The art of experimenting: do you need to change jobs to change your career path? | Allegro Jobs

The art of experimenting: do you need to change jobs to change your career path?

In the fast-paced, ever-evolving world of business, the notion of career progression often carries the assumption that change means moving to a new company. But what if the key to career growth lies not in leaving your organization but in embracing new roles within it? At Allegro the journey of professional transformation takes on a different meaning. Here every employee can repaint their career while keeping the same canvas. 

A pathway of growth

The stories of Allegro employees, like Ewelina Łopatka, our acting Data Quality Leader and Maria Gembara, Senior Business Operations Manager offer a glimpse into how internal mobility can open doors to new career paths. Both of them began their journeys in Customer Experience and gradually navigated their way through different departments, growing their skill sets along the way. 

Maria joined Allegro in 2013 as an intern, diving headfirst into Customer Experience where she focused on user engagement. After a brief time working in the forbidden actions department, she moved into business development roles, managing Key Account Managers in the Home and Garden category. After years of success and a sense of fulfillment in these roles, Maria realized she had accomplished what she set out to do in that position. 

She explored internal recruitment opportunities and successfully transitioned into the role of Senior Business Operations Manager, where she could pursue her passion for change management.

"After all these experiences, I finally found the space to do what really interests me - change management. The transitions within Allegro gave me the opportunity to explore different roles while building a holistic understanding of how the company operates."

This flexibility helped Maria find a new calling, proving that sometimes the best opportunities are right in front of you - you just need to know where to look and not be afraid to take the chance. 

Transitioning from expert to learner

Ewelina’s story shows similar themes of flexibility and growth. Having started her career at Allegro in 2011, she spent nine years gaining expertise in Customer Experience, reaching an expert level in her field. However, her desire for new challenges led her to apply for a role as a Category Planner in 2020. 

The transition wasn’t easy - moving from a position of deep expertise to a completely new area where she had to start from scratch required courage and determination.

"Leaving CX was the hardest part. I was comfortable there, I was an expert, and people always came to me for advice. Suddenly, I was the one asking a million questions, and it was difficult to go from being the person with all the answers to the person looking for them," she explains. 

Yet, despite the challenges, Ewelina found that each new role helped her build a more comprehensive understanding of the business. Her experience in different departments, including a three-month inter-team tourism in the SEO department, gave her insights into areas of the company she wouldn’t have encountered otherwise. Her diverse knowledge gave her a broader perspective on her work, which she now applies as the acting Leader of the Quality Team.

“I spent three months training with a dedicated mentor from the SEO team who guided me through all of the processes. Thanks to that, now when I work with parameters, I have a much broader context."

What makes these transitions easier?

Both Ewelina and Maria highlight three important factors: the openness of Allegro’s people, the autonomy that employees are granted to explore and innovate and the wealth of knowledge and experience they’ve gained over the years within the company.

"The most helpful thing throughout all these changes has been the openness and patience of the people here. They are the greatest asset of Allegro. The company empowers employees to seek out new knowledge and take charge of their own development, whether through internal recruitment opportunities or self-initiated projects."
- Maria

"I've realized that no matter how many changes I go through, I never really start from scratch. The knowledge and contacts I’ve built over the years across different teams stay with me. Each new role is easier because of the foundation I’ve already laid.”
-
Ewelina

Experimentation in the comfort zone

One of the most remarkable aspects of Allegro’s internal mobility is that it offers a unique balance: employees can step out of their comfort zones by taking on new roles while staying within the familiarity of a company they know and trust. They are given the freedom to explore new paths without the pressure of starting over in a completely new environment. 

"I see my journey at Allegro as a perfect example of stepping out of your comfort zone without really leaving it. Taking on a new role here never feels overwhelming because I’ve come to understand the company from so many angles. I’m always learning, and I think that’s the key to evolving at Allegro - you don’t just rely on what the company provides, you take the initiative and seek out knowledge yourself.”
- Maria

We encourage employees to partake in the internal mobility, offering fresh opportunities within the organization. For Maria and Ewelina, this culture of growth and exploration has been key to their success. Here, experimenting with your career doesn’t have to mean starting from a totally blank canvas - it's rather about having the courage to add new colors to your painting.

"What’s unique about Allegro is that you can change your career path without leaving the company. It’s like being on the job market, but within the organization. As long as you have the initiative and are willing to try new things, you can keep growing."
- Maria