Pros
There are no pros to working here.
Cons
Toxic masculinity, misogyny, and sexual harassment run rampant in the Talkdesk Sales organization, with those qualities even more prevalent in the Business Development org- not to mention the inexistent career progression that keeps you in the same role (and same pay) for years regardless of achievement. I left Talkdesk after 2.5 years supporting North America’s business development and pipeline generation efforts, and to say it changed me for the better would be utterly false. I arrived excited, hopeful, and proud of the work I was doing and the product I was selling; I left with shattered confidence, an extreme distrust of colleagues and leadership alike, multiple instances of sexual harassment experienced, and a jaded perspective on the tech industry and my overall career trajectory. Despite what executives may tell you, in the sales organization you are simply a number, a cog in the wheel, only valued for creating revenue for the business. No career progression, no skill development, no bonuses, promotions, or even cost of living increases. With such an inflated and uninformed quota, you will never hit plan and you will destroy your mental health trying to. The company’s values are a façade to hide behind, with no accountability or progress to be found but rather a marketing piece for every corporate presentation. For example, although Trust and Transparency is a Talkdesk value preached to the masses, reps will face criticism from leadership for employing trust and transparency in their day-to-day work. Even further, reps will face retaliation, with their careers purposefully stifled by challenging leadership and standing up for morals like respect, equity, and honesty. While some of my colleagues were fantastic people whom I still remain connected to today, the vast majority (especially in leadership) drink the Talkdesk Kool Aid for their own advancement and ego with no regard for the human experience or work-life balance. Disguised as performance issues, Talkdesk will fire you during your time away for mental health reasons, bereavement, natural disasters, illness etc. Some of them won’t even try to hide their personal disdain for you and will put you on a performance plan at 90% to plan. Trying to resolve any of the aforementioned issues is useless and will create a target on your back for leadership’s scrutiny. At the very least, Talkdesk taught me a few things: how to spot red flags during the application process, how to survive under toxic management, and has solidified all of the characteristics of a workplace that I want to avoid. Don’t be fooled by exaggerated numbers, the chance to own equity, and the career progression timeline promised by recruiters (they also have a number to hit, and are desperate with 75% attrition in the sales development org during my time). Best of luck to those already in the business, and for those that are considering a sales role at Talkdesk: don’t say I didn’t warn you.