Success stories
"The working atmosphere is one of Le Guide Noir's strengths"
08 de March de 2018
After completing the Master at EAE Business School, Beatriz Montero feels much better equipped and confident to approach the employment market. As well as knowledge, in her opinion, passion and drive are the key requirements for getting a job.
Beatriz Montero Fernández tells us that her experience has been the key factor in terms of accumulating the knowledge that she now has. Despite her young age, Beatriz has already worked at leading companies such as Iberdrola, Inditex and Garrigues. The student on the Master in Human Resources Management got the opportunity to work at Le Guide Noir thanks to the EAE Business School's Professional Careers Department. With respect to the School, she highlights "the experience that you gain thanks to the classmates and lecturers, as well as developing the Master's Thesis for large companies".
Talking about Le Guide Noir, the venture spearheaded by businessman Gonzalo Cebrián that aspires to become the new leading blogger guide, Beatriz emphasizes the care the company takes of its employees "offering a flexible timetable, the freedom to perform their duties effectively and close contact with the CEO". She assures us that she learns something new every day thanks to reviewing various articles, adding that she wants to help the company continue to expand.
First of all, tell us what position you hold at Le Guide Noir and what your daily duties are.
I am a general Human Resources intern at Le Guide Noir, the big data boutique. I have only been there a really short time but, as there are very few of us in the department, I have been given quite a lot of responsibilities, which enables me to learn more quickly.
I am currently in charge of staff recruitment processes, as well as onboarding and induction training, and everything involved in staff administration (contracts, processing payroll, holiday and absence management, Social Security, etc.).
How did the opportunity to join this company come about?
It was thanks to EAE Business School's Professional Careers Department. They sent my CV to the company, from that point onwards, I entered the recruitment process.
When you saw the vacancy, what interested you about the position and Le Guide Noir as a company that made you decide to apply?
I had a few contacts who also worked there and it had always grabbed my attention. In addition, I have always wanted to work in a company related to fashion, and having the opportunity to do so in a place that uses new technologies to capitalize on this market niche seemed really interesting.
Why did you think that your profile was ideal for the position?
In my opinion, in this type of business, they need people with a lot of passion. Moreover, I already had experience in this kind of role. I've got room to improve, but I couldn't be any more passionate.
What was the recruitment process like and how did you prepare?
Throughout the entire recruitment process, I felt really comfortable. Both the Director of Recruitment and the Business Manager were really approachable. In terms of interviews, I think that it is really important to gen up on the company's philosophy. Moreover, in my opinion, naturalness is really valued, so I don't really plan what I am going to say.
How did you feel when they told you that you had been selected for the position?
I felt really excited about the experiences and challenges to come but, above all, grateful that they had picked me.
Now you know the company from the inside, what aspects of Le Guide Noir and its working atmosphere would you highlight?
The working atmosphere is one of the company's strengths. I would emphasize the fact that they all help each other out, even though they work in different departments.
In my opinion, the good atmosphere comes from the fact that it is a modern company and we all work at adjoining desks. They hold a lot of meetings to make decisions as a group. For instance, one thing that really grabbed my attention was the fact that all the staff have a 15-minute meeting in a room on Fridays to discuss the week's achievements, including people abroad via Skype. This type of measure helps to unite the group.
Although it is a company that has only come on to the market recently, being set up just four years ago in 2014, its growth has been absolutely exponential. How would you explain this?
The growth that the company has undergone can only be achieved with a great deal of hard work. The professionals are completely dedicated to what they do and this degree of involvement can be seen in the results. They have lots of initiative and, from what I have seen, they are always striving to find new opportunities and don't just settle for what they have achieved.
How does Le Guide Noir work? Can anybody become an influencer or is there a process they have to follow?
Le Guide Noir is based on a really innovative idea that has enabled a market to be organized that was previously pretty disorganized. Moreover, it boasts the latest tools on the market. Firstly, it has an SaaS, the only tool that enables customers to control their social media from a single platform (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest). The objective of everything is to enable brands and agencies to work more efficiently.
Secondly, it is a platform that brings together the best fashion bloggers at a national and international level, with the biggest Influencer Marketing database. Among other aspects, Le Guide Noir acts as an intermediary between influencers and brands, generating an influence ranking. This enables both brands and influencers to benchmark themselves against competitors.
Due to the influencer revolution in digital marketing, Le Guide Noir's main service focuses on innovation. What impact does this have on the Human Resources Department?
You really notice that it is a digital company, as we don't work only paper practically at all, and we use a huge selection of software. In addition, we strive to keep up to date with the latest innovations and Human Resources trends. One thing that I really like is that, every day, I have to read an article about technology, fashion, the department, etc., and send it to the CEO.
Still on the topic of Human Resources. It is currently a trend (and practically a necessity) that the company focuses its attention on the person, not just in terms of the customers, but also in the case of employees. How does Le Guide Noir take care of its employees?
The employees are obviously the driving force behinds companies. Without them, it wouldn't be possible to achieve success. As such, there is a great concern with the company's culture, atmosphere and wellbeing.
Le Guide Noir takes care of its employees offering a flexible timetable, the freedom to perform their duties effectively and close contact with the CEO. There is still a lot of work to do, as in all companies that have just got up and running, but I think we are on the right path.
Previously, you had also worked in the Human Resources Department of other companies, such as Iberdrola and Inditex. What have you learned from each of your professional experiences?
I have gained something different from all the experiences I have had to date and, therefore, I always say that I have been very lucky. From my time at Garrigues, I would highlight the fact that it was my first contact with the professional world and they were very demanding of me, which helped me to improve in a lot of aspects, including my level of English. At Inditex, I would underline the fact that they helped me to decide the sector in which I wanted to develop my professional career. Last but not least, with respect to Iberdrola, where I spent longest, I would highlight my direct boss, who trusted me and gave me full freedom to continue learning, correcting me as necessary, of course. Thanks to him, I now feel much better prepared to do my job, particularly in relation to recruitment.
What are your professional objectives in the short and long term?
In the short term, I would like to gradually climb the professional ladder and continue enjoying what I do. In the long term, I am still not exactly sure, but it will certainly involve implementing measures that help employees in the company I work for, thereby facilitating the continuation of its current expansion.
Why did you decide to take the Master in Human Resources Management at EAE Business School?
I decided to take the Master to expand my knowledge of Human Resources, because I wanted a broader insight into the business world. Moreover, I wanted to study at EAE Business School because, in my opinion, it is one of the best, and I felt sure it was the most suitable option.
What were your initial expectations? Are they being fulfilled?
I initially expected to get a better insight into Human Resources, as well as acquiring knowledge on topics such as strategic management, finance, legal structure, global human capital management, and so on. After some time here, I can confirm that my expectations are completely being fulfilled.
Beyond the academic training, what other experiences would you highlight from your time at EAE?
I would emphasize that it is a great experience to study with classmates from different countries and academic backgrounds, because it enables you to share different points of view and learn how Human Resources operates in other countries.
Moreover, I would highlight the opportunity to develop the Master's Thesis for leading companies. In our case, we are studying the candidate experience for Microsoft and I really appreciate having had this opportunity.
Do you feel better equipped to approach the employment market?
I still have a lot to learn, but I feel that I have expanded my knowledge, and that makes me really confident.
Would you recommend EAE and the Master? Why?
Of course, I would recommend EAE and the Master. In my opinion, it is an ideal tuition program for continuing to grow after completing a Bachelor Degree. Moreover, at a personal level, they promote teamwork and that really prepares you for starting to tackle situations that may arise in the future. Above all, I would highlight the multicultural profile and the lecturers, who have extensive experience that they share with the students to make the classes more accessible.