Shahzan Haleem

Founding mentor

🌱 First session

Product Design manager @ Innovaccer

1testimonial Calcutta (UTC+5:30) 6+ yrs in design

About

With over a decade of industry experience, I am a Product Designer and Design Mentor whose approach is deeply rooted in my own early career challenges. Starting from humble beginnings, the hurdles I navigated early on pushed me to grow quickly and gave me a highly practical, grounded perspective on the design industry. Over the years, my work has spanned both ends of the product spectrum. I love the energy of the startup ecosystem, where I've built foundational 0-to-1 products from scratch. Alongside that, I’ve also scaled complex design initiatives at major multinational companies like Shell, Nownow, and Noon.com, adapting to global business needs and enterprise-level scale. While building products is my day-to-day work, my true passion lies in giving back to the community. What began early in my career as small, local offline mentoring sessions has organically grown into a worldwide effort. Today, I regularly connect with designers across the globe, helping them refine their craft, overcome industry hurdles, and confidently navigate their own career paths.

How I can help

While I love building products, I have always been deeply drawn to teaching and mentorship. What began early in my career as local, offline mentoring sessions has since evolved into a global online effort. Today, I regularly connect with designers from around the world to help them navigate their own paths. To give back to the community, I currently offer: Portfolio Audits: Helping designers refine their case studies, tighten their visual storytelling, and present their work effectively. Career Guidance: Providing actionable advice and industry insights to designers looking to break into the field or level up to senior roles. Pivot to Product/UX design: Breaking into product design can feel incredibly overwhelming. Between building a portfolio, mastering Figma, and trying to understand what hiring managers actually look for, it’s easy to get stuck in a tutorial loop forever. But you need not to worry about anything; I am here to help you to make your transition super smooth. Land your dream design job in Dubai (UAE): If you are dreaming of landing that coveted design job in the UAE, then it's not a far-fetched dream; I'll help you to show you the route to land high-paying design jobs in GCC countries as well. I want to dedicate my career entirely to sharing my domain knowledge and guiding designers at every level to achieve their full potential.

Ask me about

IC to manager

Pivot into design

Layoffs

First or only designer

Influence without authority

Stakeholder standoffs

Imposter syndrome

First design hires

Craft to strategy

Growing into leadership

Negotiating comp

Expertise

Resources I share

Design Resources 101 Free Resume Guide for UX/Product Designers

What mentees say

1 testimonial on Hop

Shahzan was nice and encouraging throughout our session. He gave good, actionable advice on how to position myself as a career changer along with other tips. He was friendly and easy to talk to!
Khue · Aug 2026 · Hop session

Sessions

Climb up in career ladder with Career/Portfolio guidanceFree
60 min
Ready to take your design career to the next level? I've been in the industry for a decade now, and I love giving honest, one-on-one advice to help designers grow. Whether you are feeling stuck or just want to level up, I can help you with your career path and your portfolio. Here is what we can tackle together: Finding your voice: I will pin down your personal design style and figure out the best way to talk about it. Upgrading your portfolio: Let's put together a body of work that actually grabs the attention of hiring managers and clients. Opening new doors: We will figure out exactly how to set you up for better jobs and new projects. Building your confidence: No more stressing out during interviews or feeling awkward when meeting people in the industry. Together, we will build a clear plan that focuses on what you do best so you can finally move forward. Stop letting a little self-doubt keep you from doing great work!
Get hired fast with Interview Prep & TipsFree
60 min
Feeling unprepared for an upcoming Design interview? 🤔 You’re not alone, and you don’t have to walk in unsure. What we’ll cover in the call? • How to handle the most common questions asked in Product Design interviews • Simple ways to explain your work with clarity and confidence • What interviewers look for at different experience levels • Practical tips you can use right away to feel more prepared What you’ll walk away with: ✅ A clear picture of the interview flow ✅ Better answers to tough questions ✅ More confidence going into your next job or internship interview If you’ve been aiming for that role for a while, this session will help you step in with a steady mind and a strong voice.
Fix your Design Portfolio (Portfolio Audit)$50
60 min
If you're applying for Product/UX roles and not getting enough recruiter responses, your portfolio or resume might be holding you back. In this 1:1 session, we'll dive straight into your current resume and portfolio to fix what isn't working and highlight what makes you stand out. Why should you book a slot? Direct, honest feedback: Get clear, actionable advice from someone who actually reviews designs and hires candidates no sugarcoating or generic tips. Stand out to recruiters: Learn how to structure your case studies and resume so hiring managers immediately see your value. Clear next steps: Leave the call knowing exactly what to tweak, rewrite, or redesign before sending out your next application.

English, Hindi

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