After joining Talent Formula in October 2022 during COVID, Divya Sekar has been working as Client Relationship Manager for the Talent Formula Team. She recently had the opportunity to join the team in Australia for 6 weeks and experience their culture, working environment, and meet clients in person!
We caught up with Divya after her trip to find out how it went:
Hi Divya, can you share a bit about what you’re responsible for, and what excites you about working for the team?
I am the point of contact for client day-to-day activity which basically means I ensure we are managing the processors and analysing their work. As Client Relationship Manager, I bridge the gap between Sydney Client Directors and people on the ground (processors).
I think the company’s growth is exciting. The fact they are continuously hiring, striving for improvement, and improving processes as well, keeps things interesting.
So, what’s the best part about your job?
I like being given the freedom and liberty to express myself and be honest. If I have any suggestions or concerns I’m not intimidated to speak up, and this is something that can be quite rare.
But if we are talking about what I deal with in a working day, it has to be the client-facing opportunities. I love strengthening those relationships to give them confidence.
What has been your biggest accomplishment working at Talent Formula so far?
I was part of one of the biggest client onboarding processes where we had to onboard a large number of clients in a short period of time, but I loved it. And it’s opportunities like that and being able to travel to Australia to visit that make me love what I do, even more.
You work from the Hyderabad office normally, what’s that like?
The company takes very good care of us and there’s a great culture and environment. We’ve actually just moved into a new office which is an incredible space for collaborating as it has lots of space to interact and enjoy learning sessions put on for the staff.
In the Hyderabad office, the company also provide breakfast, lunch, and games in the office to enjoy during breaks and it’s great to be flexible with our hours. One of my favourite elements are the ‘anchor days’ which are similar to team building that allow us to discuss what is and isn’t working both in and out of work.
Was this trip the first time you had met the Sydney team in person?
I worked with the team remotely for a long time because of the pandemic, but I actually had the opportunity to meet some of the team for the first time in the Hyderabad office in October 2022 for a photo shoot and Gala Dinner.
Australian clients I had been working with for nearly two years travelled to attend the event, and we also got to meet members of the Australian management team, and other member firms we work with. That said, the trip was my first opportunity to go to the Australian office and meet the rest of the team.
Did you also get to meet any clients while you were there?
Yes, I was able to work with the Feros Group from their office for a couple of days which was incredible. They allowed me to visit some of their venues and we had a menu tasting session at The Prince Hotel which was incredible.
Can you share any similarities or differences between the two offices?
I think most notably it was the similar values, hard work, and lovely people that really made it feel like home. Australians are very friendly and I like how people are active, enjoying walks and being outdoors because they have a good work/life balance. But we definitely don’t have crocodile and kangaroo pizza here in Hyderabad!
Which aspects of Talent Formula’s company values do you most connect with?
Definitely ‘Customer Obsession’, I love working with clients, and even though building relationships remotely has been great, being able to meet them in person in Australia and see things for myself has been the icing on the cake.
It was the first time you left India and travelled, so did you cross anything else off of your bucket list during your visit?
Yes, I was very proud of myself for going on a plane on my own for the first time. But I had some downtime while I was there and managed to check off a lot of ‘firsts’. I went camping for the first time and sky diving from 15,000 ft for the first time.
My partner arrived in Sydney for some sightseeing together and we visited as much as possible including the tourist hotspots of Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sea Life, Hyde Park, Madam Tussauds, China Town, Sydney Fish Market, Sydney Tower Eye, Taronga Zoo and Harbour View. Plus, we enjoyed the beach walk from Bondi to Coogee, and we drove to the Blue Mountains which was mesmerising. I definitely made the most of my time in and out of the office!
And lastly, would you go back to the Talent Formula office (and Australia)?
In a heartbeat! It was an amazing experience and I want to thank everyone who gave me the opportunity to go. I would definitely recommend working for the company.
Thank you to Divya Sekar for sharing her experience and thank you to the wonderful team who made her feel so welcome.
