What roles have you had at your company?
I joined L’Oreal at the start of this year which gave me an amazing, albeit brief, introduction to life in the St Kilda office. In my first rotation, I worked in the Professional Products Division as a Digital and Education Management Trainee. I worked closely with my manager, Sylvia, to develop a division-wide Digital Academy. As the first of its kind, I was given full reign to develop and co-deliver modules that were presented digitally to over 400 salons. Being able to support salons with their growth online was particularly fulfilling in the current climate where having a robust digital presence has never been more important. It was precisely what I needed to understand and appreciate an industry that plays such a large role in uplifting people’s mood and shaping their self-perception.
Recently, I joined the Active Cosmetics Division as a Digital Marketing Trainee for Cerave and La Roche Posay. In a COVID-19 world, I feel particularly lucky to be working on brands with a mission to improve people’s quality of life by promoting healthy skin. In my first week, the team introduced us to the brands and the dermo-cosmetic landscape. Understanding the division’s intimate connection with healthcare professionals has been incredibly interesting and I can’t wait to learn more. With the exponential growth of e-commerce, I’m looking forward to working with the team to understand how we can make medically-backed skincare more accessible and digestible for our consumer.
What was your journey in choosing your specialisation?
In my first rotation, I was placed in a digital marketing role which confirmed my interest in the online space. That said, the digital world is expansive and I’m comfortable knowing it might take some time for me to discover my ‘true-calling’. That’s one of the beauties of life at L’Oreal. The company encourages you to step out of your comfort zone and be curious about opportunities that are beyond your current scope. I’ve experienced this first-hand in my current role, where I’m being challenged to understand how we can innovate and adapt our e-commerce offerings to meet the needs of today’s consumer.
Can you describe a typical workday in your current role? What was the last thing you worked on?
Every workday is different which helps to cut through the monotony of ISO! Most days involve team meetings and strategy sessions with our agency partners. Typically, there’s a full agenda with plenty of upcoming projects and campaigns in the pipeline. As a result, the time I have to work independently is precious. I use this time to action my list of tasks and support the delivery of key business initiatives. At the moment, I’m working on a division-wide performance report that reflects on last month’s results. Although challenging, it’s providing me with an opportunity to analyse robust data on each of our brands and their positioning within the Australian skincare market.
What are the career prospects with your job? Where could you or others in your position go from here?
L’Oreal is a company that is continually adapting to the ever-changing landscape. In this sense, it’s hard to know what my role will look like in a few years time. Especially in light of COVID-19, it’s possible that my future role is yet to come into fruition!
What’s the biggest limitation of your job? Do you bear a lot of responsibility? Do you have to work on weekends? Are stress levels high?
Like many, the biggest limitation of my job has been working from home. L’Oreal is a people-centric company that places great emphasis on collaboration. The pandemic has undoubtedly challenged this, especially with everyone experiencing their fair share of tech issues! With that said, the team are incredibly supportive and are always willing to help. We have regular meetings where emphasis is placed on ensuring we’re comfortable and supported - both from a professional and personal standpoint. As far as responsibilities go, L’Oreal encourages autonomy and pushes you to take ownership of projects early on. Through these experiences, you learn so much in a short window of time. However, you do experience your fair share of ups-and-downs as you learn to manage numerous tasks and expectations. Where working hours are concerned, we are encouraged to maintain a healthy work-life balance which means no work on weekends!
Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student?
It’s never too early to speak to people in fields that interest you. Even if you’re not sure what you want to do, you’ll learn something from every person you meet.
Nurture and build ongoing relationships with mentors. If you’re in a university-based mentorship program, make sure to keep in touch with mentors even after formal interaction has concluded.
Be curious and demonstrate your willingness to learn. If you’re applying for graduate programs, you may think your success will be contingent upon prior knowledge and experience. However, these programs exist to nurture and equip graduates with the skills and know-how to excel in future positions.