radical career surgery. “While others were looking for stability during a time of uncertainty,” he tells us, “I decided to start looking for a change — to write the next chapter of my life.”

What started with an important period of self-reflection resulted in Kartik turning his whole life around: relocating from India to Berlin to join our Product Design Purchase and Post-Purchase Experience team. There, he’s helping to create seamless fashion and beauty experiences — an area of design that’s a world away from his former comfort zone. Eight months into his new role, and he’s happy to say that it’s challenging him in all the right ways.

Thinking of taking your own leap into the unknown — perhaps even jumping ship to Zalando? We asked Kartik to share how he redesigned his career to put self-development at the forefront.

Set your mission objectives

Though you may be ready to take action, when you’ve got one foot in your old job and the other in a heaving job market, it’s not always easy to decide on the right direction. Kartik recognized the value of taking time out, forgoing the job board to spend valuable time with family and friends. “My battle cry was ‘failure is an option,’” he says. “Because, quite simply, I allowed myself to fail.”

After this pivotal moment of career surrender, Kartik was able to approach his wants and needs with more clarity and curiosity: “As the son of a military man, I created objectives for my mission. I asked myself three questions: What do I know about myself now that I did not before? What am I good at and how can I improve upon those skills? What am I not so good at?”

Stand by your intention

When the time came to jump back into the search, Kartik reminded himself of his late father’s wise words: you are built for the long run. “I took that and persevered, staying positive even though things around me were bleak.” Even after he was approached by a recruiter for the opportunity at Zalando, there were still many obstacles between him and his new career.

“When I got the offer, India was facing a lot of problems and, due to travel restrictions, I was unable to relocate,” he explains. Doubts began to creep in. “I had invested so much time and was really looking forward to this opportunity, but I worried that suddenly I was going to get an email that my application couldn’t be processed any further due to the situation. To my surprise, none of that actually happened. It was so well coordinated for me that I felt reassured that nothing would go wrong.”

Once he joined the team, Kartik was relieved that his new colleagues were very understanding of his situation, supporting him throughout the tough process of settling in a new country.

Embrace the challenge of change

Back to that design comfort zone: “I don’t consider myself as someone who is particularly fashionable. Before I started working on the fashion and beauty experience at Zalando, I was afraid that I’d have no idea what I was doing, and that I’d move all this way just to realize I’d made the wrong decision.”

However, coming from a hectic consulting background, Kartik’s doubts were lessened considerably by the promise of a balanced working environment that fosters mutual appreciation. “I saw that from the moment the interviews started and it reassured me that I was applying to the right place. I felt that, even if it didn’t work out, I was glad to know these people.”

Now that Kartik has been at Zalando for several months, how does his new role address his initial objectives? “I’ve realized I am capable of grasping something entirely out of my knowledge base. And, unlike in my previous job, if there is something I don’t understand, I am given the space to communicate it so that I can develop. People aren’t hiding behind corporate terms that make no sense. I’m also a lot more involved in my work. Even though I’m working from home, I feel integrated with the different aspects of what Zalando does. Whether that’s mental wellbeing, the product (and) design community, or any of the events that are happening.”

Voice your issues and failures

The atmosphere of openness began in the interview process. “When I was showing my portfolio, one of the projects I spoke about was the one that didn’t go well. My Design Exercise was also fine. I was nervous — I will not deny that — but the interviewer, Luana, was really nice. Though I had worried that I was going to make a fool of myself, I realized that it’s actually advantageous to be open about past failures, so that you can show how you learned from it. The same applies now when I voice any issues. The support is there, so problems get solved quicker. It’s a very human environment. There is an investment in people.”

Throughout this challenging, but rewarding journey, compassion for himself and others is Kartik’s biggest takeaway. “My goal for this year is to make myself and others feel comfortable to fail. This doesn’t mean you allow it or encourage it, but, if it happens, it’s okay. Good things take time. Let’s make that conversation easier and more accepting. If I could ask something of you today, it’s this: If you are going through a similar situation, don’t wait for inspiration or motivation to create a new path in life. Don’t be afraid to take a risk. And if you see someone else facing these challenges, don’t wait to inspire them. Let’s be there for one another.”

Looking to take more risks this year alongside Kartik? Join the Purchase and Post-Purchase Experience team as a Senior Product Designer.