The real reason career shifts work at Omnisend

Zbignev Burinskij didn’t start his career writing code. For years, he worked in car repair, welding and fixing engines. It’s the kind of job where you immediately see the results, but eventually, it becomes repetitive. “I realized I wanted more variety,” he says. “Something that challenged me to think, not just do.”

So he pivoted. He enrolled in a programming course, began studying on weekends, and filled the gaps with online tutorials. It wasn’t a fast-track bootcamp or a career-switch guarantee. “In my first year of studies, I gained relatively little IT knowledge,” Zbignev admits. “I had to improve independently. It wasn’t easy to balance work, weekend studies, and self-learning, but I could feel I was heading in the right direction.”

It’s the kind of transition most people don’t talk about until it’s over — once they’ve landed the new job, once it’s safe to share. But behind every career shift are long stretches of uncertainty, self-doubt, and small wins that feel bigger than they look.

Zbignev didn’t come in confidently. He came in curious.

Why effort still matters more than polish

When Zbignev applied to Omnisend, along with his resume he submitted a completed assignment that was included in the job ad. “I still felt I lacked knowledge, so I wasn’t very confident about applying,” he says. “So those tasks helped me prove what I could do, and motivated me to keep learning.”

That mattered, because, even though not perfect, that task explains his thinking. And it showed a desire to learn, not just a desire to get hired. That’s still how we think about potential at Omnisend. We notice curiosity. We respect thoughtful effort. And we know that the people who grow the most often start from a place of “I’m not sure yet.”

So, in 2013 Zbignev started part-time as a Junior PHP Developer. He continued learning — picking up Node.js, refining his skills, and leaning into feedback. But what helped most wasn’t the tech. It was the culture. “I found myself in an environment where it wasn’t shameful not to know something,” he says. “More experienced developers were always willing to explain, guide, or even look for solutions together.”

That’s the kind of atmosphere we talk about internally, yet don’t always stop to name. A space that fosters psychological safety, where growth doesn’t require pretending to be further along than you are.

The culture behind the career move

We talk a lot about values — ownership, curiosity, teamwork — and stories like Zbignev’s are where those things actually show up. Not in big speeches or posters on a wall, but in everyday interactions. In colleagues who take the time to explain. In a feedback culture that gives direction, not just praise. In teams that value learning over knowing.

“My growth was strongly influenced by my colleagues,” Zbignev says. “Our feedback system has also been incredibly helpful. We receive peer feedback every quarter and have open discussions about what’s going well and what skills could still be improved.”

None of that sounds flashy. Still, it’s what creates the kind of team people want to stay on — and the kind of company people recommend to their smartest ex-colleagues and friends.

It’s also worth noting, these types of stories don’t always end with “I’ve become an IT person and now everything is perfect.” For example, Zbignev’s wife also studied IT, took courses, and eventually realized she was happier in a completely different field — working at a dog grooming salon she now loves. “Watching her career shift reassured me that when you study something close to your heart, you absorb knowledge faster and stay motivated,” he says. “It doesn’t have to be IT. What matters is finding a field you enjoy and can grow in.”

Wrap up

Zbignev’s story is a reminder that real growth is rarely clean or linear. And that the best kind of culture isn’t the one that demands confidence — it’s the one that makes space for curiosity.

We don’t always realize how much that matters, especially when we’re moving fast. Yet if we want more people to grow with us — not just get hired and burn out — this is the part we need to protect. The part where it’s okay to say “I don’t know,” and still be met with “Let’s figure it out.”

As Zbignev puts it: “The most important thing is to at least try. If you give up before even trying, you’ve already lost. Even if you realize the field isn’t for you, the experience can still teach you a lot. I was lucky to find an organization where I could learn and grow,— and I wish that for anyone considering a career change.”