At Shortlist, we love building our team almost as much as we love building yours! We have some pretty amazing people across our three offices who have a real passion for what they do and for the Shortlist mission.
The next installment of our Shortlister Spotlights (a Q&A series to get to know some of our team members) stars Poonam, a UI/UX Designer in our Mumbai office!
Who is Poonam? Given a chance, she would do anything to be taken to outer space. If you think she is lost, you will probably end up finding her in the deepest parts of the ocean exploring the mysterious marine life in an all-glass submarine. If this isn’t enough, then you should know that mimicking Gollum from Lord Of The Rings is her secret talent.
Read on to learn more about our creative, hardworking Poonam!
Hi Poonam! Tell us about what you do at Shortlist:
Besides making party hats and reinforcing good ergonomics, I help design and build empathy-driven products that empower employers and candidates to find the best job matches. All whilst trying to make them smile!
In this exhausting and tedious world of applying to jobs, I love that I can help build products that are delightful, empathetic and easy to use.
What is your professional background, and what were you looking for in your next career step when you found Shortlist?
I have a background in fashion design (and so, strangely called P-Fash at work now) and spent close to 8 years working as a magazine stylist, a costume designer, a founder of a clothing label, a curator at a fashion week and a creative director for an innerwear brand. Was that enough? Guess not!
Last year I decided to venture into uncharted waters of digital product design and joined Shortlist as an intern to start my learning curve with strong mentorship and guidance. Little did I know I’d still be here today! Huge thank you to Rachel, Paul and Simon for giving me a shot.
What’s your favorite Shortlist value and why? (If you need a reminder, check out our blog post here!)
Hard to have a favorite- they’re all great values to live up to. I would although, give our newest value “One team” a special mention. A big part of the culture and what I’ve loved about our Shortlisters is the willingness to help and support each other and putting the team first.
What are three words you would use to describe Team Shortlist?
👉🏼 ⚡️🙌
👉🏼 🚀🌈
👉🏼 🙃👻
#Stimulating #Growth #FUN
What’s your favorite Shortlist memory?
My first day at Shortlist. I was scheduled for meetings and was spoken to in two foreign languages- tech and recruitment. Do I remember anything from that day? NO. Where was I? From hemlines and buttonholes to handmade everything to fashion shows to designer boutiques and now to assessments and competencies to hiring to coding to bots!! Hello world!
My greatest reminder, day one.
What surprised you about working at Shortlist?
Shortlist is like being a part of a vibrant family. A family you work with, play with, you struggle with, prosper with. You share responsibilities with. You feel supported with. You do better with, think different with, think human with.
And amidst all, who always has your back.
Shortlist gives you the space to be who you are and contribute to your individual, unique ways. Every Shortlister contributes significantly to making this a more shared space, space more like home.
What are you currently reading, watching, or listening to?
Reading Cyber Sexy and listening to KISS. Yikes, not sure how that sounds. And, playing LOTS of table tennis. Wait, you didn’t ask that.
What is your spirit animal?
Nudibranchs. Might be too slow to be my spirit animal, but boy, aren’t they fascinatingly beautiful?
Anything else you want the world to know about you, Shortlist, our team? Your favorite playlist to work to? Inspirational quote? Favorite restaurant in Mumbai?
I like pineapple on my pizza,
But recently lost my dairy visa,
Sorbets and smoothies are the way to go,
Vegan, Gluten-free, Boring, and Ket-o
I love being in nature, Chlorophyll is my drug,
It’s like being given, a warm fuzzy hug
Dr. Seuss shows me all the places I’ll go,
And I continue my journey with a little disc-o,
Now give this a read as if you’re rapping,
And make it a song with some tapping!
Silly I know, but I like to rhyme,
If it lightens up your day, maybe it’s worth my time!
Thank you, Poonam! We’re so lucky to have you on Team Shortlist.
Did reading about Poonam’s experiences make you want to join our squad?
We’re hiring a Data Scientist (Mumbai or Hyderabad), Head of Product (Mumbai, Hyderabad, or Nairobi) and Recruitment Associate (Nairobi).
Apply today — we’re excited to hear from you!
If you would like help building your team, let us help you. Shortlist offers a wide range of recruitment solutions that help companies build great teams.
