Revolut

I had some mixed feelings about joining Revolut, given some of the negative reviews and press I'd seen, but I'm happy to say that my experience has been overwhelmingly positive!

It's unlike any environment I've worked in before (although joining a company during a pandemic is a new experience in itself), and it's probably not for everyone, but I can honestly say that I love it. Positives include:

• The chance to work with A-players and be surrounded by smart, dedicated, passionate individuals.
• An amazing product and a clear vision for shaking up the financial services industry.
• A flexible working policy.
• Intensely goal-driven but fair: you always know what you need to achieve and are pushed to prioritize and solve big problems.
• Helpful and supportive colleagues and managers.
• Culture and values that inspire me and that I can identify with.
• A great deal of autonomy to go out and get things done.
• A truly multicultural workforce and global outlook.

I can't say I've come across any real negatives so far, but just a caveat that Revolut is not for everyone.

You'll likely feel more at home if you've worked in technology and/or startups before, and perhaps also some international experience, especially in locations where the pace is a bit more hectic than the UK.

Other things to note:

• It's a fast-paced startup and there's a lot to be done as quickly as possible; I haven't felt pressured to work extra hours, but you do need to be careful not to burn out.
• The company sometimes suffers from a split personality: on the one hand it's finding its feet in the highly regulated world of finance, but it feels more like an innovative fintech focused almost entirely on building an exceptional product; this sometimes involves putting on different hats, depending on what you're doing.
• Not enough female representation, especially in management (although that's partly to be expected in both finance and technology fields).

Stay focused on the vision and values.

Invest more in people now that budgets are starting to open up post-COVID.

Prioritize diversity and inclusion, especially female management.