Meet Matt

How long have you been at the company, and what kind of different jobs have you done at Random House?
I’ve been at Random House for three and half years. I started by working to develop our third party distribution business, now known as RHPS, and have been in my current role as Vice President, Digital for 18 months.

What’s a typical day like for you?
My typical day is full of meetings, emails and writing and giving presentations to internal and external audiences.

What attracted you to your position? What is your favorite thing about your job?
My favorite part of my job is working with a group of bright and dedicated people trying to figure out how publishing will work in the future.

What’s the culture like at Random House and in your division?
Very open, communicative and cooperative. People are neither territorial nor closed, which is really great.

What new opportunities exist for Random House in today's digital environment?
We have a chance to become far more effective and efficient in reaching audiences online, we can create new revenue opportunities and also develop compelling electronic versions of our core product.

Do you have any advice for someone who would like to work at Random House in a position like yours? Be up to speed on the implications of significant industry shifts, especially related to marketing and distribution.

How does Random House support your professional and personal development?
My boss gives me lots of room to make my own decisions and run my own initiatives. I have lots of exposure to key audiences, both internal and external. Bertelsmann training events have been helpful.

How does Random House’s work life balance compare to other industries?
The work life balance is fantastic. I am very dedicated to my job and find my career challenging and rewarding. At the same time, I have lots of time for my family, whether that means vacations, being home for dinner, or being able to visit my kids’ school during the day without anyone questioning me.

What has been your most challenging/rewarding/memorable task/project so far?
Several have been at the top of the list including launching our Insight widgets, our personalized books product line, our first experiment with downloading books by the chapters and digitizing backlist titles for eBooks.

What are your thoughts on the community/social and environmental initiatives that Random House is currently supporting/pursuing?
Generally, I find Random House to be very supportive of social causes on a global basis.