"A lively network of student societies and clubs": one student’s experience

​Thomas, can you tell us about the first part of your gap year?

I started it at the prestigious firm KPMG. It began with an interview with a SKEMA alumna, who was also a member of the school's junior-enterprise, just like me, a year before. Prior to my gap year, I was a salesperson and then the director of the Lille branch of SKEMA Conseil.

At KPMG, I had the opportunity to explore new skills and sectors of activity. I was in charge of financial audits for companies in the energy, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. I was able to contribute to the auditing of major groups such as Total and Pfizer, which was a rewarding experience! I would like to thank my internship supervisor for allowing me to explore the accounting and finance divisions in this way, in contact with companies of high calibre.

After your experience at KPMG, you decided to take a 180 degree turn and explore the digital sector at Contentsquare, where you are at present. What led you to this choice?

It was a great opportunity to be accepted at Contentsquare, a company that helps brands to offer better digital experiences and whose mission is to make the digital world more human. I joined it at the right time; just a few days after I arrived, the startup announced that it had raised $600 million in its sixth round of funding.

I wanted to experience the reality of an international tech startup and work in an English-speaking environment to improve my professional English. I feel very comfortable in my internship and team. I work on a daily basis with an EMEA team, made up of 6 international employees based in strategic regions in Europe, and also with the sales team dedicated to the French market.

The real strength of Contentsquare is, in my opinion, its ambition and the diversity of the talents that embody it. I hold a strategic position in which I assist the sales teams in understanding the key accounts and in implementing action plans to contact them. On the other hand, I have a more operational role with the objective of generating leads on my own account lists. These are complementary and very formative missions for an aspiring salesperson.

How has your time at SKEMA helped you in your current role?

One of the greatest strengths of SKEMA, without doubt, is the lively network of its student societies and clubs and the strength of the links we create with people. I was lucky enough to be part of the junior-enterprise adventure as well as the student office (BDE). As the former director of SKEMA Conseil, I was able to use the skills I acquired during my mandate, whether it was in project management or human resources.

I learned to collaborate and work as a team in a context of rigour and performance specific to SKEMA Conseil. The other asset, and not the least, is the community of SKEMA alumni. Thanks to this network, I was able to learn about the reality of several business sectors. Finally, my manager in the French team at Contentsquare is a SKEMA alumna!