Audible Sound Bites with Patty Rivera
Patty Rivera is a Content Ops Specialist supporting Audible’s Content and Editorial teams by adding images, creator and cast information, video trailers and behind-the-scenes footage to Audible’s product pages. She’s also an Audible editor, writing blog posts, conducting interviews and curating listens for our collections, helping customers easily find their next listen. “Each page that I build feels like a love letter to the creators,” she says. “At the same time, it’s a gift to our listeners, who get to enjoy a richer and more immersive experience when they explore our website.” Get to know more about Patty and her work here.
What’s life like at the hub you are aligned to?
I live near our Newark hub, which provides a great opportunity to explore a lot of the area when I am not at work. During the summer, a group of colleagues and I will walk over to a local business and have lunch. I’ve gotten to try many different places to eat. I am also a repeat visitor to the Prudential Center, where I have enjoyed everything from concerts to sporting events, and a circus performance that left my niece and I stunned and delighted.
How does the work you do affect listeners—or your colleagues—across different markets worldwide?
Right now I support all of Audible’s English-speaking marketplaces, bringing the wonderful content that our Editorial team produces to listeners across Canada, the US, the UK and Australia, making their experience more fun.
Can you share an an example of a time when you received customer feedback that was meaningful to you?
I recently represented Audible at a romance book convention, Steamy Lit Con. The overwhelming sentiment we received from creators, narrators and attendees was that it was “good to put a face to Audible,” especially at an event celebrating diversity in the romance genre. Seeing women of color (my fellow editor, Margaret, and I attended) representing Audible elicited a positive response from every person we encountered. There was also a lot of excitement for Audible as a brand. Authors and listeners pulled out their phones to show us their huge Audible libraries and ask for more recommendations. While at the event, the author Elena Armas recognized me as the editor who had written about her title. She showed me her social media, where she had posted about me by name! It was one of those moments where I had to double check that I wasn’t dreaming.
Can you share a bit about your career journey at Audible?
I have been with Audible for a little over seven years. My career here started with talking to customers on the phone. I knew that I was great at talking, and as a lifelong bookworm, even better at recommending and championing things that I enjoyed. I helped customers as a technical support specialist, then when an opportunity to work with our social care team became available, I applied (with a “challenge accepted” attitude). On that team, I was able to make a positive impact by supporting customers on Audible’s social media channels, and I went above and beyond to innovate—I sought my manager’s permission to begin supporting our Spanish-speaking customers, which previously required going outside the team for translation and took more time.
After three years, I was determined to continue to find ways to make a positive impact within Audible, while also following my creative spark. The Customer Care and Content teams launched a program that paired Care employees with a mentor from the Content team. When my mentor (who I am still very close with) saw a sample of my work, she was so impressed that she connected me to the Audible Blog team, who worked with me to create my very first Audible Blog post. The Editorial team then offered me a special project where I would support their efforts as an Audible Editor. Seven months later, I was offered a position as a Content Ops Specialist, combining all of the parts of the project that I enjoyed into a career that I absolutely love.
How do you draw inspiration from culture and technology?
By immersing myself in it. My work doesn’t feel like work because I very much love what I do. When I am not working, you can find me in a library or in a quiet space listening to my audiobook while updating my Goodreads page with quotes that I love. I also attend book festivals, where I get to spend time with other listeners and readers, who tell me what they are listening to and enjoying, and I then bring that information back to the work I do.
What’s one quality people interested in working on the Customer Service Content Ops team need in order to be successful?
Adaptability. I find that Audible is an environment that moves fast, and one has to be ready to make changes at any time. There are times when I’m working on one title, and I need to quickly pivot to ensure pages are ready for new announcements and pre-orders for an upcoming release.
What advice would you have for a candidate considering Audible?
First: If you can work out of Newark, please do—it’s so much fun (have you seen our Innovation Cathedral?) Second: Don’t be afraid to bring your curious mind to Audible; I have been part of so many innovative projects here because of my curiosity and willingness to provide feedback. Third: Once you’re hired here, get involved in opportunities to Activate Caring. There’s something about the opportunities to make an impact in the community—it feels like an employee benefit.
What made you choose to work at Audible, and what makes you want to stay?
Even before working at Audible, I fell in love with Audible as my audiobook provider. One day, while speaking to an Audible customer service expert, I asked where headquarters was, and when I heard that it was in Newark, just a few minutes’ drive from my home, I immediately applied. I love how our mission has expanded to include working with the best creators to spark imaginations and bring new ideas and voices to our millions of listeners around the globe. I stay because there is never a boring day when I come into the office, and when I see my work, I am so proud and excited to tell everyone about it.
Do you participate in any of Audible’s employee-led Impact Groups?
I am a part of Unidos@Audible. The effect that it has had on me has been tremendous, as I get to surround myself with other Hispanics/Latinos at Audible who love our content as much as I do. Unidos meetings often include book recommendations, which help as I work to curate better lists for our Spanish listeners.
I think it’s important to have Impact Groups like Unidos because it builds a community within Audible of people who I can relate to personally. Latinos are not a monolith, and being in Unidos has allowed me to not only experience other Latino cultures, but to see Latinos in all walks of life. I have met people in Unidos finishing their first month at Audible, and I have also met people who have been with us for over a decade—all willing to share their experiences with me and offer support if I ever feel stuck or need advice.
Lightning Round!
Favorite genre? Romance and Fiction.
Listening from a speaker or headphones? Headphones (with a spare set ready to go).
Favorite activity while listening? Walking my cat.
Morning person or night owl? Disturbingly diurnal.
Favorite snack? Cold mango slices.
What is your favorite listen?
Most people at Audible will tell you I can’t ever give just one recommendation!
My favorite listen: Lessons in Chemistry, by Bonnie Garmus. I started listening because I loved the cover (this is very typical of me); I kept listening because I fell in love with the story of a woman in a science career, whom everyone misunderstood but who understood herself very well. I then had the honor of interviewing the author, which has been one of the highlights of my career.
My current listen: Pantallas and Mentiras, by By Julio Rojas. The audio effects on this Spanish-language Audible Original are excellent, making me proud to be part of a team that produces such quality content.