Martina Richtarikova’s career at NATEK started 11 years ago and is still going strong. Like most members of NATEK’s 10 years Club (or as they like to call themselves – dinosaurs), her road to where she is now, was adventurous, demanding, and nothing short of surprising. How a young and talented marketing trainee became a Sales Manager and one of the most important workers in our company? 

We ran an interview with Martina to find out more about her career journey, what helped her in getting regular promotions, and what advice she could give to those who also want to grow within the company.

What was your beginning at the company like? 

Through the vision of Jean-Michel, I started my career at NATEK as a Marketing Trainee. Our CEO knew exactly what he expects from a marketing team, and what marketing strategies he wanted to enforce. Plenty of projects were coming in and the volume of tasks was constantly growing. 

How did you manage to move up the career ladder? 

What helped me the most in this decade-long process of becoming who I am today, were my perseverance and willingness to learn. I’ve always been fond of new challenges. When I joined NATEK I jumped on a running train in the middle of web page and marketing materials redesign. After that came multiple cases, many of which required a lot of quick thinking, courage, and stress resistance. But till this day I look at them as the most proficient way of learning my own strengths and a chance for self-improvement. I love absorbing new information and digging deeper.

What encouraged you to continue your career at NATEK? 

This is a dynamic organization. And this is something that you either do or don’t like. I’ve been here for over 10 years and a lot of things have changed. It’s still the same company, but also different in so many ways, that it’s almost unrecognizable. NATEK is constantly growing, the market is changing, and the structure and team are evolving. I’ve always been able to adjust to all those transitions, and that’s why I can see myself still growing in this company. There is no time for boredom or stagnation. I’ve stayed at NATEK because here every day brings opportunities for exciting experiences.

What NATEK’s qualities do you value the most?  

Well, what I really like is that the company is not a huge corporation. You’re not just a number. Secondly, I’ve always been managed by clever people who have a clear set of goals, and they know how to achieve them. Last but not least, is the fact that I can easily combine my private life with work.

Even during my maternity leave, I was able to stay in touch with the latest updates in the company. Together with NATEK, we’ve created a part-time position for me, which in the future helped me with a better comprehension of my upcoming responsibilities. I had to focus more on my private life, so I worked for 10-12 hours per week, but I was still involved in corporate life.  

Now I can leave work earlier, pick up the children from kindergarten and then do some remaining work tasks in the evening. It allows me to plan my day in the most efficient way. 

What advice would you give to those who also want to grow their careers within the NATEK’s structure, get promotions, and change departments? 

First of all, if you want to grow at NATEK, do not hesitate to take on more responsibilities. 

If you have the capacity, ask your manager to give you additional projects. This approach will prevent you from feeling bored or burned out. Managers at our company are always open to new ideas and initiatives. It doesn’t matter what department you are in. We each have our own point of view, which allows our team to look at the same situation from many perspectives. Thanks to that we are able to find the best solutions even to the direst problems.

Any final thoughts? 

If you are a recruiter and you came up with a great idea for a marketing campaign, go ahead and let us know. If you work as one of our ADMs and you see an area for improvement in the HR procedures, don’t hesitate to inform the Head of the Department. When you can’t find a project that interests you – create one. Remember that the only way for you and NATEK to grow is if all of us work as a well-oiled machine. Show your skills and aim for a job that you desire.

 

For over a decade, I’ve been occasionally changing the path of my career to make sure I am taking on responsibilities and projects that are within my field of interest. Thanks to that, now I can call my job a passion.

Would you like to work IT with us? Check the latest Hot Jobs at NATEK and apply for the chosen position. We can’t wait to meet you!