Why did
you choose to work in the hospitality industry? More specifically the
Accor Group?
I was born
into a family of French hoteliers, so you can say hospitality is in my blood!
Since my childhood, I have worked in all kinds of hotels and palaces, trying
out all the different jobs possible in the front and the back of the house.
I’ve worked in kitchens, like of done accounting and reception – it’s part of
my DNA. I feel at home in hotels, and yet that does not stop me from being
amazed time-to-time by the kindness of guests and the deliciousness of food.
I’ve had a
long history at Accor, working for Mercure, 2 Pullmans, Sofitel and today
my second Novotel, for the past 5 years, all over France. I feel like I am part
of a family: which shares my values of respect, passion, and spirit of conquest
– like Accor, I am always up for new challenges.
I have pride
in working for the group, and a real interest in the growing number of brands
and the large number of innovative projects going on. These are tangible
differentiating factors not only for guests, but also for future employees,
which I hope will soon include me.
What
does your role as an Accor Student Ambassador entail, and how does it
work?
To be an
ambassador, you have to love the group and adhere to values. It’s daily work
with our network to represent the group that involves communicating, developing
and recruiting.
Notable
events we organize are TakeOff and Ambassador Beats, but we also plan
conferences and frequent student get-togethers.
We are
essentially Public Relations and Community managers on top of our daily
activity, with the purpose to engage and grow the Accor student community
on-and-offline. The recruitment process is selective: motivation and
creativity are key.
As a
Talent & Culture Assistant, what are your everyday challenges?
I ensure
that collaborators at my hotel are happy and work in the best conditions – my
day starts simply by going around the hotel and greeting all of them to find
out how they feel and what they need. Depending on their responses, every day
is different.
Since
Accor is currently going through a full managerial transformation, the
daily challenges are even more exciting. I have to ask myself “How can I
integrate employees in this transformation and nurture their creativity and
motivation?” To achieve this, I do everything from the heart, with open ears
and open arms.
How have
you grown and what you learned on your last apprenticeship?
Last year,
under the benevolent eye of my directors Sandrine Leblan and Romain Folliot, I
had the major opportunity to manage on my own the HR department of the hotel.
At the ripe age of 22, I think I impressed even myself! At first, it was
difficult to be heard, but soon enough I earned the trust of the employees, who
were kind and helped me.
I gained
additional experience through collaborating with HR managers from other hotels
in the Paris area – and I am grateful to them for sharing their knowledge and
their skills.
In the end,
this experience gave me self-confidence, and I proved to myself that I am a
capable asset on the job market. What touches me most is the people factor of
this experience, and I am grateful to have received this opportunity to grow so
rapidly. It has convinced me of one thing: when you do it with the heart,
anything is possible. I am ready for this new year at the Novotel La Defense –
and open to challenges and opportunities in October 2019!
Where
would your dream job be located? What would you like to do in 10 years?
Paris, New
York, Toronto, and Montréal: the possibilities are infinite. I can see myself
in any location, though I would like to stay in the Accor family.
Ideally, I will continue working in Talent & Culture, and then I will
manage a hotel – everything depends on the opportunities.
As a
millennial, what does ideal company look like?
Very good
question!
Any company
can be the best, because it comes from the people. There has to be a good mood,
motivation and commitment – factors that the T&C manager needs to work on
constantly.
As a
millennial, I know that we are more demanding – we need attention and
recognition on a daily basis. However, since we are taking over the job market,
it is up to the older generation of managers to adapt to us. Thus, the ideal
company would be one where empathetic managers give recognition and listen to
employees every day.