Diary of...

29-Oct-2008

Sarah Drew, general manager, TheLadders.co.uk

Monday

My bus starts at the highest point in London and heads downhill - that’s not how my week will go, just topography! I normally get to the office by 9.30am and will pop next door to the café to pick up some breakfast and a large tea. Caffeine is important on a Monday. We have a company-wide meeting at 2.15pm each week called ‘Friday Forum’ (don’t ask!) when we discuss what the customers have been saying, how our numbers are looking and any topics that need to be discussed (promotions made, tech releases, etc). Get home by 9pm.



Tuesday

PR meeting today over lunch with agency and we are discussing what press releases we can get out this month that will bring in column inches and brand awareness. I think about a survey on executives that are ‘Power Couples’ and we get into some fun brainstorming ideas to throw out as a survey to members on TheLadders. Our senior vice-president is over from the US for a couple of days, so head out for some cocktails and a nice bite to eat with the team. Feel somewhat tipsy on the bus back home!



Wednesday

Today we have our Team UK meeting and so on video conference with product and tech team in New York for a two-hour call. I need to get my tea at 3pm preceding this, as we can have some lengthy discussions on how to better our website. Have my newsletter to write which goes to about 120,000 people. Discuss the editorial schedule with my editor for future topics.



Thursday

Busy morning. Planning budgets for next year with marketing manager. We head over to the Institute of Directors to be away from email so we can dig in. It may not sound exciting to be immersed in excel spreadsheets but I am excited thinking about 2009. Shattered so I’m going to bed.



Friday

Bagel Friday. We have bagels and smoked salmon for breakfast — something that we all enjoy and have a social chit-chat before we hit our desks. Have a call with the chief exec of our CV-writing service every week. We normally discuss marketing and how we can improve the customer experience. Have a meeting with HR manager about new hires on our team and their requirements to set them up for success. Leave the office by 6pm, as usual on Friday, and — as usual — try and squeeze a cheeky one in somewhere near the office.