It all started for me when I read the company brochure online, praising how Meltwater prides itself in its culture and belief in people. My first thought was: “too good to be true,” but secretly, I was hoping it would turn out to be all that was described in the recruiting material.

The next step was recruitment, where I met some of the Meltwater people: Sales Managers, Managing Directors, Area Directors, all taking their time to recruit individuals they felt truly passionate about and wanted to invite to be part of the team. That recruitment turned out to be the first day of the rest of my career, and I haven’t looked back. At that point, I had no idea that a mere 10 months later I would sit in the exact same board room in Manchester, only this time, I was to be on the other side… It was everything I anticipated and more.

Edinburgh was a fantastic starting point; an office renowned for its success in people development, international transfers and hitting sales quotas in style. I found myself surrounded by colleagues (whom I consider friends) who have inspired me and continue to do so.

Looking back at it now, it feels surreal how much I’ve developed professionally, from a fresh graduate to taking on a management role in a fast growing software company. I found myself doing business with CEOs, Marketing Directors of global companies and able to garner these executives’ respect for my time and efforts. However, none of this came easily nor without a fight and obstacles along the way.

At times it was a true challenge to stay motivated, but I suppose this is where you find out what your true strengths and weaknesses are. For the “Godfather” fans out there- I had the chance to “take it to the mattresses”… sheer determination to achieve. Every sales call I made, I had the bell in sight (which we ring to signify closing a deal and bringing on a new client) – and I worked knowing that I put up a fight for my team, and for my office. Hard work has paid off for me. I came to understand what it really takes to close a deal – sometimes it’s persistence, other times it’s instantly build a great relationship with your contact and making them an offer they can’t refuse… this exact thing has enabled me to sign on one of the biggest clients in Meltwater history.

And yes the victory is perfectly thirst quenching, like a crisp glass of Veuve Clicquot.

Launching a career at Meltwater has been an empowering experience to date and I’m excited to see where my career path takes me.

Meltwater ticked all the required boxes for me: fast progression, full responsibility over my career path, challenging and rewarding work, diverse culture and the ultimate support network. So thank you Meltwater, for letting me take it to the mattresses.