A varied job role and flexibility - Marketing Talkative Employee Review

Fast paced start-up environment means it's always exciting to work at Talkative. Being a growing company means we aren't tied down by red tape, creating a dynamic and agile working ethos where decisions are made quickly. Being a smaller company size also means you get more accountability and influence over projects and, where appropriate, the direction of strategy. Being able to see multiple projects through from inception to implementation is very rewarding. The culture at Talkative is also great, we all get along very well and have a blast while we do it! Its also super flexible which is great for me as a mum of 2 very little ones!

Startup culture is not for everyone- you are sometimes expected to 'get your hand dirty' and contribute to tasks outside your direct remit which might excite some, but irritate others. Again, swings and roundabouts, we are almost fully remote working. We come into the office once per month (sometimes a bit more regularly). The office is open 5 days per week so it depends on if that suits you or not.

I have worked at Talkative for a little over 10 months and my personal progression has been astonishing. The guys at Talkative are passionate about supporting and developing staff here which has resulted in my skills increasing to a point that I never believed they could in such a short period of time. The work is exciting and varied and upon starting the role, the directors were patient with me, giving me time and support to learn the tools I needed to succeed in this role. At this point I have a level of autonomy in the work I undertake, whether that is spending time working directly with customers at a support level or choosing which new features I want to develop within the core application. Hard work is rewarded with regular praise and we have social events hosted by the company to thank us for our efforts. In addition to this, a level of flexibility is offered to help balance work/life constraints, such as working from home if I was to have childcare issues etc. Talkative is a small start up company, with this comes the opportunity to have direct access to the decision makers of the business. In larger companies, it is often a feeling of being a “cog in a larger machine” whereas at Talkative, everyone has a voice and my individual input can help shape the direction of the company. It gives you a feeling of being part of something much bigger and more exciting. The other benefit of working in a smaller company is the variety in the work we do. Some days I could be developing new features for the application and others I could be leading a conference call with the IT department of a local government department helping them implement the software in their organisation. Talkative is currently based in the Wesley Clover Innovation Centre which has ties with the Celtic Manor resort. As such, we get to access many Celtic Manor facilities for free or at a discounted rate. This includes free lunch every day in the Celtic Manor staff canteen! Talkative has a great staff culture and you really get a sense of belonging here, everyone here is friendly and supportive and we have great fun in the office, it really is a fantastic environment to work in.

I have not found anything I would consider a con as of yet. Some people might struggle with the environment of a smaller start up company as at times, the work can be quite demanding and deadlines can be tight, but for me this is just another thing that makes the role more exciting.