Like many in the Analytics team, Joe has a strong mathematical background. Having studied Mathematics at the University of Birmingham with a few coding modules for good measure, Joe has a highly analytical mind. This makes him perfectly suited to the technical team where he completes in depth implementations and detailed analyses as well as championing new products for the team and our clients.
Tell us five random facts about yourself?
- I was once tested for leprosy at the doctors, before being diagnosed with Morphea. A rare skin disease that is completely harmless!
- I have performed stand up comedy at the last two Edinburgh fringe festivals with my University.
- I recently shook hands with Bill DeBlasio, the Mayor of New York.
- There is a recording of me singing 'Sex Bomb' by Tom Jones that I submitted for my Music Tech A-level coursework.
- I'm a pretty terrible singer.
When you graduated from University, did you know that you wanted to work in digital?
After graduating I didn't have an exact idea of what I wanted to do. I applied for various analyst roles before stumbling on web analytics. As soon as I did, I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier!
Why did you choose to work at Merkle over other companies?
I really got the sense that Merkle was a company that valued their employees and strived to create a healthy working atmosphere, and I haven't been disappointed. Also, the job description really spoke to me, especially the part about a typical day having "a good balance of coding, writing, talking, data and learning new stuff". In my eyes, a day involving all of those things is a pretty great way to spend your time.
What do you love the most about working at Merkle?
I have to say, my favourite part of working at Merkle is Food Friday. Every month, the whole company order in and eats together. It's always exciting and we haven't ordered from the same place twice for as long as I've been here. The food can be delicious (Korean BBQ week was a personal highlight), but the relaxed atmosphere and how it brings the whole company together is what makes it so enjoyable.
What's the coolest thing you've done in your job recently?
In order to implement tracking on client websites, I've been using a lot of Google Tag Manager. It may not sound like the most glamorous work, but I find it fascinating! Every website is unique and presents a different challenge with respect to tracking. Sometimes this means getting your hands dirty with a little coding. I find real satisfaction in getting a Custom Javascript tag working perfectly!
What is the best company social you have attended and why?
The Christmas party at The Cinema Museum was definitely my favourite social. It was 1920s themed and everyone looked the part; the champagne at the venue wasn't too shabby either.
What advice would you give to a budding applicant?
Familiarise yourself with the Google Analytics interface, learn how website data is collected and think about how data can be used to improve a website's performance. Learn some terminology, Bounce Rate, Session, Segment, etc. But most importantly, be relaxed, be yourself, have a good night's sleep, and eat a hearty breakfast before your interview.
Want to join our team of Technical Web Analysts?
Merkle are always recruiting for new Web Analysts, so if you'd like to apply, please click here for current opportunities.