I’m currently spending my year abroad working as a language assistant at HEC Paris, the #1 Business School in Europe, according to Financial Times rankings. HEC counts businessmen, academics and politicians amongst its alumni, including President Hollande, and the man who believes women everywhere should feel “worth it” – Jean-Paul Agon, CEO of L’Oréal.
Agon recently gave a talk at HEC, and I was lucky enough to go along. Along with being a very entertaining and likeable speaker, Monsieur Agon imparted some valuable career advice which can be applied to any industry!
1) Your Degree Doesn’t Matter
In France, the educational system is different: student loans are not the norm, as in the UK, and the pricey “grandes écoles” (elite universities) are therefore relatively exclusive. We are lucky that our British loan system affords everyone an equal opportunity to study at top universities, however, what if you come to the end of your degree not having done as well as you had hoped, or even feeling like you chose the wrong course? Agon stressed that you are not your degree; there are many other ways in which you can prove your worth, and a degree in a certain subject doesn’t automatically mean you’ll be any better at a certain job.
2) Be Entrepeneurial
Industries change so fast these days and companies have to keep up. Mr. Agon spoke of how L’Oréal combines “long-term vision and strategy” with “short-term adaptation” in order to achieve its continuing worldwide success. For L’Oréal specifically, this comes down to recognising that different countries have different needs, and reacting to this, but at the same time maintaining brand identity. Within a broader context, if an individual can adapt and stay ahead of the market, they become infinitely more valuable to an employer.
3) Believe in Yourself
In large corporations it can seem that individuals don’t matter. Mr. Agon emphasised that in fact, if you have talent and conviction, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. Believe strongly enough in an idea and you can take it all the way to the top. During Agon’s time at L’Oréal, he has encountered several setbacks including leading the L’Oréal Asia Zone in the midst of a huge economic crisis and moving to L’Oréal USA within days of 9/11. These devastating events created a very difficult environment in which to market luxury goods and beauty products. However, in both of these cases Mr. Agon maintained belief in himself and his brand, creating subsidiaries in several Asian countries and successfully introducing the Garnier Fructis line.
4) Have a Life Goal
Mr Agon’s ideal candidate demonstrates “energy and entrepreneurial spirit” and a desire to do something with their life. Agon started out at HEC studying finance, but quickly realised that marketing was his real passion. He pursued this goal by working his way up through L’Oréal, ultimately spending his entire career with the company and creating a lasting legacy. As indecisive students only just starting out on our careers this may seem like the most daunting piece of advice of the lot, but university is in fact the ideal opportunity to explore your interests and find what really motivates you!