EDHEC’s career guidance has greatly boosted my confidence

Could you briefly introduce your current employer and your position?

I am currently employed at Procter & Gamble China's brand management department as a Senior Brand Manager for the Personal Cleansing category, responsible for managing the marketing and offline business of the OLAY body care brand.

How did you find your current job?

In my first year at EDHEC Business School, I participated in Procter & Gamble China's CEO Challenge and successfully secured a direct promotion to the final round of the campus recruitment process. Upon graduating from EDHEC in 2023, I successfully passed the campus recruitment and secured a job at Procter & Gamble.

Did EDHEC provide any assistance during your job search?

1. EDHEC provided me with a high-quality alumni network. At EDHEC, I met many outstanding and like-minded partners and participated in several interesting business projects together. Today, these outstanding partners have stood out in various well-known companies. During my time at EDHEC, I completed three internships in China and France, and during the process of finding these internships, alumni and classmates provided invaluable help. These internship experiences greatly aided my job search and career development.

2. EDHEC's curriculum simulates a real business environment, laying a solid foundation for me to better adapt to work and the workplace. In almost all courses and simulated business competitions, we needed to solve various business problems through teamwork. These multiple practices honed my communication skills and cross-cultural communication abilities, while also teaching me to think and solve problems using business frameworks. After graduation, during internships and formal jobs, I realised that the skills and experiences learned at EDHEC repeatedly occurred in my daily work.

3. During my studies at EDHEC, I felt a significant boost in my confidence. Previously, I only had a short 4-month retail work experience and had no confidence in my job search. Fortunately, EDHEC has a career guidance center that provides consultation services and helps revise resumes. I still remember how one consultant worked hard to highlight my resume and encouraged me to stay confident. Additionally, EDHEC has many corporate resources, hosting annual recruitment fairs specifically for students, giving us the opportunity to interact directly with recruiters. If the conversation goes well, there is even a chance of getting an interview opportunity or job offer. In my Strategy, Organisation and Consulting major graduation project, we also invited employees from Capgemini Consulting to act as mentors for half a year, providing us with valuable learning opportunities.

Do you have any advice for Chinese alumni who are looking for a job or internship?

1. Try more, keep learning, and fully experience. The work environments in China and France are significantly different. For students who are confused about where to seek employment, I suggest trying to find opportunities in both places and ultimately choose the best direction that suits them.

2. Stay confident! Many students ask if their poor French skills will affect their job search. While French is indeed important, one should not lose confidence due to language barriers. Many excellent alumni, including myself, who are only proficient in English have also found suitable internship opportunities in France by persisting.

3. Make full use of EDHEC's corporate resources and alumni network. If there is no response from submitting resumes on the official website, consider internal referral channels. Actively use LinkedIn to establish private contacts and make good use of face-to-face interaction opportunities during recruitment events. Proactive job-seeking skills are key to successful employment!