According to Dominyka Zaveckaitė, a member of the Content Quality team, she has “way too many hobbies”. We chatted with Dominyka about how the things she learns outside of her job have helped her grow professionally.

You’ve been a part of Vinted since the beginning of 2020. Can you tell us why you decided to join?

After studying fashion design, I went to Barcelona for an internship and started looking for a job. Vinted was one of my top choices, because I found the company culture and its mission to make second-hand the first choice worldwide astonishing. After a while, I found out that Vinted was searching for Content Quality Specialists, and that’s how I got my start.

So it was Vinted’s mission that grabbed your interest! Why is it so important to you? 

Vinted’s mission is very close to my own lifestyle. Ever since I was young, I’ve learned the value of second-hand clothing – I believe they make people’s styles more unique. At the same time, the sustainability angle is important to me. I try as much as I can to lead a sustainable lifestyle by driving less and reducing my plastic use, and I listen to podcasts like “Išpakuota” to try and gain a wider perspective on how to live sustainably. 

Now that you‘re part of Vinted’s company culture, what would you say motivates you the most?

I feel that every day is a new day, and that something cool can happen. My job can be very unpredictable, and  I find that motivating. I can also take a lot from my position and learn plenty of new skills – something that gives my job meaning. 

What does your daily routine look like? Do you have any morning rituals that help you to kick-start your day? 

Well, the average workday of a Content Quality Specialist looks different to that of a typical office employee. Our job is exciting, not monotonous. Actually, my mornings are usually the most predictable part of my day: I always start them by having a cup of coffee and spending some time with my pets, Giliukas the chinchilla and my fish in their tank.

It’s rumoured that how you spend your free time is just as exciting as your job! Can you tell us more? 

Yes, the rumours are true! I believe that I have way too many hobbies. It all started in art school – and now I make paintings to give to friends and family as gifts because of that. I also started sewing when I was 15, which led me to study fashion design. I don’t sew as often as I would like, because I’m always starting new hobbies. 

Last year, for example, I started to make jewellery from sea glass and tiles I found in Barcelona. Then I decided that I need to learn jewellery-making, and how to work with silver. Lockdown meant that classes were cancelled, but I accidentally stumbled upon a new hobby that I love instead – ceramics! The Content Quality team had a remote team-building activity where we learnt how to make dishes from clay. I found it extremely interesting, so I ended up bringing some clay home, and I made lots of cups for my friends and family. One month ago, I started making rugs… my apartment is full of stuff for making clothes, rugs, and paintings. 

They’re all very artistic hobbies – how do you make time for them all?

It might seem that all of my free time is dedicated to art, but I also love meeting with friends and playing board games. I have so many board games that fitting them all on my shelves is like a whole other game of its own!

Have your hobbies taught you anything that you can use in your work? 

Sometimes you need to be creative and think differently at work, and creative hobbies can help prepare you for such situations. When working with handmade items, you have to pay close attention to detail, be precise, be able to think a few steps ahead, and to be patient and not get upset if things don’t turn out how you expected them to. All of these are skills that can definitely help you in any job. 

What do you think it takes to be really great at what you do, whether for work or a hobby?

I believe that persistence is key. With persistence and hope, you can really learn something, and become great at what you do. 

Oh, and by the way – do you use the Vinted app? You could sell the things you make! 

It’s crazy how time flies, but I have been using Vinted for more than ten years now – I was 14 when I started. I mostly sold clothes, but now I know that I can find great quality high-end items for less. 

So we’ve learned that you’re a Vinted veteran, and a true lover of art – but what one fact would you like others to know about you? 

It’s not necessarily a fun fact, but when I was 19, I went to Indiana state in the US to sell children’s books door-to-door. My English was very poor, but I still met lots of people – I even found a host family. Although this family is older than my parents, we’re now best friends. Thinking back on this experience, however, makes me feel that I’ve already had the most challenging job – nothing could ever be as difficult as that. 

Do you travel a lot? What’s your favourite place in the world?

I have been to 22 countries, lived in 4, and my favourite place in the world is the “Olando kepure” seaside cliff in Lithuania. Going abroad makes you understand how beautiful Lithuania is.

Thanks for giving us a glimpse into your life, Dominyka! Before you go, can you give us a recommendation of something you’re into?

I genuinely enjoy audiobooks. You can do other things while you’re listening to them, which makes them an excellent opportunity for busy people to read lots more books. One of my favourites was Rich Dad Poor Dad, by Robert T. Kiyosaki.