Careers

How has your previous work experience led you to work with Zest?

I was studying international marketing for my masters, which I completed in 2021. I undertook an internship in digital marketing, that really interested me. When I was looking for a role, I wanted to find a position that wouldn't just limit me to one aspect of marketing, so it was great to begin here as a marketing executive.

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What three words sum up your zest experience so far?

Engaging, collaborative, and challenging.

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What has excited you the most about starting your new career journey with Zest?

I think being able to have a say in real decisions that are going to impact Zest. Obviously, going from studying a subject to applying that knowledge to a real company situation is interesting. I joined here pretty much from the start of the organisation and knew that despite being in my first role, the decisions I was making would impact the company’s marketing strategy going forwards.

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How can a new employee ensure they're successful in their first 30 days joining Zest?

My advice would just be to get stuck in straightaway and start chatting to people. Read about EVs and try and get to grips with some of the technical terms that you might not have come across before. Just get involved because you'll learn by doing so and don't be afraid to ask for help.

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How has working at Zest differed from other places you may have worked?

This is my first career position, so the only thing I can compare it to is an internship in digital marketing. I'd say the main thing that differs between them is the fact that you're not coddled if that makes sense. I felt like I could take on a lot of responsibility early on. Whereas in lots of other roles, you can be limited to learning and quite basic tasks. With this role at Zest, I've been able to take on more and more responsibility, especially around digital advertising, which led me to progress from my previous role here as marketing executive to digital marketing specialist.

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How has your previous work experience led you to work at Zest?

I previously worked at a gas company as a data analyst and then later on as the head of the data team. Before that, I did a PhD in physical chemistry and biology at the University of Leeds. So that was more about sustainability and climate change and the viability of alternative fuels for cars. So, I already had kind of an understanding of where we needed to go, and I've always had an interest in the environment, it seemed like a logical step.

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What three words sum up your experience with Zest so far?

Educational, supportive, and exciting.

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What has excited you the most about starting your new career journey with Zest?

Learning about an exciting new industry, it feels like I'm contributing to a better society that will hopefully benefit everyone who needs it. I don't think we're going to wake up tomorrow and everyone's got an electric car. But if we can make it easier for someone, then that feels like it's worth doing.

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In what ways has Zest made you feel a part of the team?

So, the regular company days that we have a really great way to meet up with everyone and talk to people that you wouldn't necessarily talk to you that aren't in your team on a day-to-day basis. And the coffee chats are fun. You get paired up with someone else in the company you don't necessarily talk to and have a bit of a social chat rather than just talking about work. So, you find out about random things you've got in common with people that you wouldn't necessarily find out otherwise.

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What advice would you give somebody working from home for the first time for example, how to stay focused or motivated.

You can have a separate area where you work, then that I think would be invaluable. Put your laptop away at night. You really need to close your laptop and say, "I've done with work for the day". You don't need to keep walking past it and just checking emails because it's there, make sure you switch off.

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How can a new employee ensure they are successful in their first 30 days of joining Zest?

Don't be afraid to ask questions. If you ask someone and they don't know the answer, the chances are they'll know where to find it or who to talk to, to get an answer for what you want to know. It's probably one of the most knowledgeable companies I've ever encountered. So, you could ask the finance director about something technical, and they'll know because they care about it so much.

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What opportunities has Zest presented for you to progress within your role?

As a team, we are supportive and approachable. They're always willing to involve you in discussions to further your understanding. If you need some time to learn about something, they'll let you have it. 

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How has this differed from other places you may have worked?

It's exciting to be part of something right at the start. Where they don't necessarily have a process for something, and they are willing to say how would you do it? What do you think is the best thing to do? and they're really willing to listen, which I think is really refreshing.

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How has your previous work experience led you to work with Zest?

I had a career change back in January. My previous roles included working for a large coffee company where I was part of the trade marketing team and prior to that a sales team. During my 7-year commercial career I always enjoyed problem solving and coming up with innovative and creative ways to address particular problems. I've also always enjoyed a project-based work structure, where you can see something being developed from start to finish. So, when I looked into coding, and I realised that these are a core part of any software developer's role on a daily basis, I took a leap, quit my old job, signed up for an intensive coding boot camp and landed this job in January.

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How did the current state of the environment influence your decision to join Zest?

Yes, it was one of the deciding factors as to why I joined Zest. So obviously, our planet is warming up and each and every one of us is part of the problem. Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental issues and in the UK, transport is the highest emitting sector. So, if I can contribute to reducing it and helping achieve the net zero target, then I’m in.

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What 3 words sum up your experience and zest so far?

Exciting, rewarding and very friendly.

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How could an employee ensure they are successful in the first 30 days of joining Zest?

Make use of those chat roulettes and town halls. Keep an eye on the team's group chats as well as on what's going on in the EV market. 

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What opportunities has Zest presented for you to progress within your role?

The company has been really great with supporting my development plan by allowing me to dedicate specific time to study and prepare myself to gain the AWS Cloud Practitioner certification. I've also been able to continue developing my UX skills and interests by completing this UX training course and then applying the knowledge I gained from a in my current role.

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