The career journey is a unique and individual experience, shaped by the person’s skills, interests, values and passions. It is full of self-discovery, growth, times of great challenge and moments of great achievements. That is why reading about other people’s professional experiences is so captivating and inspiring for many people. [Our CEO has been a lifelong fan of Studs Terkel’s “Working”, with vignettes of working life.]
Today, we caught up with Uliana Khmel, our talented COO, to hear her story of following her passions and transitioning from Linguistics to IT to find her professional self.
From linguist to a startup COO - that’s quite a ride. Tell us a little bit about your background in linguistics. Why did you choose to study this field?
“I believe that our truest passion comes from childhood when we are not limited by social pressures or real-life problems. And I’m no exception. Languages and English, in particular, were the things that stole my heart and interest once I got acquainted with them at school.
I can easily recall the delight when you start speaking a language that your parents don’t understand or when you look up a word in the dictionary and then get easily sidetracked by its various collocations and meanings. Years come and go, and I still get these feelings, although I’m not a child anymore.
As I grew up, the spark of my interest in learning languages was increasing exponentially, becoming the guiding star that showed the only path - studying languages. As a 17-year-old teen, I was brave enough to follow my passions without thinking whether they would bring me high income in the future. So I went on to take my degree in English Language and Literature.
At the university, I saw English and other languages we studied from a different, deeper perspective. From my childhood passion, languages turned into structured systems interconnected with each other, the people that speak them and their cultures. Now, I am convinced that the skills and perspectives gained from studying languages can be invaluable in many fields, including IT.”
How did it happen you manage to go from studying languages to joining an IT company as a Project Manager?
“Well, unfortunately, the job opportunities for people with a degree in Linguistics are quite limited - you can start your career as a teacher or a translator, devote all your life to research and scientific activity or try your hand at writing.
After finishing my MA degree, I wanted to start applying the knowledge and skills I obtained during my studies in practice right away. Since writing was my second passion, I began applying for different jobs related to writing, editing, and translating texts into English.
When I look back at how I ended up in the Project Manager position, I can say that it was a pure stroke of luck. Since I was actively looking for a job, my resume was posted on several job websites.
One day, I received a call from an IT company that was looking for a Project Manager with a strong command of English. They were ready to hire a person without previous working experience, promising to teach me everything I need to know.
A great offer for a newcomer in the work field! Yet, I had hesitations and was afraid to start a career in an area I knew little about. After speaking with my friends that already worked in this field, I decided to give this job a go.
Who knew back then that I would love it and stay in this industry? That is how my first step in the world of work turned from an attempt to try myself in this field into a new and exciting career path.”
What was the most valuable lesson that your Project Manager career has taught you?
“I can think of two things, but I would say that these are the lessons that I learned by changing fields in general:
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There is no kind of knowledge that will not be useful to you.
All your knowledge and skills may be useful in some way or form, even if they seem irrelevant or inapplicable at first. As with learning a new language, project management is all about structure and planning. Many tasks and activities heavily rely on the successful completion of previous tasks and activities. The better you organize and structure your project, the fewer pains and stress you and your team will face on your way.
Moreover, many language teaching approaches can be applied to project management. Language teaching techniques are often focused on active listening, effective communication and the ability to adapt to the student’s needs. And these skills are also essential for efficient team management and client communication. -
Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Starting a career in a new area is definitely a learning journey. You need to acquire a wealth of new knowledge and skills, and the best way to get them is by asking questions and finding people that are ready to provide you with answers. If you lack knowledge and are afraid to seek help, it can hold you back from the achievement of your goals and bring unnecessary struggles in accomplishing tasks that could be made easier with the help of others.
Embrace the fact that not knowing something is not your weakness, but a sign of willingness to learn. Only by being open to ask and receive help, making your own mistakes and trying again and again, you can reach your full potential and grow professionally.”
Quitting a steady job and joining a startup is a bold and risky move, even in a stable economic environment. Yet, you decide to do this in the middle of the war. What brought you to this decision?
“Certainly, the position of Project Manager gave me a sense of stability. My role involved a limited list of responsibilities that I polished to the point of automation in 2.5 years. At that time, I felt that I had hit a ceiling in my then-current job and there were little to no opportunities for growth and development.
Joining a startup gives you the chance to develop new skills, flexibility that other jobs rarely provide, and experience in areas that you would hardly be exposed to in an established company. That was exactly what I was looking for.
And of course, transitioning to a company, where the founder is your friend, was an added bonus. When I decided to join the team, I knew Ari for 2.5 years already, and this pre-existing friendship provided a high level of comfort, familiarity in a new work environment, and the confidence that everything will be alright.
Apart from the opportunity to grow professionally, the final motivating factor that influenced my decision to embark on this journey was the wish to support my friend Ari in fulfilling his dream of working with Ukrainian software development teams. He had previous experience working with Ukrainian IT professionals and highly appreciated their proactive approach to work, commitment to quality work, and work ethic in general.
When Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a lot of people from the IT sector were displaced and lost their jobs due to instability, project closures and budget cuts. Ari’s understanding that there were a lot of people seeking out new job openings and his strong desire to help these people turned into an idea to build a startup that focuses on working with Ukrainian software development teams. Since I had previous experience managing such teams, I wanted to help him in making his idea come true.”
How fulfilling do you find your role at DreamProIT from a personal perspective?
“My role in DreamProIT is more than just fulfilling. Here, I have the opportunity to realize my potential to the fullest. I am involved in many processes and I have the freedom to experiment and turn my ideas into reality. As a person for whom career growth is very important, I feel that I can achieve a lot of new heights here. Along with that, I feel really supported by my team and can see the results of my work. Believe me that the sense of accomplishment and the ability to see the impact of your work are two of the most motivating and empowering things in the world.
Last but not least, this job allows me to try myself in different roles, providing the chance to take on new challenges and develop new skills. In April, for instance, I will take part in the Atlassian’s flagship conference Team’23 as a Speaker for the first time in my life, where I am going to share our experience using the Atlassian tools to manage the work of remote teams. I will also use the chance to boast here about becoming a finalist in Team of The Year & Work Differently, together categories for the Atlassian Team Awards 2023.”
You were recently promoted to COO. What are some of the biggest goals you set for yourself in this position?
“My biggest goal as a COO is to ensure that the company’s operations are running as efficiently as possible. I want to create a comfortable and positive working environment for every team member and develop a clear step-by-step process for onboarding new employees, which will allow them to become productive members of the team more quickly. My dream is to ensure that the organization has the right people in the right roles and that everyone is aligned with the company’s vision and values.”
Looking back at your studies and previous experience, what skills and traits do you think help you to achieve new heights?
“As a linguist, I learned to see and identify the distinct structures and patterns of different languages. This skill helps me to identify patterns and structure in my work, which in turn aids in developing standardized processes and procedures that can be used across different teams.
Other important traits are my persistence and the ability to think strategically. Persistence allows me to stay focused and determined, even in the face of obstacles or setbacks. At the same time, strategic thinking allows me to think critically and develop a clear plan of action.
I’d also say that I’m good at translating ideas into concrete and consistent action plans by breaking down the company’s goals into specific objectives and tasks, identifying the resources needed to achieve those objectives and analyzing opportunities and risks.”
Well, as you can see, taking on the journey from a Linguist to a startup COO is no small undertaking. Uliana, thank you for your time and your detailed answers. We believe that your story can become someone’s inspiration and incentive to pursue their dream!***