How ESDEV fit into my career path
My name is Leah Zahzah, I am 21 and I live in a small town near Fontainebleau at 50km from Paris. At 18 year old, I got my economic baccalaureate then decided to integrate Neoma Business School for it's international opening. I pass the exam and get the chance to integrate Neoma, now I begin my four year in the school.
For our first year in Neoma we need to make a first internship to use our knowledge acquired in 1 year. I decided to do it in the retail company Longchamp and integrated the team of a shop in Paris. I discovered the organization of a shop from the stockist position to saleswoman until the merchandising. I got a full training as a saleswoman. I was able to practice my languages mainly english while meeting customers from all over the world ; especially Chinese customers because I was responsible of the "Pliage" department of the shop, the hit bag of Longchamp, very requested by Asian customers.
After this experience, I worked during 1 month for a subsidiary of the famous multinational H&M, named &Otherstories located in Paris as a saleswoman. I joined a bigger team, faster with more demand. I practiced my languages and was able to meet a more trendy and fashionable client.
Finally I worked during 3 months for a popup store of the Naf Naf brand located in the Champs Elysée Avenue, I could learn how to sell for a click and collect concept store. The concept is about customers who came in store to choose their product but did not leave with their purchases, it is send directly at home. It allow me to handle with international client with a new sales expertise.
During my second year in Neoma I needed to choose a country to study aboard during 1 year. I choose Colombia and got the chance to integrate the Colegio de Estudios Superiores de Administración named EL CESA in Bogota. Thanks to this experience, I am able to speak fluently spanish. I made some volunteering experiences during my year aboard such as english courses during 6 months for children in the favelas. It was an amazing experience because I was able to transmit my knowledges to children in needs by making educative game. I work also in an hostel during 1 month to improve my languages with international customers and see how work a business in South America.
Today, I just finish my mission within ESDEV association. My mission was to help and develop income-generating activities in Togo. This experience fit into my career path because now I developed capacities that will help me during my futur work opportunities. As I explain in the previous articles, I spent a month in the village of Zogpébimé without running water and electricity, it allow me to manage myself on my own, be independent. Moreover, I needed to be open-minded, brave, because sometimes you faced situation that you can't dealing in you daily life so you must adapt yourself for instance the living conditions really limited, the lack of access to care...
Furthermore during the second month, I created a crowdfunding platform so I needed to be 100% implicated in a project with a real problematic issue that will have an impact on the economy of the village. I had to be well organized , rigorous firstly for the planning of the project: what we wanted to target, the desired impact, how to proceed... Then set up everything and lastly find donors who believe in our project.