NATIONAL MANAGER - EDUCATION
BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP MANAGER
MARKETING MANAGER
M: 0424 299 061 D: 03 8317 6317
AUSTRALIA | SINGAPORE
My father passed away when I was 20. I had completed my studies in France (the equivalent of an Advanced Diploma) and was ready to enter the workforce. However, losing your dad is the kind of event that sends you a big slap. It reminds you that life is short, and no matter what, the day you face death, you need to tell yourself: That was fun! That was great! I have zero regrets. My dad had life insurance, paying for my education until I was 25 y.o. My mother convinced me it was worth pursuing studies, even if I wanted to stop. She convinced me first to learn English and eventually study one more year to complete a bachelor’s degree. I thought about it, I wanted to travel, meet new people from different cultures, and thought, “anyway, what do I have to lose. Let’s have fun”. I then decided to move to Melbourne. Why Melbourne? I still have no idea, but that was an incredible choice & experience. I learned English, then completed a Bachelor of Business & even had the time for a Master of Marketing. I met friends from all around the world: India, Saudi, Thailand, Syria, Palestine, UAE, Germany, Brazil, Japan. So many people I would have never met in France! Such an incredible adventure! I would recommend it to anyone.
One of my first real “professional” experiences was as a Marketing Coordinator for an irrigation technology company. My vocabulary at the time was not (and still not) “high-tech oriented”. I struggled a lot, and I was not particularly interested or passionate about the field. On the other hand, the company needed someone with better writing skills and knowledge of the industry. It was time to move on. I started to apply for various jobs and was not able to find anything interesting. They offered me some door-to-door jobs to sell solar panels, fundraise in malls, or promote Mac & Cheese in local supermarkets. I hated these jobs! Not a call back for something interesting, nothing! I started to ask myself – Why is no one responding? What can I do to make my application more attractive to employers? I decided to create a website to use as a CV instead of having a Microsoft Word or a PDF – And it worked! I got a couple of calls and ended up as a recruitment consultant at Randstad in Melbourne. The job taught me a lot—both from a Professional & Human perspective.
I accomplished my yearly target x4! I was the best biller for the schools’ desks in Australia! Better than people working there for 3-4 years. I felt great about my achieved results. I was proud of myself. I wanted to grow… Funnily, I started to feel unsupported & unfollowed by my leadership team. I asked for a promotion to become a team leader. I was working in Melbourne, and there was already a team leader & a manager in Sydney. The National director of education asked me to send a survey to get honest feedback from my colleagues, my team leader & my manager. This survey was sent to about ten people in Melbourne (Education team) & my two leaders … Everyone in Melbourne – who spent nine hours a day near me - gave me positive feedback … My two leaders in Sydney did not! I won’t enter the details, but things were made up, and I was simply scandalized by what I read! I understood these people were ready to do everything to block my career progression! I was enraged; all these weekends or evenings I have worked to grow the desk - swept up in 2 seconds! Once again, it was time to move on! I went on a hunt for a new job, and it was not difficult at all. In a week, I received a couple of job offers! I quickly understood how underpaid I was at Randstad. My new company multiplied my package by 2! They let me create a desk and promised a promotion based on my performance. Finally, an exciting & transparent challenge, where I can control my career. I loved it!
Covid happened, and I was still able to help clients & candidates! I got promoted to National Manager and had to move to the head office in Sydney. I am now leading a small team. Before being colleagues, we were friends, and that makes our life easy. We are seeking to grow, but due to repetitive lockdowns – we struggle to estimate when. We don’t want to hire toxic people, so we are waiting for things to reopen, to meet potential new colleagues face to face.
What books are you currently reading?
World Without End by Ken Follett – Nothing business-related.
What do you know today that you wish you would have known when you first got started?
During my journey, I have seen how unpredictable human beings can be. People won’t be scared to stab you in the back if it benefits them! However, there is still something I am sure of. No matter what happens, no matter how many toxic people can use it against you, always be friendly, always be kind! Caring attracts kindness. And when someone is receptive to it, they will give it back to you. We, as new leaders, need to be irreproachable. We need to be fair, offer career progression based on performances, not friendship! If someone feels mistreated (as I did), they will leave!
What advice would you give to upcoming youth or talents locally and internationally?
Trust yourself! Know what you are worth. People won’t do it for you. If you believe you are being treated unfairly, seek something else! Get surrounded by positive & friendly people. You live once, so don’t waste your time with toxicity. Remember, the sky's the only limit. If you are on a job hunt, ensure you have a career progression. Ask questions on what you need to achieve to be promoted. Ensure it is measurable. If it is not, leave it!
