Q&A with Chatsworth’s account executives: Maeve and Jude

What does a typical day look like for an account executive at Chatsworth?

Jude:

In such a fast-paced industry, it’s difficult to describe a ‘typical day’ – each day provides unique opportunities and challenges. Whilst you do have daily responsibilities, industry news can often instruct your work – meaning that what you think will be a quiet day can quickly become a very busy one. I feel that this is part of the reason that working in PR is so exciting, and Chatsworth allows you to get stuck in right from the beginning.

Maeve:

Each day is quite different! One of the great things about working in PR is that no two days are the same – it often depends on what is being reported in the news. Each day I have specific tasks to do – mainly monitoring the news for key developments in fintech or looking for new media opportunities for my clients.  However, the fintech sector is particularly fast-paced and there always seems to be new opportunities to secure coverage for clients!

Fintech is a fast-moving specialised sector, what is it like to work in the industry?

Jude:

Fintech is one of the most exciting sectors to work in as you are constantly on the cutting edge of the financial industry. Whether keeping up with crypto or following advancements in AI, you are kept informed of the most innovative and forward-thinking work. With the industry being so fast paced, it is important to keep up to date with the what’s going on, which means reading and researching the news is something you should find time for every day. The fast-moving nature of the industry can seem daunting at first, especially to those with no prior fintech experience, however Chatsworth offers a lot of support to help learn about the space – including 1-on-1 explainer sessions with managers.

Maeve:

I’m still quite new to the fintech sector but I feel as though I have learnt a lot over the past few months! From the outside, I think fintech can seem like quite a daunting industry – most people can be intimidated by the complexities of finance and technology. However, it’s a fascinating industry to work in because you’re often the first to hear about exciting technological developments in finance. More importantly, I think working in fintech provides you with an insight into how the world really works, as most people either use or interact with financial technology every day.

What has been your biggest learning curve since starting your PR career?

Jude:

I found that time management and communication are very important. Due to how fast paced the industry is, a news story can suddenly pop up that means you have to reorganise the order of your day, or even week, to make sure that all your work is completed by their deadlines. Everyone at Chatsworth make this much easier, however, as they are always willing to help you – whether it be by extending deadlines or taking on a task for you, all you need to do is ask.

Maeve:

I have always enjoyed writing, but I think a big learning curve for me has been learning to write more concisely. At university you’re often taught to write in a specific way, but when you’re working in PR you need to be able to adapt your writing style according to the client and the type of publication. As a newcomer to fintech, I’ve learnt a lot about the industry since I joined Chatsworth. Everyone is more than happy to answer any questions and I was given plenty of reading resources to learn more about the industry. I think Chatsworth is a great place to start your career, as you’re able to have hands-on responsibilities from the very start, such as writing op-eds for clients and contacting journalists.

Maintaining a flexible working culture is important at Chatsworth, how do you manage hybrid working amongst the team?

Jude:

Communication and understanding is key to a flexible working culture that works for everyone. When working from home, making sure you clearly state certain times when you are and aren’t available is very useful to other team members who may be looking for help on a task. At Chatsworth, everyone is very understanding of each other’s busy lives and schedules and they will not burden you with unnecessary pressure, which is easy to do when you are not face-to-face.

Whilst in the office, the team makes good use of this time. There are constantly conversations flying around the room, verbally or digitally. Everyone bounces ideas off each other and are keen to help one another. The office space is used effectively to aid in breaking up the day. Our open kitchen space helps people to have conversations with their colleagues and relax during lunch, whilst the meeting room is often home to training sessions, focused work, or client meetings.

Maeve:

The team at Chatsworth are great at making sure everyone has the flexibility they need at work. Most of us go into the office 2/3 days per week then work from home on the other days. When I first started at Chatsworth, I was worried I would be left to my own devices when working from home, but everyone communicates daily on teams (and in-person when we are in the office) – so no question is left unanswered!