Chatsworth interns, Isabel, Max and Eleanor progressed to take on full time roles with the company. We sat down to talk with them about their journey into Fintech PR.
Tell us your Chatsworth story so far.
Isabel: “After graduating from university, I joined Chatsworth in July 2019 as an intern with a six-month contract. In September I was then offered a permanent contract and came on full time as an Assistant Account Executive. However, 2 weeks ago I was really pleased to be promoted to Account Executive.
“Prior to joining Chatsworth, I had minimal PR and fintech experience. However, seven months in, my confidence and knowledge has hugely increased thanks to the support and training from the rest of the team.
“As my first job after uni, Chatsworth has been a great introduction to the working world where I have been challenged but with constant support. Despite being one of the junior members of the team, I am still given great client exposure and work where I feel like I am making a real contribution to the accounts.”
What is a typical working day like at Chatsworth?
Eleanor: “I can tell you that no one day is the same. We operate a variety of tasks spread across a number of clients, so we are always kept busy. Even when clients are quiet, we come up with innovative ways for optimum exposure to their key target audience. This could include nominating clients for awards, creating press releases off the back of company announcements or creating ads to promote their products.
“My supervisor keeps me on top of things, helping to prioritise work so I never feel overwhelmed.”
What were your preconceptions of the PR industry before starting at Chatsworth and have these now changed?
Eleanor: “On the surface, you might assume PR is easy but there is so much that goes on behind the scenes. We have to develop the appropriate strategy and key messaging for clients and communicate this effectively to the right publications.
“The important part is keeping the ball rolling. We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to share client stories, meaning we have to maintain relationships with journalists and the clients themselves. After all, it’s about building a client’s reputation over time.”
How did you find the transition from university to working life?
Max: “Working life is very different from life at university. The hours are longer than those worked by the typical student and commuting is not to everyone’s taste. Despite this, I found my transition entirely painless and, after a few weeks, I didn’t give it a second thought.
“My transition was definitely eased by the way Chatsworth enabled me to grow and learn. Instead of chucking me in at the deep end, I was pushed to progress but never really found myself out of my depth. On the rare occasions I did, there was always someone ready to help.”
What is it like to work within the fintech sector?
Max: “Fintech encompasses such a broad range of businesses, using a diverse set of technology to solve problems I never knew existed; however, you will very quickly get to grips with it.
“The sector sees some of the most interesting developments in the financial world and presents the perpetual challenge of communicating intricate details with both clarity and precision.”
Tell us about the employee culture at Chatsworth?
Isabel: “Being a company with under 20 employees, there is a great sense of teamwork at Chatsworth, where your achievements are always noticed and acknowledged. Regardless of the varying levels of authority, there is no sense of superiority and I feel like I can go to anyone in the team for advice and guidance.
“Outside of work, we are a social team and regularly go to events such as pub quizzes, crazy golf and after work drinks. During work hours, we know when to get our heads down but also when to keep things light-hearted – such as with our office bake-off.”
For more information about our culture and job vacancies, check out our careers page.
