An ex-employee on her first job at Housing

Photo credit: Housing.com

I was in Delhi preparing for my last semester in April 2015 when I made up my mind that it was finally time I had to move out of Delhi and start working — six and a half years was too much of a time to be a Delhiite. I had explored every nook and cranny of my second home town.

I knew that if I were to stay in India for the next few years, it had to be in Mumbai, a city nestled in a parallel world of dreams but with no friends around. Hence began my job hunting spree to look for my first job.

I was looking forward to working with a startup. I had applied to a number of exciting startups like Toppr.com, Vidooly, PriceBaba, and met with interesting opportunities with all of them. But at the top of my mind was only one company that I really wanted to work with, and it was Housing.com. I had read online and in tabloids about its larger than life brand launch that very month, and was fascinated by the grandiose scale of events that took place around the brand, and the story it weaved in the past three years.

For me, coming to Mumbai meant “working with Housing.”

My mother tried bribing me to stay in Delhi, but I was unequivocal about my decision. In June, I was in Mumbai. With Housing.

Starting out at Housing

The Housing.com office in New Delhi. Photo credit: Chrome Design Studio

The social media presence of Housing, along with its marketing strategies I was religiously following all this while, had convinced me to work with Housing. I was also keen to acquaint myself with was Housing’s design team, and was resolute on the idea. I had been following their work on Dribbble for some time and it fascinated me. And of course, the app was a one kind of a beauty. If you’re to ask me anything about design, I would give you a blank look upfront. But then again, interest often drives you in the least expected ways.

From being a city where I had hardly any acquaintances, being in Housing alone opened up my life to more than 100 friends in Mumbai, something I only realised when I left the company. When others hear about my story in the startup scene, they often ask, “Dude why don’t you join HR or become a PR person?” I typically laugh it off. 

Social media had been my gateway to Housing, which I later realised was to be something I continue to pursue and make a difference with.

Housing opened doors for me in terms of the discovery of my love for social media, as well as introducing me to acquaintances in every nook and cranny of this city and beyond. This shaped me into an even more confident, resilient, patient, ambitious, sociable and self-motivating person than I ever was before.

As with any company, Housing wasn’t perfect.

Photo credit: Housing.com’s Facebook Page