How I got hired by Bukalapak at 18 despite many setbacks

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This is a story about how, despite all the cards stacked against me, I started my career as a product designer at one of the biggest product design teams in Indonesia. I wrote this as proof that with hard work and determination, anything is possible!

You don’t need to be in Jakarta to become a designer

I grew up in Purwokerto, a small town in Central Java, and studied software engineering.

Many aspiring designers complain that it is very tough to develop design skills if you don’t live in Indonesia’s major cities. In some ways, this is true: there are no design or UX meetups in my sleepy town (more so a UX community).

But this didn’t stop me.

My first task was to find mentors. I reached out to designers through Dribbble, Facebook, and Instagram and asked whether they would act as my mentors.

I then took advantage of my visits to bigger cities by going to some design studios. When I visited Yogyakarta, for example, I went to Sebo, Omnicreativora, Paperpillar, and Oww. There, I met many senior designers, asked a lot of questions, and started building my network.

I also actively participated in design and tech competitions. In these events, I met likeminded people and gained a lot of insights.

If you don’t live in Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya, don’t give up. Be creative—you are a designer, after all. There are always ways to find and learn from design communities around the world. You can even start one in your own town!

Use the resources at hand

These days, even if you don’t go to a design school, there are so many insights about design and UX online—many available for free. These are just some sites I visit frequently:

• Insight Design
• UX Magazine
• UX Movement
• Designmodo
• UX Booth
• Designer News

Hone your design skills

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