Student Interview #12 - Adil on being part of the ESSEC Football Club

By Adil, 1st year MSc in Management student, from the UK

A few days ago I was travelling on the RER A - Paris’ notorious suburban train service - on my way back from Choisy le Roi to Cergy (the vast student residence home to myself and hundreds of international students) and that day on board the train with me was the ESSEC football team - or EFC as it is known in the school’s corridors.

After a good start to the season, EFC had just experienced its first loss against ESIEE – a school in the south of Paris. The game was outrageously one-sided in our favour with EFC’s trademark direct style (meticulously drilled into us over the last few months by our coach of 26 years, Jean-Michel Bessière) proving too much for the opposition. It seemed, though, that while the team had managed to drag the shirts, bibs, water bottles and footballs to the other side of Paris, something crucial had been left behind: the shooting boots. Wasteful finishing allowed ESIEE to take home the points - the final score being 1-0 with the home side scoring from its only shot on goal....

I noticed to my right a tearful first-year student being consoled by the captain. Though I’ve never taken a football match seriously enough to be reduced to tears, I wasn’t surprised to see the young lad so distraught. For him, like the rest of us, a lost match represented an opportunity missed, and if there’s one thing which ESSEC students hate, it’s missing opportunities.

When I joined ESSEC, I had convinced myself that I would broaden my choice of extra-curricular activities. I’d already spent one degree prioritising sport over all else (it’s hard to avoid it in a sport-mad town like Manchester) so perhaps at ESSEC I’d try my hand at debating, entrepreneurship, volunteering, anything but sport.

In the end the lure of EFC proved too much. After attending the first training session on a whim, and being handed the EFC ‘Bible’, I knew that this was less a club and more a weird and wonderful family. A family which spends pre-season team-building weekends at the legendary Clairefontaine, whose captain sends hilarious rallying e-mails before each game, whose coach writes a pages-long poem at the conclusion of each match, and many other things which I probably shouldn’t write here.

To my mind, EFC is a microcosm of ESSEC’s culture. The students who arrive at ESSEC are intelligent, motivated, innovative and open-minded. This blueprint forms the backbone of ESSEC student life and the result is over 90 associations (societies/clubs/teams) and hundreds of opportunities to do something truly unique with interesting people from all corners of the world. From Plaidessec (which organises comedy debates), to Tuonglai (charity work in Vietnam) to Reve FM (the school’s main radio station) to ESNA (my own asso, promoting North American culture and sport on campus). There really is no shortage of opportunity. You could even start your own association!

The only thing you have to do to make the most of ESSEC’s varied student life is throw yourself into it. Don’t be afraid to reach out. French people can seem standoffish at first, but when they get to know you they’ll be the most entertaining group of friends you’ve had. When you get to ESSEC, enjoy the first month with your international pals but once it’s done make sure to attend la Nuit des Assos (the night of associations), Rallye des Assos and the recruitment sessions. To play an active role in an association is 100% the best way to learn the French language, enjoy the culture, and immerse yourself in the brilliantly eccentric life of an ‘ESSEC’.

Student Interview #11 - Dhruv on his apprenticeship experience so far!

Interview with Dhruv Kumar, 2nd year student MSc in Management, from India on his apprenticeship experience thus far. 

First Name: Dhruv

Surname: Kumar

Company Name: Amadeus IT Group

Role: eCommerce Analyst, Airline IT Consulting Team

Apprenticeship Dates: April 2014-April 2016

Rhythm Type: 6 Month Cycle

Why did you opt for an apprenticeship and not an internship?

I had previous experience as an analyst in a marketing research and consulting firm in India. I knew from day 1 that I wanted to specialize and work in Marketing/Consultancy. For me, ‘binding’ myself to a job for 2 years was not a problem as I knew what I wanted, and had put in enough time to research about the company and job profile. It also offered me work in my comfort zone, and a promise for growth and new learning experiences as time passes by.

How did you come to know about your company?

I came to know about Amadeus 1 month prior to the ESSEC Job Fair, Feb ’14. The company had uploaded a flyer on the ESSEC Job Portal, and was completely open to English speaking candidates, so that was a plus for me too. Though the work seemed to be a lot in the core IT domain, there were more than enough spots in marketing, consulting, business development, strategy, etc. So I knew there were going to possibilities, and started to read more about the company.

How does your work in the company align with your future aims?

I always wanted to work in the marketing domain, and also deal with clients directly, suggest actionable plans to them, and see my work help them grow. I am able to do all that in my team, as we do mainly Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and the eCommerce domain is a big one right now, and has all the potential to grow. So I guess it is going to be good for me to have expertise in this domain.

Does it add value and relevant experience?

Yes, I have learnt quite a lot already, and I still have so much time left. I’m honing my skills, picking up new ones, and interacting/networking with so many nice and interesting people! And just like any other work experience, what I learn and what I present is totally dependent on me, so I would say that personally I am picking up quite a lot.

What other valuable experiences have you gained from this unique work-study program?

For me, the change in the area (Côte d’Azur after Paris) is one of the best experiences! The beautiful sunshine, beaches, and close proximity to Italy, Spain, and Monaco has seen me enjoying an amazing work-life balance.

I have obviously learnt a lot about the French way of working, the work culture and work laws, and it is quite different from what I was used to in India.

Would you encourage others to go for an apprenticeship?

Definitely yes, but ONLY if you know what you want to do and what you are signing up for. You will be in hot soup if you sign up for something you don’t like just for the sake of the financial benefits and end up disliking your work.