In our second series, we continue exploring the career journeys of professionals building meaningful careers across borders.

Our guest is Yigit Erdogan, Senior Conversion Rate Optimization Specialist at IKEA, currently based in Malmö, Sweden.

In this conversation, Yigit shares how an unexpected opportunity led him to Sweden, how living by the sea and working in a highly digital, people-centric culture reshaped his perspective, and what it truly means to build impact inside a global organization like IKEA.

From experimentation and data-driven decision-making to collaboration, self-leadership, and finding balance in a new country, Yigit offers an honest look into both the professional and personal sides of building a global career.

What brought you to Sweden, and when did it start feeling like home?

I actually had no plans to move to Sweden at that time, but when I received a job offer from IKEA, it made me start thinking about moving to Malmö. I wasn’t able to visit beforehand, but the fact that it’s by the seaside and close to Copenhagen, which has a vibrant city life, were also important factors in my decision to move here.

It takes a while to settle into a new city and culture where you don’t know anyone. However, when I started participating in social and sports activities like rowing, tennis, and windsurfing, my social network began to grow, and that’s when I started to feel at home.

How would you explain your current role to someone who has never worked in your field?

The full name is Conversion Rate Optimization, but to make it more concrete, I always ask people to imagine themselves visiting a webpage on their phone say, looking for a furniture. My job is to enable teams to optimize the page so they can find the furniture they’re looking for as easily as possible by showing different versions of the page to different visitors. We then measure which version performs best and make that version live. So, I essentially work with digital experiments.

Looking back, which moment or decision changed the direction of your career the most?

First and foremost AIESEC has played a huge role when I was studying in enabling me to work in a foreign country. While volunteering at AIESEC, I collaborated with many international people from around the world in different countries. This broadened my horizons and sparked my interest in other cultures. Through the organization, I lived and worked in Athens, Greece and Florida, USA.

I have a degree in Statistics and have always loved digital products, so I started working in Digital Analytics area in Istanbul, which later evolved into a focus on Conversion Rate Optimization.

What is one thing Sweden taught you that no previous workplace or country had taught you?

Calmness and kindness! In Sweden, almost everything is solved with a collaborative mindset while operating calmly. Everybody treats each other with kindness, and I really like this approach!

Sweden is known for “lagom” and balance — how did these values show up in your daily work?

Lagom means not too little and not too much, just the right amount! Work life balance is very important here, so it’s about being effective and adding value without compromising your health, relationships, or personal life, so that work improves your life rather than taking it over. If you work too much, someone will come and remind you to take care of your well-being. 🙂

What is the biggest adjustment someone should expect when joining a Swedish team for the first time?

Of course it can be different from company to company but from my experience in Sweden, they can expect to to be in a flat environment rather than working under hierarchy. You are expected to lead by example, collaborate and co-create with your colleagues. Rather than always working with top down approach where management sets the strategy and goals, I adopted here bottom-up approach as well where teams or individuals develop plans and ideas, which are then aggregated upwards.

What helped you integrate faster — and what slowed you down?

I had a smooth integration when it comes to bureaucracy and didn’t have any issues with formalities while settling in, which definitely helped me integrate faster. I also think having an open mindset when moving to a different country is crucial, because the way people live, work, and enjoy life can be very different.

I didn’t realize how hard it would be for me until I experienced my first Swedish winter. The daylight is very short from November until April, so for someone who has lived most of their life in very sunny places, it was and still is challenging to cope with the winter darkness. It has literally slowed me down. :) 

Many people say making friends in Sweden is slow but stable. How did it unfold for you?

It’s true that, among the countries I’ve lived in, it has taken more time to make friends in Sweden, and I see that as natural. It takes time to build friendships, but they are genuine. People are kind and friendly. It’s always easier to connect with people who share similar hobbies, so that’s the path I chose.

How did learning (or not learning) Swedish influence your experience?

I work entirely in English, and since almost everyone in Sweden speaks a high level of English, that made settling in much easier. Nevertheless, I wanted to learn the language, so I took Swedish courses in my first year and I’m now continuing to improve in order to become fluent in daily life. Anyone can get by and live comfortably here with just English, but to be truly immersed in the culture, I believe it’s important to speak the local language.

What is one everyday rule, habit, or system in Sweden that took you by surprise?

Sweden’s digitalization is highly advanced, and you can handle almost everything digitally without needing any paperwork, which makes life much easier. Identification, payments everything is digital. I honestly did not expect this before I moved to Sweden.

What do you think foreigners misunderstand most about Swedish people?

People might have a prejudiced idea that people here are cold, but it’s actually the opposite. It just takes time to understand :)

A Swedish habit you adopted — intentionally or unintentionally.

FIKA! It’s a way of pausing life and enjoying coffee or tea, usually with something sweet or a pastry. I often find myself inviting people for fika at work or outside as a way to socialize.

A food, tradition, or seasonal ritual that you now genuinely enjoy.

I really enjoy Semla, which is a sweet bun flavored with cardamom and filled with almond paste and whipped cream. It’s typically available in bakeries only between Christmas and Easter and is perfect for FIKA!

Your favourite Swedish comfort spot: café, nature area, neighbourhood, or routine.

I enjoy the long summer days by the seaside in Malmö. I usually go there after work with friends or by myself to read, swim, and people-watch. It’s so relaxing just being by the water, and it was one of the most important factors for me when deciding to move to Malmö.

If someone is planning to move to Sweden for work, what is the one thing they must prepare for?

Deliver and be effective through self-leadership in a flat hierarchy.

What skill makes the biggest difference when working in the Nordics (beyond English)?

I think the skill of being yourself makes the biggest difference not only in the Nordics but anywhere because each of us is unique, and that’s how we can produce great stuff.

Your one-sentence advice for anyone dreaming of a global career.

Be curious and open-minded about challenges, they’ll help you grow!